Empowerment 2.0

With transit fare hikes being a hot topic in the city this fourth quarter, Torontonians are finding new ways to express their ideas and discontents. The benefits of social media seem to be measured by the amount of action TTC Chair Adam Giambrone's Facebook page receives daily - where thousands of Toronto residents have access to him directly voice their concern on the City's biggest service.

This online forum allows for real-time conversations and provides anonymity to citizens to voice their concerns. It is even able to attract those who are not politically inclined to participate and to do so in the comfort of their homes, expanding on the idea of the public forum by creating a digital one. Traditional forms of capacity building and the empowerment are done in a new way, addressing concerns with the goals of facilitating change in their communities.

Use of social networking around the world (courtesy of Weboptium)

I had a chance to speak with Mr. Giambrone - when he wasn't busy wearing TTC Chair or Ward 18 Councillor hats - about this new form of communication for the City and if it is a useful forum for him to inform decisions. As he is active in posting and responding, and with the public participation being there, he simply declared, "It works for me."

Not all Councilors utilize this resource, but think of the change it would bring to the political process for the city, and any metropolitan area for that matter. It would be a responsible move to react to these changes but even Giambrone questions, "I don't know how many councillors will respond."

It would be beneficial for a politician to have an online presence to interact with their constituents, and equally beneficial for them to participate in the discussions. Although this movement isn't mainstream yet, it proves to be a great forum to voice your opinions and add to the discussions happening within your city.

I challenge you to find your local politicians on Facebook and Twitter. If you can't, then bug them to get connected! With life moving at a 21st century pace, it should be part of their job description.

New York Street Design

Earlier this year, New York City’s Department of Transportation released their Street Design Manual, with the purpose of being a guide towards quality design and sound implementation. After defining street typologies, the document continues to outline how people interact with the space, the materials used, and aesthetics, specifically lighting and furniture considerations.

The manual’s overall goals are:

1. Design for Safety: Move people and goods safely.

2. Design for Access and Mobility: Accommodate all street users,giving priority to the most energy– and space efficient modes.

3. Design for Context: Respond to neighborhood character.

4. Design for Livability: Create a vibrant public realm with high–quality public spaces.

5. Design for Sustainability: Contribute to a healthier andmore sustainable environment.

6. Design for Visual Excellence: Create coherent and harmonious streetscapes.

7. Design for Cost–Effectiveness: Provide the greatest possible value to the public.

These ideas are expanded upon here.

These guides are fun reads as they look towards innovations and successes from cities all around the world, attempting to apply international ideas to their respective city. After all, a good design can work anywhere.

The Street Design Manual can be found via New York City’s DOT.

Google SketchUp Pro 7

I just upgraded to SketchUp Pro 7 and have been playing around with it for most of the day. I love being finished school for the semester :0)

Since my work on it isn't as good as the SketchUp promotional photos, I will post this video explaining what you can do with version 7.1 instead.

Shout outs to Google for making it so easy and so free (monetarily speaking).

Download via Google SketchUp.

Wonderwall Inc.

Fred Perry Moscow by Wonderwall

I had to post this.

I'm a sucker for retail store design - boutiques, in particular - and after doing some reading I found out that a single firm is behind creating the retail identity of several of my favourite brands.

Out of Japan, Wonderwall is the leading firm in the retail design business, creating unique experiences within commercial spaces all over the world since 2000. Their work isn't limited to interiors as they also have creative direction over architectural design.

A.P.C. store in Kita-Aoyama, Tokyo

View portfolio via Wonderwall.

Frank O. Gehry "since 1997" Exhibition

Walt Disney Concert Hall, 1999 -2003 @ 1:50 scale

Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry is being honoured with his first exhibition entitled "since 1997" currently on display at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan. The collection, co-curated by Gehry himself, brings together a selection of his iconic projects and attempts to explore how the buildings interact with its surrounding environment and human scale.

I don't know about you, but this scaled version of the Walt Disney Concert Hall would look great in my living room. Regardless, it's nice to see architecture make its way into art galleries.

