Location: International
Website: tedcity2.org
When the history books are written, the first half of the 21st century could very well be known, above all else, for its cataclysmic and catalytic urbanization. For the first time ever, the majority of the world’s population lives in cities. By the middle of the 21st century, the urban population will almost double. And, importantly, almost all population growth in the next 30 years will occur in cities within developing countries.
This is the story of our times and its unfolding alongside rich questions, such as: How does urbanization transform the ways in which people live, work, consume, heal, learn, move and love? What are cities’ most wicked problems made more intractable by our increasing density? How do we reconcile growing inequality? What are the surprising solutions emerging from the cracks in the sidewalks and the brushing of unlikely elbows?
With these questions and others, TEDCity2.0 invites the world to consider our collective story as it unfolds in real time. The power to remake cities lies in every citizen, regardless of origin or status.
Through events and the sharing of ideas, TEDCity2.0 carries forward the 2012 TED Prize and advances us toward The City 2.0. Moreover, it builds on multiple initiatives from the early years of the Prize, including a micro-grant awards program, TEDx gatherings around the world, and an array of other programming.
Through events and the sharing of ideas, TEDCity2.0 carries forward the 2012 TED Prize and advances us toward The City 2.0. Moreover, it builds on multiple initiatives from the early years of the Prize, including a micro-grant awards program, TEDx gatherings around the world, and an array of other programming.
The City 2.0 website was a platform created to surface the myriad stories and collective actions being taken by citizens around the world. The City 2.0 has evolved from a platform for the best of what is already being discovered by urban advocates and grassroots movers and shakers, to TEDCity2.0, content that celebrates a complex picture of the future city–a place more playful, more safe, more beautiful, and more healthy for everyone.
The TED Prize is awarded annually to a leader with a fresh, bold vision for sparking global change. The TED Prize winner receives $1,000,000 — and the TED community’s wide range of resources and expertise — to make their dream become a reality.
The Prize begins with a big wish—one that will inspire thinkers and doers across the globe to get involved. From Bono’s ONE Campaign (2005 winner) to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (2010 winner) to Sugata Mitra’s School in the Cloud (2013 winner), the TED Prize has helped to combat poverty, open dialog on religious intolerance, improve global health, tackle child obesity, advance education, and inspire art around the world.
Showing posts with label Urban Research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Urban Research. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
citymetric
Location: International
Website:intelligence.citymetric.com
City administrations use citymetric to get a clear understanding of how their city is performing compared to other key competitor cities. Interactive tools showing long-term forecasts of key economic, demographic, income and employment series provide clients with an independent assessment of the city’s characteristics benchmarked again other major global cities.
With insight and analysis produced by Timetric analysts as well as respected journalists, policymakers and academics, city administrators and other public bodies operating at the city-level can keep up to date with latest trends and issues affecting cities around the world.
Website:intelligence.citymetric.com
City administrations use citymetric to get a clear understanding of how their city is performing compared to other key competitor cities. Interactive tools showing long-term forecasts of key economic, demographic, income and employment series provide clients with an independent assessment of the city’s characteristics benchmarked again other major global cities.
With insight and analysis produced by Timetric analysts as well as respected journalists, policymakers and academics, city administrators and other public bodies operating at the city-level can keep up to date with latest trends and issues affecting cities around the world.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
IAP2-USA
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.iap2usa.org
Transportation for America is an alliance of elected, business and civic leaders from communities across the country, united to ensure that states and the federal government step up to invest in smart, homegrown, locally-driven transportation solutions. These are the investments that hold the key to our future economic prosperity.
Strong local economies are the foundation of a strong national economy. Across the country, business, civic and elected leaders understand that a strong transportation network drives the success of our local economies.
They know local employers need to be able to recruit and retain workers both within and from outside their home communities, and they need efficient ways to get their goods to market. Workers of all incomes need affordable, dependable access to jobs. And our cities, suburbs and towns must be able to attract talent and compete on a global scale.
In communities across the country, local leaders are responding to new economic challenges with innovative plans for their transportation networks. But alone, they lack the resources, and the control over them, to build and maintain the infrastructure their economies demand. At the same time, transportation funding at all levels of government is shrinking rather than growing, due to slackening gas tax receipts and budget cuts.
This situation threatens America’s ability to compete economically. Transportation for America is bringing people together to change it, in Congress and state houses across the nation.
Website: www.iap2usa.org
Transportation for America is an alliance of elected, business and civic leaders from communities across the country, united to ensure that states and the federal government step up to invest in smart, homegrown, locally-driven transportation solutions. These are the investments that hold the key to our future economic prosperity.
Strong local economies are the foundation of a strong national economy. Across the country, business, civic and elected leaders understand that a strong transportation network drives the success of our local economies.
They know local employers need to be able to recruit and retain workers both within and from outside their home communities, and they need efficient ways to get their goods to market. Workers of all incomes need affordable, dependable access to jobs. And our cities, suburbs and towns must be able to attract talent and compete on a global scale.
In communities across the country, local leaders are responding to new economic challenges with innovative plans for their transportation networks. But alone, they lack the resources, and the control over them, to build and maintain the infrastructure their economies demand. At the same time, transportation funding at all levels of government is shrinking rather than growing, due to slackening gas tax receipts and budget cuts.
This situation threatens America’s ability to compete economically. Transportation for America is bringing people together to change it, in Congress and state houses across the nation.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Gigz
Location;
Website: www.urbanresearch.org
Gigz.com is a super fun, gaming-inspired (specifically The Sims inspired), start up website that is to be used as an online tool which will facilitate offline transactions called 'Gigz' that are focused on using individuals as resources for local economic support. Individuals, Businesses, Organizations, Non-profits all have real-life, real-time needs that can be met locally.
Through commercialization, the value of the working individual has dropped. One person is expected to do the work of 3 positions at half the pay. The turn-over rate on individuals in a work position is increasing.
We are trying to empower the individual and let them turn over more work and jobs, rather than work and jobs turning over the individual.
As a society, we are slowly awakening to the fact that 'more' no longer equals 'better.' Cheaper prices means sacrificing personal intimacy. Technology is being used in a way to distance our relationships, not strengthen them. This needs to change.
We hope to reconnect people in our communities by engaging them in local opportunities. We feel that more people would get off the couch, away from the screen, and involved in what is going on around them, if they had a simple yet entertaining way to learn about what opportunities are actually available near them.
At Gigz.com, we define a "Gig" as available opportunity to engage in your community though work, causes, or interests. Our site is currently in the Beta stage. It is free to join and use, unless a work Gig is paid for online, in which case, we will take a very small percentage of the job to aid in the costs of our start up.
Our emphasis is to work with strong ethics, values, and purpose. If we are in a position of growth, we will look forward to expanding nonprofit divisions in our company that we are currently seeking to establish.
The main Gigz interface is a map where you can see local activity mapped out in the same fashion that you would normally use a map to see how local businesses are located. You can search/filter through Gigz based on whether you are looking for work, to get involved in a local cause, or to engage in a hobby with your neighbor... like... knitting, running, or gaming.
Every Gigger has a profile and the ability to showcase their skills. The more Gigz that a Gigger completes in a particular area, the higher their 'level' goes up in said area.
At Gigz.com, just like in video games, collective quests can be conquered, badges can be won, new levels can be reached, and experience points can be gained. But instead of the user's experience being based on simulated experiences. Gigz will dole out online game achievements based on the amount of times a user engages in offline experiences. The basic reward principles of playing video games are applied and people who complete real-life activities will be rewarded in the Gigz simulation.
Although, ultimately the real reward will be the experience gained as a result of a Gigz connection. The more people get involved, the more fun Gigz.com will be and the more experiences people can generate offline for each other. Ultimately we are trying to get individuals to support each others work, causes and interests and to achieve something together.
