Central and South America

Urban city centers have been decaying for years in Latin America, however, with renewed interest by Latin American governments, these city cores are once again being revitalized. Arup Connect spoke with urban design leader Pablo Lazo to learn how.

April 8, 2015 - Arup Connect

Kudos are in order for the Central American nation of Costa Rica. We suspect running your country without burning fossil fuels is its own reward, however.

March 23, 2015 - Science Alert

With one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Brazil is at the cusp of major change. Arup's Gustavo Ferreria discusses the role that public-private partnerships are playing in modernizing and expanding the country's infrastructure systems.

March 11, 2015 - Arup Connect

Ecologists and planners have been warning that water may be the oil of the 21st century. With oil prices plunging, water is getting more dear in some places. Sao Paulo, Brazil's great megacity and economic heart, is already facing a dire shortage.

February 20, 2015 - New York Times

An article by Woodbury University Professor Anthony Fontenot examines the effects of a history of opposition to planning as a centralized arm of the state, and proposes a way forward.

January 13, 2015 - Places Journal

Known as the Lima Accord, after the capital of Peru where representatives from 200 nations met for two weeks, a deal was reached to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in preparation for talks to be held in Paris in December. But is it strong enough?

December 16, 2014 - The New York Times

A new report from the World Resources Institute illustrates how Brazil is preparing its cities to deal with climate change.

December 4, 2014 - The City Fix

The new safety law allows women to request a stop at any location along a bus route after 10 pm, in an effort to increase women's safety in transit.

November 15, 2014 - The City Fix

Around the world, countries are building new dams for hydroelectric power at a frenzied pace. Vox examines the benefits and drawbacks of hydroelectric power.

October 29, 2014 - Vox

According to a newly released study by the World Wildlife Fund, the Zoological Society of London, and other NGOs, the world has lost half of its biodiversity, particularly in fresh water ecosystems and in developing nations.

October 7, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

In an effort to tap into new users, companies like Google and Microsoft are racing to map the winding, informal streets of Brazil's slums in Rio de Janeiro.

September 25, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

A Guardian Cities article examines bus rapid transit—especially of the variety delivered by the likes Jaime Lerner and Enrique Peñalosa—on its merits as an "urban panacea."

August 28, 2014 - Guardian Cities

A new study by the World Bank examines the benefits for policies addressing clean transportation, energy efficiency in industry, and energy efficiency in buildings in five countries and the European Union.

June 26, 2014 - The World Bank

Questions about workers' strikes in two transportation systems persisted right up until the launch of the World Cup, the world's most watched sporting event, today in Brazil.

June 12, 2014 - AP via Yahoo News

Leão Serva reports on the case of São Paulo, where a value capture funding mechanism has raised a huge amount of public revenue to pay for infrastructure projects and public housing.

May 23, 2014 - Citiscope

The city of Santiago, Chile offers a cautionary tale for cities amidst a biking boom that don’t rethink the mode balance on their streets: there’s nowhere for bikers to go except the sidewalk.

April 20, 2014 - Atlantic Cities

Markets are important commercial and cultural spaces throughout South America, in small villages and big cities. The market landscape in South America is diverse, but thriving markets share a number of common characteristics across the continent.

April 18, 2014 - Julie Flynn

Historically, central markets served as grand social and commercial hubs for U.S. cities. A period of 20th century decline interrupted the evolution of markets, but creative and diverse examples have precipitated a recovery around the country.

March 25, 2014 - The Street Plans Collaborative

Lessons from a successful urban farming effort can be applied to achieve resource independence aside from just food.

March 22, 2014 - Architectural Review

Since 1990, around half of Brazil's largest cities have adopted participatory budgeting. A new study finds the experiment has had positive impacts on health and quality of life. With more countries adopting the practice, the results are encouraging.

January 27, 2014 - The Washington Post