More photos via DesignBoom.

For a glimpse inside Gehry's creative process, watch the Sydney Pollack directed documentary, Sketches of Frank Gehry here.

The future of pedestrian navigation

An App brings the New York subway system to the palm of your hand. To make things even easier for your day trip to the city, there are additional Apps that now include amenities as well - changing the way we interact with our cities!

The world is ours. Well, New York at least.

Better late than never, Utah

"We wanted to find out if cities are moving in the right direction, if they're realizing what they do in regard to land use

and transportation actually has a public health impact."

This story brings me back to my half-completed thesis project as it takes a look at the built environment and how it affects citizens’ health.

There are healthy lifestyle movements happening in cities all over the world, but no coordinated effort to plan healthy, walkable communities. We are required to take time out of our day to drive to a gym to run in a single place - there is something not very practical with that picture. If a healthy development plan was inherent, this would change the way people interact with cities, benefiting us in the long term, also promoting a more sustainable lifestyle - prompting us to walking to school, to amenities or even having live/work arrangements.

The following illustrates a place starting from the basics, with several neighbourhoods even lacking sidewalks. Poor design and weak policies are promoting sedentary lifestyles keeping neighbourhoods unhealthy and contributing to the rising Body Mass Index (BMI) levels.

These ideas are explored through Utah, but think of your neighbourhood when reading this, especially if you’re the type to drive everywhere.

Via The Salt Lake Tribune

Best in Shoe* The Work Boot

Show the street who's boss in a pair of work boots this winter. Mine came in the mail today!

For variety's sake, check out GQ magazine's recent feature on the American work boot.

Art:21: Place

Richard Serra's Torqued Ellipse VI" (1999)

From the Art:21 website:

"Artists explore the idea of place by questioning commonly held assumptions about land, home and national identity."

Watch here.

Climate Change Adaptation

Excuse the lack of posts as of late. The semester is winding down and I have been nose-deep in climate change reports for my Environmental Management course.

Although this is school-related stuff, the material is progressive and noteworthy in a planning sense.

Adaptive capacity Indicators include:

• economic resources
• availablitiy of and access to technology
• information
• skills
• degree of prepardness of infrastructure and institutions

Simply put, the more developed an area, the better they stand against the effects of climate change. These indicators differ in adaptive capacity based on subregions and sectors and the speed of reaction to these changes, as climate change can happen faster than our adaptation.

The multidisciplinary collection of experts behind the IPCC AR4 report point out that the role of institutions (ie. universities, government, etc.) is important in enhancing long-term adaptive capacity with the goal of making adaptation mainstream by including it in all forms of policy for planning processes. This must be informed by taking into consideration current vulnerabilities and future changes.

With that said, climate change is currently incorporated into long-term planning and decision making processes within conservation authorities (such as stormwater management) and public health departments (in the form of smog alerts). North America has historically been "reactive," to cope with these changes instead of being focused on preventative measures.

Using Global Circulation Models, coupled with several different emission scenarios, the IPCC researchers predict a future that will boast temperatures exceeding 30°C, with most of the warming happening in the winter season.

With ageing urban infrastructure found in all cities around the world, modifications required for adaptation involve retrofits to update and enhance how we live in urban centres.

The implications carried through the various related reports recommend climate change be factored into all long-term plans as it is hailed as a reality by this Nobel Prize-winning intergovernmental panel of experts.

More literature on adapatation and Ontario municipalities can be found here.

Vancouverism

Living Shangri-La is Vancouver's tallest building. Designed by James KM Cheng Architects Inc. (Photo by Uncle Buddha via Flickr)

I've seen this term being thrown around in various architecture readings, but never really knew what the term encompassed. Here is what I've learned:

"Vancouverism is characterized by tall, but widely separated, slender towers interspersed with low-rise buildings, public spaces, small parks and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and facades to minimize the impact of a high density population."

Wedged between the sea, mountains and the US border, Vancouverism is truly a product of its environment.