Website: www.urbanresearch.org
Gigz.com is a super fun, gaming-inspired (specifically The Sims inspired), start up website that is to be used as an online tool which will facilitate offline transactions called 'Gigz' that are focused on using individuals as resources for local economic support. Individuals, Businesses, Organizations, Non-profits all have real-life, real-time needs that can be met locally.
Through commercialization, the value of the working individual has dropped. One person is expected to do the work of 3 positions at half the pay. The turn-over rate on individuals in a work position is increasing.
We are trying to empower the individual and let them turn over more work and jobs, rather than work and jobs turning over the individual.
As a society, we are slowly awakening to the fact that 'more' no longer equals 'better.' Cheaper prices means sacrificing personal intimacy. Technology is being used in a way to distance our relationships, not strengthen them. This needs to change.
We hope to reconnect people in our communities by engaging them in local opportunities. We feel that more people would get off the couch, away from the screen, and involved in what is going on around them, if they had a simple yet entertaining way to learn about what opportunities are actually available near them.
At Gigz.com, we define a "Gig" as available opportunity to engage in your community though work, causes, or interests. Our site is currently in the Beta stage. It is free to join and use, unless a work Gig is paid for online, in which case, we will take a very small percentage of the job to aid in the costs of our start up.
Our emphasis is to work with strong ethics, values, and purpose. If we are in a position of growth, we will look forward to expanding nonprofit divisions in our company that we are currently seeking to establish.
The main Gigz interface is a map where you can see local activity mapped out in the same fashion that you would normally use a map to see how local businesses are located. You can search/filter through Gigz based on whether you are looking for work, to get involved in a local cause, or to engage in a hobby with your neighbor... like... knitting, running, or gaming.
Every Gigger has a profile and the ability to showcase their skills. The more Gigz that a Gigger completes in a particular area, the higher their 'level' goes up in said area.
At Gigz.com, just like in video games, collective quests can be conquered, badges can be won, new levels can be reached, and experience points can be gained. But instead of the user's experience being based on simulated experiences. Gigz will dole out online game achievements based on the amount of times a user engages in offline experiences. The basic reward principles of playing video games are applied and people who complete real-life activities will be rewarded in the Gigz simulation.
Although, ultimately the real reward will be the experience gained as a result of a Gigz connection. The more people get involved, the more fun Gigz.com will be and the more experiences people can generate offline for each other. Ultimately we are trying to get individuals to support each others work, causes and interests and to achieve something together.
Joint Center for Housing Studies
Location: Nationwide
Website: urbanretailinstitute.com
The Center was originally formed in 1959 as the Joint Center for Urban Studies of Harvard and MIT, and took up the challenge of addressing intellectual and policy issues confronting a nation experiencing widespread demographic, economic and social changes, with dramatic and far-reaching effects on cities in particular. With principal support from the Ford Foundation the research agenda was based on the premise that the resolution of these issues called for imaginative interdisciplinary approaches to the study of urban problems and issues and required cooperation among universities, government and industry.
During the decade after its inception, when urban studies programs were not yet established at Harvard or MIT, the Center concentrated on building a bridge between multidisciplinary research and policy applications. Research activities were deliberately flexible and exploratory.
In the 1970s, the Center consolidated its research around a core of subjects related to housing. Its analysis of U.S. housing policy reflected the national debate over the government’s responsibility to ensure a decent home and suitable living environment for all its citizens. Early in this period, the Center recognized the need to supplement housing analysis with research in related fields, and with input from outside the academy, in the form of partnerships with public, private, and not-for-profit entities.
The Policy Advisory Board (PAB) of the Joint Center for Housing Studies was formed in 1971--- under the guidance of John T. Dunlop, former United States Secretary of Labor and then Dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences--- to bring together a diverse group of leading firms and organizations with interests and influence in the housing sector. The PAB continues to play a critical role in identifying emerging issues and trends and joins our commitment to advancing housing as a national priority.
By 1975, research in regional and urban economies, demographic trends, and social policy had been integrated into the program, and during the 1980s the Center underwent a variety of institutional changes. In 1985, the Joint Center for Urban Studies officially became the Joint Center for Housing Studies. In 1989, the Center evolved into a unit based solely at Harvard and jointly affiliated with the Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Kennedy School.
In 1988, the Center launched its signature report The State of the Nation’s Housing, which continues to provide a widely-referenced annual assessment of housing markets, homeownership, and affordability challenges. Since 1998, the Center has expanded its programs of research and convenings to address emerging issues in remodeling markets, rental housing, and housing finance, and has been at the forefront of national policy discussions concerning mortgage and consumer lending and the foreclosure crisis.
In contrast to the Center of several decades ago, the Joint Center for Housing Studies is institutionally smaller, yet more connected to national and international networks as we investigate and illuminate housing’s critical role in the economy and in communities. We continue to foster strong academic ties with schools, faculty and students from across the university community, and to engage with new initiatives on global urbanism, sustainability, and other critical topics for the 21st century. Most importantly, our work continues to serve as a resource for scholars, public and private sector leaders, housing practitioners, and policymakers.
Website: urbanretailinstitute.com
The Center was originally formed in 1959 as the Joint Center for Urban Studies of Harvard and MIT, and took up the challenge of addressing intellectual and policy issues confronting a nation experiencing widespread demographic, economic and social changes, with dramatic and far-reaching effects on cities in particular. With principal support from the Ford Foundation the research agenda was based on the premise that the resolution of these issues called for imaginative interdisciplinary approaches to the study of urban problems and issues and required cooperation among universities, government and industry.
During the decade after its inception, when urban studies programs were not yet established at Harvard or MIT, the Center concentrated on building a bridge between multidisciplinary research and policy applications. Research activities were deliberately flexible and exploratory.
In the 1970s, the Center consolidated its research around a core of subjects related to housing. Its analysis of U.S. housing policy reflected the national debate over the government’s responsibility to ensure a decent home and suitable living environment for all its citizens. Early in this period, the Center recognized the need to supplement housing analysis with research in related fields, and with input from outside the academy, in the form of partnerships with public, private, and not-for-profit entities.
The Policy Advisory Board (PAB) of the Joint Center for Housing Studies was formed in 1971--- under the guidance of John T. Dunlop, former United States Secretary of Labor and then Dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences--- to bring together a diverse group of leading firms and organizations with interests and influence in the housing sector. The PAB continues to play a critical role in identifying emerging issues and trends and joins our commitment to advancing housing as a national priority.
By 1975, research in regional and urban economies, demographic trends, and social policy had been integrated into the program, and during the 1980s the Center underwent a variety of institutional changes. In 1985, the Joint Center for Urban Studies officially became the Joint Center for Housing Studies. In 1989, the Center evolved into a unit based solely at Harvard and jointly affiliated with the Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Kennedy School.
In 1988, the Center launched its signature report The State of the Nation’s Housing, which continues to provide a widely-referenced annual assessment of housing markets, homeownership, and affordability challenges. Since 1998, the Center has expanded its programs of research and convenings to address emerging issues in remodeling markets, rental housing, and housing finance, and has been at the forefront of national policy discussions concerning mortgage and consumer lending and the foreclosure crisis.
In contrast to the Center of several decades ago, the Joint Center for Housing Studies is institutionally smaller, yet more connected to national and international networks as we investigate and illuminate housing’s critical role in the economy and in communities. We continue to foster strong academic ties with schools, faculty and students from across the university community, and to engage with new initiatives on global urbanism, sustainability, and other critical topics for the 21st century. Most importantly, our work continues to serve as a resource for scholars, public and private sector leaders, housing practitioners, and policymakers.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Center for Urban Research
Location: New York, NY
Website: www.urbanresearch.org
The Center for Urban Research (CUR) works with faculty and graduate students to organize basic research on the critical issues facing New York and other large cities in the U.S. and abroad, collaborates on applied research and information dissemination with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, foundations, the media, and other partners, and holds forums and workshops on urban research undertaken at the Graduate Center and the City University.
