Neighbourhoods
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Rising High, Falling Short: Introduction
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” — Albert Einstein Across cities like Vancouver and beyond...
By Erick Villagomez -
The Pro Forma Problem
[EDITORS NOTE: This piece seeks to answer a simple question by a community member: how could the City decision-making about the Broadway Plan be so...
By Erick Villagomez -
S101S: Defining Public Space: The Basics
Public space is a dynamic and essential part of our collective urban experience. Streets, parks, plazas, and beaches serve as the everyday settings where...
By Erick Villagomez -
When Care Becomes Control: The Hidden Violence of Urban Planning
It seems to us that this connection—or better perhaps, confusion—between care and domination is utterly critical to the larger question of how we lost the...
By Erick Villagomez -
Broadway Plan Blues
Editor’s Note: Many residents are unaware—and some are unpleasantly surprised—that the Broadway Plan allows for high-rise towers on quiet back...
By cdemarco -
New study reveals zoning effects affordability
Social cohesion, environmental health, and industrial development are paramount characteristics to sculpting a sustainable community. Yet a recent...
By saramansour -
The Barcelona Chronicles: Vancouver v. Barcelona – Urban Design
Cities host our lived experiences. They are more than mere words in reports or policy documents; they are tangible environments that shape our daily...
By Erick Villagomez -
The Barcelona Chronicles: The Superilla…Evolved
After a scenic ride through El Poblenou and along the Barcelona waterfront, we approached the Sant Antoni market from the south, via Carrer del Comte...
By Erick Villagomez -
The Barcelona Chronicles: Barcelona v. Vancouver – Strategies
Now that we’ve explored the foundational differences between Vancouver and Barcelona, let’s examine how these differences shape their housing strategies...
By Erick Villagomez -
The Barcelona Chronicles: Vancouver v. Barcelona – Foundations
With a good understanding of the main aspects of Barcelona’s policies and approach to affordable housing, it is now possible to compare this to our local...
By Erick Villagomez -
The Barcelona Chronicles: Cerdà and Colau – Two Key Figures
Before diving more deeply into the policies and urban fabric of Barcelona, it’s necessary to share some important historical context. Now, summarizing the...
By Erick Villagomez -
The Barcelona Chronicles: Introduction
In the spring of 2024, a group of urban planners from British Columbia embarked on an enlightening week-long journey to Barcelona, Spain, as part of an...
By Erick Villagomez