In a unique collaboration, an American lawyer and a Venezuelan architect merge thinking on holistic design, planning and regulation
Two people who have never met (Venezuelan architect Ana Maria Manzo, who blogs at the place of dreams, http://anammanzo.wordpress.com/, and American environmental and land use lawyer Chuck Wolfe, founder of myurbanist, http://www.myurbanist.com) merge writing and imagery to create an evocative, interactive story of the evolution of place, blending multiple dimensions and cultures.
Together, in simultaneous postings in English and Spanish, they argue for a "broader, holistic effort" among professionals, mindful of context, "a movement that evokes positive emotions in those who inhabit cities, and a movement which makes us dream."
Through 22 comparative images, the authors emphasize not only history, but a "best practices" effort to achieve a common goal: human life in a better urban landscape premised on, inter alia: sense of place, climate, sound, population density, geographic orientation and neighbor buildings.
They conclude: "When we are collectively able to consider all of these elements to envision the re-creation of urban settings, the evolution of place will take a new and positive direction."
FULL STORY: reading the evolution of places
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Placemaking is often mistaken for a form of manufacturing. Every place already has a story to tell—placemaking just brings that story forward.
Seeing the Street
A San Francisco-based design studio describes the thought process behind an effort to push outdoor lighting design beyond the lowest common denominator allowed by bureaucracy and status quo thinking.
Detroit Making its Streets 'Sticky'
The word "sticky" when applied to the urban design context has come to mean attractive and comfortable—the kind of place that makes people want to stay away and make return visits. Detroit is the latest city to experiment with the concept.
Eugene Ends Parking Minimums
In a move that complies with a state law aimed at reducing transportation emissions, Eugene amended its parking rules to eliminate minimum requirements and set maximum parking lot sizes.
How Paris, Texas Became a ‘Unicorn’ for Rural Transit
A robust coalition of advocates in the town of 25,000 brought together the funding and resources to launch a popular bus service that some residents see as a mobility lifeline—and a social club.
How ‘Daylighting’ Intersections Can Save Lives
Eliminating visual obstructions can make intersections safer for all users.
States Scramble in Wake of Clean Water Act Ruling
The removal of federal oversight of wetlands has left millions of acres unregulated and erected major hurdles for lawmakers seeking to protect them.
Brightline West Awarded $3 Billion in Federal Funding
The high-speed rail line will cut travel time between Southern California and Las Vegas roughly in half.
OKC Celebrates New Rapid Bus Line With Free Rides
The agency wants to showcase the benefits of a recently opened BRT line connecting the northwest part of the city to downtown.
City of Kissimmee - Development Services
City of Kissimmee - Development Services
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Park City Municipal Corporation
National Capital Planning Commission
City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