These activities are motivated by the desire to understand how broad forces like the global economy and immigration are reshaping work, politics, and neighborhood life in large metropolitan areas. To promote these ends, CUR:
- Organizes lectures, seminars, and conferences and encourages debate within CUNY and New York City on urban issues.
U
- Develops and seeks foundation, government, and corporate funding for research that uses New York City as a laboratory.
Main areas of research include:
- immigration and migration,
- housing and neighborhood change,
- labor market trends,
- economic development,
- demographic trends,
- crime, and
- political participation.
CUR provides a laboratory for statistical analysis and mapping of a variety of data sources and trains faculty and students to employ them.
CUNY Data Service and CUNY Mapping Service at CUR specialize in using the latest statistical and mapping tools and techniques. The New York City Labor Market Information Service (NYCLMIS) New York City Labor Market Information Service (NYCLMIS), a joint endeavor of the New York City Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and the Center for Urban Research -- develops action-oriented research on workforce development issues and serves as a portal for cutting-edge and timely labor market data about New York City.
Website: www.urbanresearch.org
The Center for Urban Research (CUR) works with faculty and graduate students to organize basic research on the critical issues facing New York and other large cities in the U.S. and abroad, collaborates on applied research and information dissemination with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, foundations, the media, and other partners, and holds forums and workshops on urban research undertaken at the Graduate Center and the City University.
These activities are motivated by the desire to understand how broad forces like the global economy and immigration are reshaping work, politics, and neighborhood life in large metropolitan areas. To promote these ends, CUR:
- Organizes lectures, seminars, and conferences and encourages debate within CUNY and New York City on urban issues.
U
- Develops and seeks foundation, government, and corporate funding for research that uses New York City as a laboratory.
Main areas of research include:
- immigration and migration,
- housing and neighborhood change,
- labor market trends,
- economic development,
- demographic trends,
- crime, and
- political participation.
CUR provides a laboratory for statistical analysis and mapping of a variety of data sources and trains faculty and students to employ them.
CUNY Data Service and CUNY Mapping Service at CUR specialize in using the latest statistical and mapping tools and techniques. The New York City Labor Market Information Service (NYCLMIS) New York City Labor Market Information Service (NYCLMIS), a joint endeavor of the New York City Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and the Center for Urban Research -- develops action-oriented research on workforce development issues and serves as a portal for cutting-edge and timely labor market data about New York City.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Informal City Dialogues
Location: International
Website: www.nextcity.org/informalcity
The Informal City Dialogues is a year-long project supported by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by Forum for the Future. It homes in on six cities - Accra, Bangkok, Chennai, Lima, Manila and Nairobi,
In each of these cities, it aims to foster a conversation about the informal urban realm, and how it can be cultivated and harnessed for the benefit of all.
These informal realms, from single-chair barbershops to nine-passenger vans to sprawling settlements, are propelling the explosive growth of the urban Global South. They are the neighborhoods, economies and systems that exist beyond the reach of government: the slums, black-market industries and undocumented businesses that fuel these cities’ growth. They’re split off from the formal city, and often neglected or harassed by local authorities, and yet the informal aspects of these places are also intricately intertwined with the formal. Indeed, many residents have one foot in both worlds: the slum dweller who commutes to her job at a major hospital, the unlicensed microbus driver who lives in a condominium highrise.
They are the neighborhoods, economies and systems that exist beyond the reach of government: the slums, black-market industries and undocumented businesses that fuel these cities’ growth. They’re split off from the formal city, and often neglected or harassed by local authorities. And yet the informal aspects of these places are also intricately intertwined with the formal. Indeed, many residents have one foot in both worlds: the slum dweller who commutes to her job at a major hospital, the unlicensed microbus driver who lives in a condominium highrise.
The Informal City Dialogues will begin a local and international conversation on these issues, in which stakeholders will imagine and create narratives for their urban future. A series of workshops will bring together such stakeholders in each of the six cities, who will participate in a wider dialogue around these narratives with the goal of inspiring positive change in their communities and institutions.
These writers will chronicle not only the project’s workshops, but also report from the street and talk to the people who participate in this remarkable urban dynamic on a daily basis. Their everyday lives tell the story of the informal city, and are the primary sources for what this project hopes to achieve: a more inclusive conversation around urban informality.
Informal City Dialogues will begin a local and international conversation on these issues, in which stakeholders will imagine and create narratives for their urban future.
A series of workshops will bring together such stakeholders in each of the six cities, who will participate in a wider dialogue around these narratives with the goal of inspiring positive change in their communities and institutions.
Over the course of this project, Next City will tell these people’s stories.
We have embedded a writer in each of the six cities who will blog about the intersection of formal and informal for the duration of the project. These writers will chronicle not only the project’s workshops, but also report from the street and talk to the people who participate in this remarkable urban dynamic on a daily basis.
Their everyday lives tell the story of the informal city, and are the primary sources for what this project hopes to achieve: a more inclusive conversation around urban informality.
Website: www.nextcity.org/informalcity
The Informal City Dialogues is a year-long project supported by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by Forum for the Future. It homes in on six cities - Accra, Bangkok, Chennai, Lima, Manila and Nairobi,
In each of these cities, it aims to foster a conversation about the informal urban realm, and how it can be cultivated and harnessed for the benefit of all.
These informal realms, from single-chair barbershops to nine-passenger vans to sprawling settlements, are propelling the explosive growth of the urban Global South. They are the neighborhoods, economies and systems that exist beyond the reach of government: the slums, black-market industries and undocumented businesses that fuel these cities’ growth. They’re split off from the formal city, and often neglected or harassed by local authorities, and yet the informal aspects of these places are also intricately intertwined with the formal. Indeed, many residents have one foot in both worlds: the slum dweller who commutes to her job at a major hospital, the unlicensed microbus driver who lives in a condominium highrise.
They are the neighborhoods, economies and systems that exist beyond the reach of government: the slums, black-market industries and undocumented businesses that fuel these cities’ growth. They’re split off from the formal city, and often neglected or harassed by local authorities. And yet the informal aspects of these places are also intricately intertwined with the formal. Indeed, many residents have one foot in both worlds: the slum dweller who commutes to her job at a major hospital, the unlicensed microbus driver who lives in a condominium highrise.
The Informal City Dialogues will begin a local and international conversation on these issues, in which stakeholders will imagine and create narratives for their urban future. A series of workshops will bring together such stakeholders in each of the six cities, who will participate in a wider dialogue around these narratives with the goal of inspiring positive change in their communities and institutions.
These writers will chronicle not only the project’s workshops, but also report from the street and talk to the people who participate in this remarkable urban dynamic on a daily basis. Their everyday lives tell the story of the informal city, and are the primary sources for what this project hopes to achieve: a more inclusive conversation around urban informality.
Informal City Dialogues will begin a local and international conversation on these issues, in which stakeholders will imagine and create narratives for their urban future.
A series of workshops will bring together such stakeholders in each of the six cities, who will participate in a wider dialogue around these narratives with the goal of inspiring positive change in their communities and institutions.
Over the course of this project, Next City will tell these people’s stories.
We have embedded a writer in each of the six cities who will blog about the intersection of formal and informal for the duration of the project. These writers will chronicle not only the project’s workshops, but also report from the street and talk to the people who participate in this remarkable urban dynamic on a daily basis.
Their everyday lives tell the story of the informal city, and are the primary sources for what this project hopes to achieve: a more inclusive conversation around urban informality.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Urban Intelligence Unit
Location: Africa
Website: www.futurecapetown.com/urbaniu
Our mission is to conduct high-quality, innovative and trans-disciplinary research, to foster knowledge sharing and to review policy matters in the area of urbanism, Born out of our collective curiosity for cities – and the people and places shaping them – the Urban Intelligence Unit (UIU) was formed in late 2012, as a research wing of Future Cape Town, to experience, explore and engage with this curiosity.