Here is an interesting comparison between New York's modern architecture and Vancouver's neomodern styles and the policies that allow them to exist.

And if you didn't know before, you do now.

Hosang Park's 'A Square'

From Seoul, South Korea, Hosang Park's photographic series A Square articulates how public spaces blend in with urban living environments.

Blueprint America: Road to the Future

Featuring Denver, Portland and New York

This episode of PBS' documentary series Blueprint America examines the United States' investment in its aging infrastructure and changes that are happening now by looking at several American cities and the systems they have created.

Watch here.

Toronto wins 2015 Pan Am Games

What are the Pan Am Games you ask? Well, it's known as somewhat of a prequalifier for the Olympics held every four years, the year before the big Games. Participants from the Americas and Caribbean compete in multi-sport events. With a history of losing two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games, this victory seems bittersweet.

(Courtesy of the CBC)

The Games will bring a $1 billion athletes' village in the West Donlands which includes a component of affordable housing after the games and develop sports infrastructure to the region in the form of a new aquatics centre with two 50-metre pools and a separate diving tank plus a high-performance sports training facility at the U of T's Scarborough campus. This will contribute to the health of our residents and to Toronto's identity as a city with world class facilities.

The Games will surely be good for tourism and potential public transit advances but will it cost us money or make us money?

Whatever happens post-2015, Toronto's vision of the future is grand.

PublicART: Eagles in the City

(Photo by LK Cavers)

When visiting Vancouver a few months back, it was hard not to notice the 7½ foot bald eagles taking over public spaces every several intersections (and in places you would least expect).

Modelled after other similar city art projects, 'Eagles In The City' intends:

• To create an event that provides maximum exposure to sponsoring organizations, artists and the recipient charity
• To invite tourists from around the world to visit our province and share in our culture
• To produce an event that encourages the 'Arts', local businesses and individuals to come together in a spirit of community fundraising, benefiting the important work of the BC Lions Society's Easter Seal Services.
• To generate artistic creativity and showcase BC artists
• To celebrate the cultural diversity of our province and promote civic pride
• To capture the imagination of children, adults, and tourists alike
• To raise much needed funds to provide Easter Seal Services to children with disabilities

There seems to be a lot more done about showcasing homegrown artists and their projects in B.C. than there is here in Toronto. Correct me if I'm wrong... Perhaps I should ask the Buttercup girls.

More about this public art project can be found here. For more about Vancouver's Public Art Program proceed this way.

Dubai from the sky

Via Jeff Staple's blog. More photos here.

The tallest building in the world: Burj Dubai Tower

Ontario's Top 20 Worst Roads

Driving down Steeles Avenue east from my girlfriend's place reminded me to post this link from CAA's website released last week. The list of the Province's worst roads include eight in found in Toronto alone, topped by my route home today.

Toronto is planning a $10 million resurfacing of Steeles Avenue pending the approval of Federal infrastructure stimulus funding. A hefty $139 million of Toronto's annual budget goes towards road repairs, but they have been suffering from a $300 million roadwork backlog.

This is what it costs to make Toronto's roads drivable (courtesy of The Star):

• $25 Average cost to repair one pothole
  
• 275,000 Potholes fixed by the city in 2008
  
• $6 million Cost of pothole repairs annually in Toronto
  
• $7,000-$10,000 Annual cost of preventative patching, routing and sealing 1 km of new four-lane road
  
• $110,000 Cost of applying new overlay to the same stretch (year 15, or earlier if the preventative work has been neglected)
  
• $650,000 Cost of full reconstruction of road (year 20 if neglected; year 40 otherwise)

The cold, unforgiving Canadian winter is coming and these conditions will surely get worse. This doesn't look good, Toronto.

Broadband Infrastructure: A Primer

This decade's development of broadband infrastructure is changing the our cities and how one can operate within it. I found myself checking my e-mails and Facebook all while eating noodles at a restaurant for breakfast this morning all under their cozy wi-fi umbrella. I was reminded of how well connected we are when the topic of who was starring as The Mighty Thor in the upcoming Marvel Studios film came up and within 10 seconds, the answer was found.

