Each week we will be focusing on blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues.
• In Alexandria, GOOD reports that citizens are taking over many functions of municipal government. The Popular Committee for the Protection of Properties and Organization of Traffic is taking care of traffic, clean up, protection and emergency response for fellow citizens.
• Though the role of social media in this week’s events in Egypt is well established, Grist celebrates “the streets of Cairo [, Alexandria, Suez etc. as] the medium that has carried the message of the Egyptian people.” Author Sarah Goodyear highlights the occupation of Tahrir Square, Cairo’s central public space, and movement over the Kasr-al-Nil Bridge as defining moments.
• Artist Alexander Chen used MTA data to create a musical transit map of the New York subway system (GOOD).
• The Pop Up City features a collection of public sidewalk art which makes celebrates shadows with chalk.
• Next American City celebrates the work of Portland’s City Repair – a group that facilitates artistic and ecologically-oriented placemaking. City Repair seeks to repair the fabric of community through projects which help people to connect to the places where they live.
• Tulane Professor Richard Campanella considers the repurposing of post-Katrina infrastructure to create public space in New Orleans (TEDxNOLA).
• Perugia, Italy dug deep into the past for a new approach to urban transportation. Inspired by the ancient city uncovered by archaeologists, the city of 3 million has virtually eliminated car traffic through a network of underground parking garages, escalators and a minimetro (National Geographic).
• Guanzhou, China is celebrating its victory in the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy’s 2011 Sustainable Transportation Award. The city’s BRT system carries 800,000 passengers daily and integrates seamlessly with rail and bike networks (National Geographic).
Photo by Roadsworth
Do you have a World Wide Wednesday worthy article you’d like to share? Send the link to www@spacing.ca