Embracing a trans-disciplinary approach – based on the simple yet radical idea that everybody contributes, beyond their individual expertise – our team background ranges from finance to the arts, psychology to law, urban infrastructure to graphic design – all of which contributes to forming the diverse and broad perspective we feel necessary to approach contemporary urban challenges and complexities.
Our mission includes:
- carrying out innovative, trans-disciplinary research,
- fostering knowledge sharing in the area of urbanism,
- facilitating and conducting research into and reviews of policy matters.
Our work includes:
- current research projects include Future Spaces, which explores the potential role of multimedia in exploring and understanding public spaces,
- Your City Idea, involving testing of the use of installations in public space as a study of public engagement and participation.
We are also passionate about becoming a centre for the dissemination of knowledge infographics and data visualisations, hosting knowledge share sessions for our team and the public in the form of the Urban Knowledge Network and supporting the research programmes of other organisations.
Within Future Cape Town, the team plays an important role by supporting the advocacy aim of the organisation, with reviews and research into urban policy matters, the formulation of position statements, and producing discussion papers to support the Future Cape Town summits.
If you need a nimble, dynamic, open-minded team to support your organisation, we would love to explore working with you.
Website: www.futurecapetown.com/urbaniu
Our mission is to conduct high-quality, innovative and trans-disciplinary research, to foster knowledge sharing and to review policy matters in the area of urbanism, Born out of our collective curiosity for cities – and the people and places shaping them – the Urban Intelligence Unit (UIU) was formed in late 2012, as a research wing of Future Cape Town, to experience, explore and engage with this curiosity.
Embracing a trans-disciplinary approach – based on the simple yet radical idea that everybody contributes, beyond their individual expertise – our team background ranges from finance to the arts, psychology to law, urban infrastructure to graphic design – all of which contributes to forming the diverse and broad perspective we feel necessary to approach contemporary urban challenges and complexities.
Our mission includes:
- carrying out innovative, trans-disciplinary research,
- fostering knowledge sharing in the area of urbanism,
- facilitating and conducting research into and reviews of policy matters.
Our work includes:
- current research projects include Future Spaces, which explores the potential role of multimedia in exploring and understanding public spaces,
- Your City Idea, involving testing of the use of installations in public space as a study of public engagement and participation.
We are also passionate about becoming a centre for the dissemination of knowledge infographics and data visualisations, hosting knowledge share sessions for our team and the public in the form of the Urban Knowledge Network and supporting the research programmes of other organisations.
Within Future Cape Town, the team plays an important role by supporting the advocacy aim of the organisation, with reviews and research into urban policy matters, the formulation of position statements, and producing discussion papers to support the Future Cape Town summits.
If you need a nimble, dynamic, open-minded team to support your organisation, we would love to explore working with you.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Urban Climate Lab
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.urbanclimate.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech's City Regional Planning Program who are exploring the connections between climate change and the built environment.
Through this website, we hope to highlight the range of mechanisms through which land use change, both within and outside of cities, is driving ongoing warming trends and impacting human and environmental health.
Globally, urbanized areas account for the majority of the human population but have received relatively little attention in climate change research. The UCL integrates expertise in the realms of environmental science, urban design, and public health to develop strategies to manage and counteract climate change at the urban scale.
Of particular interest to our research group is the influence of land use on observed warming trends in cities. Land use is contributing to climate change through two distinct mechanisms. First, land use change in the form of urbanization is associated with increased energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases, serving to enhance the global greenhouse effect. As detailed on the "Projects" page, our work has addressed the potential benefits of alternative land development strategies, such as "smart growth," for reductions in auto use and emissions of carbon dioxide. A second and more direct mechanism through which land use influences climate change is through the displacement of natural land covers, such as tree canopy cover, by building materials with a greater capacity to absorb, store, and reemit heat energy. In response to what we term the "green loss effect," our work finds large cities in the U.S. to be warming at more than twice the rate of the planet as a whole as a result of the loss of naturally vegetated land covers. Through several ongoing research effects, the UCL is measuring the success of alternative land development and urban design strategies in abating the pace of climate change in cities.
Website: www.urbanclimate.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech's City Regional Planning Program who are exploring the connections between climate change and the built environment.
Through this website, we hope to highlight the range of mechanisms through which land use change, both within and outside of cities, is driving ongoing warming trends and impacting human and environmental health.
Globally, urbanized areas account for the majority of the human population but have received relatively little attention in climate change research. The UCL integrates expertise in the realms of environmental science, urban design, and public health to develop strategies to manage and counteract climate change at the urban scale.
Of particular interest to our research group is the influence of land use on observed warming trends in cities. Land use is contributing to climate change through two distinct mechanisms. First, land use change in the form of urbanization is associated with increased energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases, serving to enhance the global greenhouse effect. As detailed on the "Projects" page, our work has addressed the potential benefits of alternative land development strategies, such as "smart growth," for reductions in auto use and emissions of carbon dioxide. A second and more direct mechanism through which land use influences climate change is through the displacement of natural land covers, such as tree canopy cover, by building materials with a greater capacity to absorb, store, and reemit heat energy. In response to what we term the "green loss effect," our work finds large cities in the U.S. to be warming at more than twice the rate of the planet as a whole as a result of the loss of naturally vegetated land covers. Through several ongoing research effects, the UCL is measuring the success of alternative land development and urban design strategies in abating the pace of climate change in cities.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
In The Public Interest
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.inthepublicinterest.org
In the Public Interest is a comprehensive resource center on privatization and responsible contracting. It is committed to equipping citizens, public officials, advocacy groups, and researchers with the information, ideas, and other resources they need to ensure that public contracts with private entities are transparent, fair, well-managed, and effectively monitored, and that those contracts meet the long-term needs of communities.
The mission of the Resource Center is to provide:
- Accurate, high-quality information, across a variety of sectors and jurisdictions about trends and developments in privatization, the impacts of privatization on the public, and responsible contracting policies and practices.
- Tools and resources to help public officials, researchers, advocates, workers, and administrators ensure that essential public goods and services are available to those who need them, managed by people who are publicly accountable, and affordable to all.
In The Public Interest is a project of The Partnership For Working Families.
Website: www.inthepublicinterest.org
In the Public Interest is a comprehensive resource center on privatization and responsible contracting. It is committed to equipping citizens, public officials, advocacy groups, and researchers with the information, ideas, and other resources they need to ensure that public contracts with private entities are transparent, fair, well-managed, and effectively monitored, and that those contracts meet the long-term needs of communities.
The mission of the Resource Center is to provide:
- Accurate, high-quality information, across a variety of sectors and jurisdictions about trends and developments in privatization, the impacts of privatization on the public, and responsible contracting policies and practices.
- Tools and resources to help public officials, researchers, advocates, workers, and administrators ensure that essential public goods and services are available to those who need them, managed by people who are publicly accountable, and affordable to all.
In The Public Interest is a project of The Partnership For Working Families.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Center for Urban Science and Progress
Location: New York, NY
Website: www.cusp.nyu.edu
The Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) is a unique public-private research center that uses New York City as its laboratory and classroom to help cities around the world become more productive, livable, equitable, and resilient.
CUSP observes, analyzes, and models cities to optimize outcomes, prototype new solutions, formalize new tools and processes, and develop new expertise/experts. These activities will make CUSP the world’s leading authority in the emerging field of “Urban Informatics.”
The Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) aims to unite two extraordinarily profound developments in human history in order to improve the lives of citizens around the globe.
90 percent of the world’s data has been created in the last two years alone. For the first time in history, more than half the world’s population lives in urban areas.
CUSP will instrument New York City and use existing data from a network of agencies to transform the city into a living laboratory and classroom. It will make sense of the vast amount of data it collects to help cities around the world become more productive, more livable, more equitable, and more resilient.
