Streetscape
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From Seoul to Bilbao
Hwahongmun Gate sits where the Suwoncheon stream passes through the northern wall of Hwaseong Fortress, with seven arches spanning the water. Built of...
By Yuval Fogelson -
When Zero Doesn’t Mean Zero
Recently, a family member told me about a survey they participated in concerning municipal taxation. The questions gradually worked toward a familiar...
By Erick Villagomez -
From Mirvish to Dufferin
Bloor and Bathurst in Toronto is where the story begins. Looking east down Bloor, the street’s low rooftops gave way in the distance to a cluster of...
By Yuval Fogelson -
City Primer — Part 6: Why Civic Literacy Matters
Most people do not spend much time thinking about municipal government. They think about finding housing, getting to work, walking their children to...
By Erick Villagomez -
City Primer — Part 4: Why Cities Are Always Short of Money
Many residents assume cities operate financially in roughly the same way as provincial or federal governments. They don’t. Municipal governments are...
By Erick Villagomez -
City Primer — Part 3: Why Housing Dominates Municipal Politics
It’s possible to attend a Vancouver City Council meeting and come away with the impression that municipal government exists almost entirely to debate...
By Erick Villagomez -
City Primer — Part 2 – How Cities Actually Make Decisions
Many residents encounter municipal government for the first time when a controversial proposal appears in their neighbourhood. A rezoning sign goes up on...
By Erick Villagomez -
Yonge Street, Evening, November 6, 1965
A few of weeks ago, while searching the Toronto Telegram online archive for aerial photos of the historic industrial waterfront, I came across a...
By Peter MacCallum -
New Over Old, but not Forgotten in Mexico City
In July 2026, I had the opportunity to visit Mexico City for the first time. The metro area of nearly 25 million people has a fascinating history that...
By Andrew Cuthbert -
From Bleecker St. to Bedford Ave.
One of my urban detective sessions: browsing through well-known New York City neighbourhoods famous for having changed, like Williamsburg and Greenwich...
By Yuval Fogelson -
Open Streets: How Often
Every Sunday, Avenida Paulista in São Paulo fills completely with people. Then, as the day winds down, the street exhales. A van creeps along the avenue...
By Yuval Fogelson -
What Makes a Village?
I recently found myself wandering Commercial Drive, reading between its pulsing cafés and restaurants. An empty storefront. Another. A familiar music...
By Erick Villagomez