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.
• Spiegel Online profiles the fascinating work of photographer Andreas Muhs. Muhs captures forgotten places from Berlin’s broken past. Muhs speaks of the role these “empty” places (predominantly in the “death strip” where the Berlin Wall once stood) play in the work of artists, alternative clubs and transient housing. The photographs chronicle a part of Berlin’s history which slips away as new development takes hold.
• All hail the “best European city in America”! Metropolis Magazine celebrates plans for Portland, Oregon’s Director Park. The city’s latest urban space project features an old world style piazza, fountain and cafe. While these features will serve the city well, author Linda Baker notes the challenges of European-style planning in the American context: warning signs on fountains, the impossibility of shared streets and public consultation versus vision.
• 20 is plenty. Or so say a variety of transportation thinkers who endorse 20 miles per hour (roughly 32 km/h) as a life saving speed limit in urban areas. According to the UK Department for Transportation, “if a driver hits a pedestrian at 30 miles per hour, the victim only has a 55 percent chance of surviving. At 20 mph, the pedestrian has a 95 percent chance of survival.” This threshold for pedestrian safety also appears to have a negligible impact on urban travel times, reports Streetsblog.
• Leaders of the municipalities in Israel’s Dan region (surrounding Tel Aviv) have announced plans to create a regional transportation authority, report Haaretz. The move comes after calls for real solutions to the region’s congestion problems. Tel Aviv city council will also discuss the establishment of public transit lanes and a lobby to address jurisdictional issues around regional public transportation.
• In the spirit of giving, consider artist Candy Chang’s city wishes. See some possibility in your neighbourhood? The “I Wish This Was…” sticker will help you to share your thoughts. Trying to get a sense of housing affordability? Try Post-it-Notes for Neighbours to see the range within a neighbourhood. Wondering if your neighbour will lend you a cup of sugar? The Neighbour Doorknob hanger should get the conversation started. See The Pop-Up City for photos.
Photo by Andreas Muhs
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2 comments
It’s worth noting that “Twenty is plenty” is a phrase that rhymes for most Londoners.
My borough, Islington, now uses a 20mph limit on most roads and it makes for a safer and more pleasent cycling experience.
‘Twenty’ and ‘plenty’ rhyme in most varieties of English, whether the second ‘t’ is pronounced, glottalized (twen’y) or whatever.