As it develops new expertise through research and new experts through educational programs such as a master’s degree and an advanced certificate, CUSP will become the world’s leading authority in the emerging field of urban informatics — the collection, integration, and analysis of data to understand and improve urban systems and quality of life.
CUSP was created by New York University, NYU‑Poly, a consortium of world-class universities, and prominent international tech companies as a response to a challenge put forth by New York City to create an applied science campus that will make the city a world capital of science and technology, and dramatically grow its economy. As such, CUSP has the commitment and cooperation from New York City to take the city’s pulse like never before as it establishes professional and academic standards for the field of urban informatics.
Website: www.cusp.nyu.edu
The Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) is a unique public-private research center that uses New York City as its laboratory and classroom to help cities around the world become more productive, livable, equitable, and resilient.
CUSP observes, analyzes, and models cities to optimize outcomes, prototype new solutions, formalize new tools and processes, and develop new expertise/experts. These activities will make CUSP the world’s leading authority in the emerging field of “Urban Informatics.”
The Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) aims to unite two extraordinarily profound developments in human history in order to improve the lives of citizens around the globe.
90 percent of the world’s data has been created in the last two years alone. For the first time in history, more than half the world’s population lives in urban areas.
CUSP will instrument New York City and use existing data from a network of agencies to transform the city into a living laboratory and classroom. It will make sense of the vast amount of data it collects to help cities around the world become more productive, more livable, more equitable, and more resilient.
As it develops new expertise through research and new experts through educational programs such as a master’s degree and an advanced certificate, CUSP will become the world’s leading authority in the emerging field of urban informatics — the collection, integration, and analysis of data to understand and improve urban systems and quality of life.
CUSP was created by New York University, NYU‑Poly, a consortium of world-class universities, and prominent international tech companies as a response to a challenge put forth by New York City to create an applied science campus that will make the city a world capital of science and technology, and dramatically grow its economy. As such, CUSP has the commitment and cooperation from New York City to take the city’s pulse like never before as it establishes professional and academic standards for the field of urban informatics.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Institute for Public Architecture
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.instituteforpublicarchitecture.org
The Institute for Public Architecture (IPA) promotes socially engaged architecture through urban research projects and a future residency program for design practitioners. By supporting architects and allied professionals working in the public interest, the IPA strives to improve our public realm.
Vision:
- We envision a world where architects and allied professionals are provided the resources and support they need to create excellent work in the public interest and to contribute to the high quality design of the public realm.
- We believe that supporting and elevating the profile of architects working in the public interest is the first step to creating better design for traditionally underserved populations.
- We believe that a vibrant network of ‘activist’ architects is critical to the improvement of design in the public realm.
- We believe that high quality design in the public realm is critical to the production of socially equitable environments.
Founder's Statement:
From IPA founder Jonathan Kirschenfeld, architect of the Floating Pool, several New York City supportive housing developments, and other socially conscious projects:
Wanting to make meaningful civic contributions through architecture, I embarked in the mid-1990s on a quest to create low-income housing and urban projects for not-for-profit clients with miniscule budgets, supporting underserved populations. Embedded in housing is social engagement. I have taken great pride in serving typically-forgotten clients and making contributions to the design of the public realm. There were times, however, when I was ready to throw in the towel, when my sense of isolation from the profession itself was painfully real and when the idea of creating luxury buildings, with a decent salary, was very appealing. What I did not have through these years, and what I would like now to help create, is a community of like-minded design practitioners working towards the diverse but common goal of high quality public architecture.
Website: www.instituteforpublicarchitecture.org
The Institute for Public Architecture (IPA) promotes socially engaged architecture through urban research projects and a future residency program for design practitioners. By supporting architects and allied professionals working in the public interest, the IPA strives to improve our public realm.
Vision:
- We envision a world where architects and allied professionals are provided the resources and support they need to create excellent work in the public interest and to contribute to the high quality design of the public realm.
- We believe that supporting and elevating the profile of architects working in the public interest is the first step to creating better design for traditionally underserved populations.
- We believe that a vibrant network of ‘activist’ architects is critical to the improvement of design in the public realm.
- We believe that high quality design in the public realm is critical to the production of socially equitable environments.
Founder's Statement:
From IPA founder Jonathan Kirschenfeld, architect of the Floating Pool, several New York City supportive housing developments, and other socially conscious projects:
Wanting to make meaningful civic contributions through architecture, I embarked in the mid-1990s on a quest to create low-income housing and urban projects for not-for-profit clients with miniscule budgets, supporting underserved populations. Embedded in housing is social engagement. I have taken great pride in serving typically-forgotten clients and making contributions to the design of the public realm. There were times, however, when I was ready to throw in the towel, when my sense of isolation from the profession itself was painfully real and when the idea of creating luxury buildings, with a decent salary, was very appealing. What I did not have through these years, and what I would like now to help create, is a community of like-minded design practitioners working towards the diverse but common goal of high quality public architecture.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Soul of the Community
Location: Nationwide
Website; www.soulofthecommunity.org
Knight Soul of the Community (SOTC) is a three-year study conducted by Gallup of the 26 John S. and James L. Knight Foundation communities across the United States employing a fresh approach to determine the factors that attach residents to their communities and the role of community attachment in an area's economic growth and well-being. The study focuses on the emotional side of the connection between residents and their communities.
In its first year, the study compared residents’ attachment level to the GDP growth in the 26 communities over the past five years. The findings showed a significant correlation between community attachment and economic growth. The second year reinforced these findings, and found that nationwide economic troubles did not have a notable impact on attachment locally.
In the third year of the study, researchers analyzed the connection between community attachment and economic growth and found that cities with the highest levels of attachment had the highest rate of GDP growth.
The results of the SOTC study identify new approaches to help create transformational change and new possibilities for continued progress in Knight communities. Community leaders can use the study’s findings to maximize community strengths and address challenge areas to improve community attachment and potentially increase local economic growth.
The relationship of community attachment to economic development has particular relevance beyond the recent economic crisis as the study's findings can help leaders include new ideas into the existing economic rebuilding and development conversation.
Gallup interviewed a random, representative sample of 400 adults (age 18+) in each of the 26 Knight communities – nearly 14,000 people each year. In 2010, 15,200 interviews were conducted, with 1,000 conducted in eight focus communities.
The 2010 study also included 200 interviews among residents ages 18-34 in the focus communities to give us more information about that age group. Overall data were adjusted to ensure an accurate representation of the real demographic make-up of each community based on U.S. Census Bureau data. The surveys were conducted in English and Spanish. We studied 10 domains that were found to drive community attachment at varying levels:
- Basic services
– Community infrastructure
- Local Economy
- Safety
- Leadership and elected officials
- Aesthetics – physical beauty and green spaces
- Education systems
- Social offerings and opportunities for social interaction and citizen caring
- Openness/welcomeness – how welcoming the community is to different people
- Civic involvement - residents’ commitment to their community through voting or volunteerism
- Social capital – social networks between residents
- Social offerings, openness and aesthetics are most related to community attachment in all the 26 communities we studied.
Website; www.soulofthecommunity.org
Knight Soul of the Community (SOTC) is a three-year study conducted by Gallup of the 26 John S. and James L. Knight Foundation communities across the United States employing a fresh approach to determine the factors that attach residents to their communities and the role of community attachment in an area's economic growth and well-being. The study focuses on the emotional side of the connection between residents and their communities.
In its first year, the study compared residents’ attachment level to the GDP growth in the 26 communities over the past five years. The findings showed a significant correlation between community attachment and economic growth. The second year reinforced these findings, and found that nationwide economic troubles did not have a notable impact on attachment locally.
In the third year of the study, researchers analyzed the connection between community attachment and economic growth and found that cities with the highest levels of attachment had the highest rate of GDP growth.
The results of the SOTC study identify new approaches to help create transformational change and new possibilities for continued progress in Knight communities. Community leaders can use the study’s findings to maximize community strengths and address challenge areas to improve community attachment and potentially increase local economic growth.