Instant gratification! This isn't even mentioning the 3G networks available - I've already started taking this information resource for granted!

bzzt bleep bloop: Diagram of the City of Milwaukee's WiFi Network

"The internet has become part of our nation’s mass transit system: It is a vehicle many people can use, all at once, to get to work, medical appointments, schools, libraries and elsewhere."

With telecommuting an option, benefits include less impact to the environment and the enhancement of live/work situations, among several found outlined in Ottawa's 20/20 Broadband Plan. With constant innovative advancements and mobile web capabilities, this resource has changed the way we live and is destined to become more accessible with municipalities developing this infrastructure further.

Urbanspoon App

It's amazing how often this App comes in handy - and can lead to fun and exciting new discoveries in food!

Even more fun, they've got restaurants from all of the surrounding municipalities in their database.

Bon appetit anywhere!

City Fabric: Outlier

"Tailored performance clothing for cycling in the city"

New York-based OUTLIER is a brand aimed at the urban dweller concerned about classically tailored garments made with the best technical fabrics around. They focus on producing clothing that works from the bike to the boardroom.

Outlier strives to create that timeless look that will work well tomorrow and for seasons down the road.

Campus Walk: York University

The Ross Building's framed gateway which beyond it reveals a courtyard

The Ross Building is an example of what 1960s and 70s architecture looked like and has been criticized as looking like slabs of concrete piled on top of each other. It has a charm to it, doesn't it? Walking around campus, you will notice the several different architectural styles it employs based on the era the particular building was built.

After this enjoyable autumn stroll, expect me to elaborate on the University's architectural styles in the coming weeks.

I think I'm going to need a better camera.

Markham's Sustainability Fair

Last weekend I attended the Town of Markham's first ever Sustainability Fair.

This call was answered by the Town's residents, councillors and other notable municipal figures. Through their Green Print sustainable plan, Markham intends on becoming a municipal leader by encouraging social well-being, a flourishing culture, economic success and a healthy environment. More importantly, they stressed the need for residents to get involved to develop a long term plan for these healthy sustainable communities. Markham's overarching goal is for the individual resident to reach his or her's full potential living in the Town.

Being held on the International Day for Climate Change, Markham made explicit their concerns with the changing climate, and how its infrastructure can cope with these changes.

McGill University's Dr. Avi Friedman (also one of *Wallpaper Magazine's 10 people “most likely to change the way we live”) spoke on sustainability and what can be done in Markham to enhance the Town's connectivity and contribute to the health of the residents. His theme - and what has been the theme of the week - is that collectively, we have lost our way. Friedmann got nostalgic and stressed the need to revert back to the old ways of living where markets would come to the people, living in bi-generational neighbouhoods, and town squares built for neighbours to congregate all contribute to our social network.

"Communities are about social networks - not housing." - Avi Friedman

This inspiring speech was what Markham needed to get started on creating a sustainability plan. Small group activities followed, allowing for Town staff and residents to collaborate and voice their concerns in a constructive manner on various topics (such as water conservation, social equity and so on). This was the first of several meetings to develop the Green Print so stay tuned!

Top 5 Comic Book Cities

AJ Top Five: Comic Book Cities from The Architects' Journal on Vimeo.

Making Sense of Place

From the Lincoln Land Institute of Land Policy website:

Making Sense of Place is a documentary film and educational outreach project launched by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The first film, Phoenix: The Urban Desert examined explosive, dispersed growth in the booming Southwest metropolis and the practical and environmental issues that have accompanied. The second film, Cleveland: Confronting Decline in an American City, traces urban decay, and efforts at revitalization, in what was once America's 5th largest city.

Recently, Portland: Quest for the Livable City was released exploring innovation and conflict about growth and land use regulation in the self-proclaimed "City that Works" Portland, Oregon.

For you city joggers out there

Adaptation is the best footwear.

Guess you won't be needing those Louis Vuittons with the red bottoms anymore.

See what I mean here