Developing Dynamic Resilient Cities, Issue 36

I have written eleven of thirty-five newsletters about the future of community.   I now realize that I have not presented a cohesive position on developing dynamic resilient cities.  Some order is needed.

I will consolidate the relevant  newsletters into one document and scrap the Street Competition series. This one document will reflect my opinions on how cities and communities should evolve. It will be supplemented by blending in new subject-matter articles.

So far I have:

Coming:

Cities have to be more than steel and glass.
City character

I have no formal qualifications to opine on urban design. My views are influenced by my love of cities, working in the real estate community, life experience, travel,  and, reading. So, opine I will.  

I might draft out some newsletters on city and community design over the next couple of weeks.  None will appear until I have cobbled together a cohesive story from my existing newsletters. I will share the compilation with my next article about developing dynamic resilient cities.  In the meantime, I will continue to publish articles on evolving trends, slow travel, and occasionally, some random thoughts.

Television and Great Cities

A relevant random thought about great cities: some television programs and movies are part love letter to the cities that play host to the story. I got hooked on the French Netflix series, Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent) for a whole number of reasons. I enjoyed the story line, the humour, and character development. Also and maybe most importantly, Paris upstages everyone and everything. Georges-Eugène Haussmann created a masterpiece. It helped that he worked for an emperor and could do as he wished by decree.

The usual reminders:

  • Buy better, buy less, reduce, repair, reuse and recycle 
  • Shop local, support local businesses, buy from local farms, and support local artisans and manufacturers
  • Wear face masks where required. Wash your hands, practice social distancing, hydrate, and exercise

Lisbon – A City on the Rise?

March 7, 2023

Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]

Cities and Towns, The Affordable Housing Problem

February 8, 2023

People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex.  Defining Affordability […]

I Love to Dance

January 29, 2023

I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. My first memories of watching others dance come from my childhood in Cape Breton where I would watch the adults square dance. Then, there were the step dancers who would often accompany […]

Cities and Towns 8, A City is About People

January 19, 2023

Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed  off  to the public by the end of the 20th century.   Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]

NEOM - the Wall

Cities and Towns 7, Cities and Towns Evolve

January 8, 2023

I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes.  Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]

Christmas Poem 2022

December 22, 2022

A Visit from Saint Nicholas A Poem by Jonathan Potter – December 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores  The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, […]