The relationship of community attachment to economic development has particular relevance beyond the recent economic crisis as the study's findings can help leaders include new ideas into the existing economic rebuilding and development conversation.
Gallup interviewed a random, representative sample of 400 adults (age 18+) in each of the 26 Knight communities – nearly 14,000 people each year. In 2010, 15,200 interviews were conducted, with 1,000 conducted in eight focus communities.
The 2010 study also included 200 interviews among residents ages 18-34 in the focus communities to give us more information about that age group. Overall data were adjusted to ensure an accurate representation of the real demographic make-up of each community based on U.S. Census Bureau data. The surveys were conducted in English and Spanish. We studied 10 domains that were found to drive community attachment at varying levels:
- Basic services
– Community infrastructure
- Local Economy
- Safety
- Leadership and elected officials
- Aesthetics – physical beauty and green spaces
- Education systems
- Social offerings and opportunities for social interaction and citizen caring
- Openness/welcomeness – how welcoming the community is to different people
- Civic involvement - residents’ commitment to their community through voting or volunteerism
- Social capital – social networks between residents
- Social offerings, openness and aesthetics are most related to community attachment in all the 26 communities we studied.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Future Cities
Location: International
Website: www.ubmfuturecities.com
Our world is in a rapid and unprecedented state of urbanization.
As a result, cities have become a hot, buzz-worthy topic. Do a Web search for "smart cities" and you'll find no shortage of sources discussing the latest in sensor technology, future transportation systems like straddling buses and solar-powered trains, advanced communications infrastructure… The list goes on.
And while we're as fascinated and excited by the latest technology as anyone else, we also know that the conversation needs to go much deeper than that.
The development of new cities and the overcrowding of old ones place strains on infrastructure, government, education, healthcare, finance, and the environment.
Many of the globe's greatest problems – pollution, homelessness, crime, climate change – are the direct result of a world that is urbanizing more quickly than anyone can absorb. These problems threaten the quality of life for people all over the planet.
As people crowd into cities and megacities over the next decade, we need to define what makes an urban environment habitable and sustainable, and present solutions to the mounting impediments to livability. That involves answering some very difficult questions.
For example, how will inhabitants of developing cities in emerging economies who've never been served by financial institutions gain access to credit or bank accounts? How do we survive in a world that is getting increasingly hotter, when the coolants released by our air conditioning systems are contributing to global warming? How will we live in cities that don't have the capacity to house us?
At UBM's Future Cities, we are certain that finding the answers to these questions (and many, many more) is crucial to our ability to survive and thrive in an urbanized world.
The good news is we are in the best possible position to lead this discussion.
For starters, we've invited more than 100 of the world's leading experts in urbanization to come on board as contributing bloggers and share their approaches to civic problems. This is the only destination on the Web where on any given day you can read content from the world's most forward-thinking mayors, city planners, business leaders, analysts, and educators – and chat with them directly on the message boards.
We also know that global urbanization is a global problem, which is why our community of expert bloggers embraces individuals from all over the world who are best positioned to talk about the urban environments they are directly developing, supporting, and living in.
Who better to speak to sustainable transportation systems in Asia than the Chief Engineer of Transportation in Singapore? And who better to address India's sustainable challenges than the President of India's Smart Grid Forum?
You'll find these individuals and more than 100 others on our remarkable list of bloggers. These are all urbanization leaders who value the importance of being a part of this community and recognize the urgent need to elevate the conversation about future, livable cities.
Finally, here at UBM's Future Cities, we've made it our mission to not only recruit the brightest minds in global urbanization to share their expertise and insights, but to maintain a commitment to quality. That's why we're insisting that every piece of content we run comprises four critical elements that are too often missing in discussions of sustainable cities: technology, business, feasibility, and people.
With that in mind, there are certain things you won't find here – things like excessive hype about solutions that aren't pragmatic or feasible.
And we're happy to have you hold us to that standard. Have you got feedback for our contributors or thoughts about our site? Send an email anytime to editors@ubmfuturecities.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Website: www.ubmfuturecities.com
Our world is in a rapid and unprecedented state of urbanization.
As a result, cities have become a hot, buzz-worthy topic. Do a Web search for "smart cities" and you'll find no shortage of sources discussing the latest in sensor technology, future transportation systems like straddling buses and solar-powered trains, advanced communications infrastructure… The list goes on.
And while we're as fascinated and excited by the latest technology as anyone else, we also know that the conversation needs to go much deeper than that.
The development of new cities and the overcrowding of old ones place strains on infrastructure, government, education, healthcare, finance, and the environment.
Many of the globe's greatest problems – pollution, homelessness, crime, climate change – are the direct result of a world that is urbanizing more quickly than anyone can absorb. These problems threaten the quality of life for people all over the planet.
As people crowd into cities and megacities over the next decade, we need to define what makes an urban environment habitable and sustainable, and present solutions to the mounting impediments to livability. That involves answering some very difficult questions.
For example, how will inhabitants of developing cities in emerging economies who've never been served by financial institutions gain access to credit or bank accounts? How do we survive in a world that is getting increasingly hotter, when the coolants released by our air conditioning systems are contributing to global warming? How will we live in cities that don't have the capacity to house us?
At UBM's Future Cities, we are certain that finding the answers to these questions (and many, many more) is crucial to our ability to survive and thrive in an urbanized world.
The good news is we are in the best possible position to lead this discussion.
For starters, we've invited more than 100 of the world's leading experts in urbanization to come on board as contributing bloggers and share their approaches to civic problems. This is the only destination on the Web where on any given day you can read content from the world's most forward-thinking mayors, city planners, business leaders, analysts, and educators – and chat with them directly on the message boards.
We also know that global urbanization is a global problem, which is why our community of expert bloggers embraces individuals from all over the world who are best positioned to talk about the urban environments they are directly developing, supporting, and living in.
Who better to speak to sustainable transportation systems in Asia than the Chief Engineer of Transportation in Singapore? And who better to address India's sustainable challenges than the President of India's Smart Grid Forum?
You'll find these individuals and more than 100 others on our remarkable list of bloggers. These are all urbanization leaders who value the importance of being a part of this community and recognize the urgent need to elevate the conversation about future, livable cities.
Finally, here at UBM's Future Cities, we've made it our mission to not only recruit the brightest minds in global urbanization to share their expertise and insights, but to maintain a commitment to quality. That's why we're insisting that every piece of content we run comprises four critical elements that are too often missing in discussions of sustainable cities: technology, business, feasibility, and people.
With that in mind, there are certain things you won't find here – things like excessive hype about solutions that aren't pragmatic or feasible.
And we're happy to have you hold us to that standard. Have you got feedback for our contributors or thoughts about our site? Send an email anytime to editors@ubmfuturecities.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Metropolitan Policy Program
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.www.brookings.edu/about/programs/metro
www.urban-decay.livejournal.com
The Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings is redefining the challenges facing metropolitan America and identifying assets and promoting innovative solutions to help communities grow in more productive, inclusive, and sustainable ways.
Why metropolitan areas? They are the heart of the American economy. They are also our hubs of research and innovation, our centers of human capital, and our gateways of trade and immigration. Metropolitan areas drive the economy, and American competitiveness depends on their vitality.
More than ever, this is a national imperative as our global competitors move aggressively down this path — boosting exports, investing in innovation, scaling up clean technology, and embarking on large scale transformative projects.
In its fifteen years, the Metro Program has become the nation's go-to organization for chronicling the dynamic demographic, economic, and social forces sweeping our country and interpreting what these forces mean for metropolitan areas.
It has worked closely with states and metropolitan areas to design a new metropolitan agenda that matches the pace and intensity of demographic change and economic restructuring. It has partnered with corporate, civic, community, environmental, and political leaders to implement this agenda, either in whole or in part through the enactment of meaningful initiatives and fundamental change.
This includes work in a diverse array of states such as Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and a diverse array of metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
While the Metro Program conducts most of its work outside of the Beltway, it led a successful federally-focused initiative known as the Blueprint for American Prosperity, which promoted an economic agenda for the nation that built on the assets and centrality of its metropolitan areas.
The Blueprint’s research (MetroNation) and policy ideas (MetroPolicy and the Blueprint Policy Series) informed over ten federal initiatives since 2009.
Over the past few years, the Metro Program has continued to influence policy and practice across the country. Anticipating the toll that the Great Recession would take on metropolitan areas and states, as well as the shifts necessary to move from a consumption-oriented economy to a more productive and sustainable economic growth model, the program realigned its research, policy ideas, practice development, and network-building activities in service of the next economy.
This is an economy that is fueled by innovation, powered by low carbon, driven by exports, rich with opportunity, and fundamentally metropolitan in form and function.
It will also produce more jobs and better jobs, as well as more accessible jobs and opportunities for more metropolitan residents. It will also build smarter and more sustainable places that embrace demographic change, technological progress, and a better quality of life for all citizens.
Led by co-directors and founders Bruce Katz and Amy Liu, the Metro Program helps metropolitan leadership apply the next economy framework by:
- economically situating metropolitan areas through rigorous trend and empirical research on the top economic, social and demographic issues;,
- innovating locally through co-designing metropolitan economic development strategies that build on distinct assets,
- advocating nationally by producing state and federal policy ideas and platforms that are in service of metropolitan areas, and
- networking globally by linking decision makers to a global network of trading metropolitan areas.
Website: www.www.brookings.edu/about/programs/metro
www.urban-decay.livejournal.com
The Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings is redefining the challenges facing metropolitan America and identifying assets and promoting innovative solutions to help communities grow in more productive, inclusive, and sustainable ways.
Why metropolitan areas? They are the heart of the American economy. They are also our hubs of research and innovation, our centers of human capital, and our gateways of trade and immigration. Metropolitan areas drive the economy, and American competitiveness depends on their vitality.
More than ever, this is a national imperative as our global competitors move aggressively down this path — boosting exports, investing in innovation, scaling up clean technology, and embarking on large scale transformative projects.
In its fifteen years, the Metro Program has become the nation's go-to organization for chronicling the dynamic demographic, economic, and social forces sweeping our country and interpreting what these forces mean for metropolitan areas.
It has worked closely with states and metropolitan areas to design a new metropolitan agenda that matches the pace and intensity of demographic change and economic restructuring. It has partnered with corporate, civic, community, environmental, and political leaders to implement this agenda, either in whole or in part through the enactment of meaningful initiatives and fundamental change.
This includes work in a diverse array of states such as Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and a diverse array of metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
While the Metro Program conducts most of its work outside of the Beltway, it led a successful federally-focused initiative known as the Blueprint for American Prosperity, which promoted an economic agenda for the nation that built on the assets and centrality of its metropolitan areas.
The Blueprint’s research (MetroNation) and policy ideas (MetroPolicy and the Blueprint Policy Series) informed over ten federal initiatives since 2009.
Over the past few years, the Metro Program has continued to influence policy and practice across the country. Anticipating the toll that the Great Recession would take on metropolitan areas and states, as well as the shifts necessary to move from a consumption-oriented economy to a more productive and sustainable economic growth model, the program realigned its research, policy ideas, practice development, and network-building activities in service of the next economy.
This is an economy that is fueled by innovation, powered by low carbon, driven by exports, rich with opportunity, and fundamentally metropolitan in form and function.
It will also produce more jobs and better jobs, as well as more accessible jobs and opportunities for more metropolitan residents. It will also build smarter and more sustainable places that embrace demographic change, technological progress, and a better quality of life for all citizens.
Led by co-directors and founders Bruce Katz and Amy Liu, the Metro Program helps metropolitan leadership apply the next economy framework by:
- economically situating metropolitan areas through rigorous trend and empirical research on the top economic, social and demographic issues;,
- innovating locally through co-designing metropolitan economic development strategies that build on distinct assets,
- advocating nationally by producing state and federal policy ideas and platforms that are in service of metropolitan areas, and
- networking globally by linking decision makers to a global network of trading metropolitan areas.
SynergiCity
Location: Peoria, Il
Website:www.sparcindia.org
www.urban-decay.livejournal.com
Reservoirs for filtered rainwater, a “gateway” traffic circle, the revitalization of historic riverfront structures…several graduate students from the University of Illinois School of Architecture recently showcased an intriguing mix of ideas for creating a vibrant warehouse district in downtown Peoria.
Developed after a semester of studying the history of the riverfront area under the tutelage of professors Paul Armstrong and Paul Kapp, the students’ recommendations earned an enthusiastic response from Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, the city’s planning commission, and several local developers and business owners.
Armstrong and Kapp selected Peoria’s Warehouse District as the focal point for the students’ research after noting the considerable progress made to date in redevelopment efforts, as well as the promise of revitalizing the district offered by the good building stock of several historic warehouse and industrial structures. The students conducted a design charrette and made their final presentations in the offices of the architectural and engineering firm of PSA-Dewberry at 401 Water Street, one of the buildings that served as inspiration for adaptive reuse opportunities.
PSA-Dewberry moved into the restored turn-of-the-century building in 2000 after designing its conversion into a successful mixed-use property for developer Kert oHuber.
“The students’ ideas showed a lot of vision and thoughtfulness,” said Pat Sullivan, a long-time resident, developer and business owner in the Warehouse District. “They were fresh ideas, and they addressed a lot of issues. I think it’s great to get the students’ ideas, without the limits of politics or other constraints. They understand New Urbanism, and that the Warehouse District has the potential to be a place where you can live and work.”
The student project, called SynergiCity, was the university’s second initiative to explore the redevelopment of Peoria’s Warehouse District. Thirteen students took part in this year’s effort, which involved extensive research, analysis of zoning and other municipal codes, demographic analyses, site tours, the design charrette, and the final presentation of ideas and recommendations in early May.
According to Paul Armstrong, the first group of students focused on the transformation of the nine-block Warehouse District into a “city within a city,” with a dynamic, pedestrian-oriented core. “They addressed the issue of critical mass,” he notes, “and how the area could become more densely populated with multiple uses, including civic and residential development.” The students presented their ideas last year to a group of local representatives, including elected officials, city staff, developers and planning commission members. Their concepts were so well received that the professors not only determined to lead the project again this year, but also decided to base a book on the initiative.
This year’s group of students built upon those ideas while also addressing several challenging issues, including flooding and transportation. “Protecting the watershed was a primary concern,” Armstrong says. “Currently, rainwater runs off the city streets and drains into the Illinois River. There is also a concern with the river flooding. The students focused on trying to find a way to control that, and showing the city how it could become a steward of the river.”
Proposed solutions included a series of rain gardens and strips of vegetation that would filter stormwater into several reservoirs near the river. “Infrastructure is an important aspect of future development and the students viewed it as an opportunity to begin to build a ‘living machine,’” Armstrong says. “The riverfront would essentially become a recreational wetland.”
This year’s SynergiCity project not only incorporated forward-thinking design concepts, but also took into account the need to attract new businesses and residents to the area. “We considered the ‘creative capital,'” says Armstrong, “including human, social and economic resources.
How can we entice new entrepreneurial enterprises to come into the area? How can we attract residents, and perhaps cultural or civic entities?”
“The second time around, the students introduced the idea of bringing in an institutional presence, such as a higher education campus, to serve as a catalyst,” says Paul Kapp. “They really did their homework, looking at history, demographics and previous planning initiatives such as the Heart of Peoria Plan. What excited me was the idea of redeveloping and repurposing the warehouses.”
The group also considered the overall identity of the Warehouse District, including the importance of creating a sense of arrival. A traffic circle, or “roundabout,” located near the foot of the Bob Michel Bridge was among the ideas that caught the attention of planning commission members and business owners during the students’ presentation.
The circle would create a distinct, gateway effect as visitors entered the riverfront area from East Peoria.
Pat Sullivan, who has lived in the district for nearly a dozen years and remembers when the area was thriving with busy warehouses that supplied building materials to contractors and other industries, appreciates the students’ interest in the historic area.
"These are great old buildings with good bones,” he says. “The Warehouse District has an interesting history. I can still picture how it used to work—I remember picking up materials there. It would be great to see it busy again.”
Sullivan credits the students with generating several interesting approaches, and also points to tax credits and an overhaul of Washington Street as critical steps in spurring development in the area. “As development picks up, more and more people will want to move in here,” he says. “The students clearly understand the importance of creating a place that combines business, residential use and recreation.”
He and other local business leaders, as well as members of the planning commission, are quick to note that all of the analysis and design concepts presented by the university students over the past two years have come at no cost to the Peoria community, yet the process has provided a wealth of inspiration and ideas.
For Armstrong and Kapp, the next step is to complete the book, with Peoria’s Warehouse District a prime example of the potential for revitalization and redevelopment within the Rust Belt and throughout the U.S. “We’re clearly starting to see a trend,” says Kapp. “Cities like Portland, Milwaukee and Chattanooga are all exploring redevelopment, while also focusing on environmental stewardship. The focus of the book addresses the priorities: economic revitalization with a goal of highest and best use, and the need to increase the tax base and accelerate economic value. Hopefully the students’ efforts will serve as a case study not only for what could happen in Peoria, but in other cities as well.” iBi
Website:www.sparcindia.org
www.urban-decay.livejournal.com
Reservoirs for filtered rainwater, a “gateway” traffic circle, the revitalization of historic riverfront structures…several graduate students from the University of Illinois School of Architecture recently showcased an intriguing mix of ideas for creating a vibrant warehouse district in downtown Peoria.
Developed after a semester of studying the history of the riverfront area under the tutelage of professors Paul Armstrong and Paul Kapp, the students’ recommendations earned an enthusiastic response from Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, the city’s planning commission, and several local developers and business owners.
Armstrong and Kapp selected Peoria’s Warehouse District as the focal point for the students’ research after noting the considerable progress made to date in redevelopment efforts, as well as the promise of revitalizing the district offered by the good building stock of several historic warehouse and industrial structures. The students conducted a design charrette and made their final presentations in the offices of the architectural and engineering firm of PSA-Dewberry at 401 Water Street, one of the buildings that served as inspiration for adaptive reuse opportunities.
PSA-Dewberry moved into the restored turn-of-the-century building in 2000 after designing its conversion into a successful mixed-use property for developer Kert oHuber.
“The students’ ideas showed a lot of vision and thoughtfulness,” said Pat Sullivan, a long-time resident, developer and business owner in the Warehouse District. “They were fresh ideas, and they addressed a lot of issues. I think it’s great to get the students’ ideas, without the limits of politics or other constraints. They understand New Urbanism, and that the Warehouse District has the potential to be a place where you can live and work.”
The student project, called SynergiCity, was the university’s second initiative to explore the redevelopment of Peoria’s Warehouse District. Thirteen students took part in this year’s effort, which involved extensive research, analysis of zoning and other municipal codes, demographic analyses, site tours, the design charrette, and the final presentation of ideas and recommendations in early May.
According to Paul Armstrong, the first group of students focused on the transformation of the nine-block Warehouse District into a “city within a city,” with a dynamic, pedestrian-oriented core. “They addressed the issue of critical mass,” he notes, “and how the area could become more densely populated with multiple uses, including civic and residential development.” The students presented their ideas last year to a group of local representatives, including elected officials, city staff, developers and planning commission members. Their concepts were so well received that the professors not only determined to lead the project again this year, but also decided to base a book on the initiative.
This year’s group of students built upon those ideas while also addressing several challenging issues, including flooding and transportation. “Protecting the watershed was a primary concern,” Armstrong says. “Currently, rainwater runs off the city streets and drains into the Illinois River. There is also a concern with the river flooding. The students focused on trying to find a way to control that, and showing the city how it could become a steward of the river.”
Proposed solutions included a series of rain gardens and strips of vegetation that would filter stormwater into several reservoirs near the river. “Infrastructure is an important aspect of future development and the students viewed it as an opportunity to begin to build a ‘living machine,’” Armstrong says. “The riverfront would essentially become a recreational wetland.”
This year’s SynergiCity project not only incorporated forward-thinking design concepts, but also took into account the need to attract new businesses and residents to the area. “We considered the ‘creative capital,'” says Armstrong, “including human, social and economic resources.
How can we entice new entrepreneurial enterprises to come into the area? How can we attract residents, and perhaps cultural or civic entities?”
“The second time around, the students introduced the idea of bringing in an institutional presence, such as a higher education campus, to serve as a catalyst,” says Paul Kapp. “They really did their homework, looking at history, demographics and previous planning initiatives such as the Heart of Peoria Plan. What excited me was the idea of redeveloping and repurposing the warehouses.”
The group also considered the overall identity of the Warehouse District, including the importance of creating a sense of arrival. A traffic circle, or “roundabout,” located near the foot of the Bob Michel Bridge was among the ideas that caught the attention of planning commission members and business owners during the students’ presentation.
The circle would create a distinct, gateway effect as visitors entered the riverfront area from East Peoria.
Pat Sullivan, who has lived in the district for nearly a dozen years and remembers when the area was thriving with busy warehouses that supplied building materials to contractors and other industries, appreciates the students’ interest in the historic area.
"These are great old buildings with good bones,” he says. “The Warehouse District has an interesting history. I can still picture how it used to work—I remember picking up materials there. It would be great to see it busy again.”
Sullivan credits the students with generating several interesting approaches, and also points to tax credits and an overhaul of Washington Street as critical steps in spurring development in the area. “As development picks up, more and more people will want to move in here,” he says. “The students clearly understand the importance of creating a place that combines business, residential use and recreation.”
He and other local business leaders, as well as members of the planning commission, are quick to note that all of the analysis and design concepts presented by the university students over the past two years have come at no cost to the Peoria community, yet the process has provided a wealth of inspiration and ideas.
For Armstrong and Kapp, the next step is to complete the book, with Peoria’s Warehouse District a prime example of the potential for revitalization and redevelopment within the Rust Belt and throughout the U.S. “We’re clearly starting to see a trend,” says Kapp. “Cities like Portland, Milwaukee and Chattanooga are all exploring redevelopment, while also focusing on environmental stewardship. The focus of the book addresses the priorities: economic revitalization with a goal of highest and best use, and the need to increase the tax base and accelerate economic value. Hopefully the students’ efforts will serve as a case study not only for what could happen in Peoria, but in other cities as well.” iBi
Friday, January 18, 2013
The Citistates Group
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.citistates.com
The Citistates Group is America's only journalist team focused first and foremost on metropolitan regions and how they position themselves to cope with the demanding economic, environmental, social challenges of the 21st century.
Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson have written written "Citistates" Reports on strategic issue sets facing 26 U.S. metros, the results published in over 50 newspapers from the 1980s onward.
The Citistates Group, managed by Farley Peters, the group's organizer and strategist, includes a collegial network of Associates with parallel interests and achievements. Many are public speakers and authors of cutting-edge research and writing in the field.
Recently the Group created Citiwire.net -- a weekly news service -- and Citiscope.org, a non-profit focused on 21st century connections and learning among cities and metro regions, in the United States but also worldwide as the urban agenda of our time turns global.
Website: www.citistates.com
The Citistates Group is America's only journalist team focused first and foremost on metropolitan regions and how they position themselves to cope with the demanding economic, environmental, social challenges of the 21st century.
Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson have written written "Citistates" Reports on strategic issue sets facing 26 U.S. metros, the results published in over 50 newspapers from the 1980s onward.
The Citistates Group, managed by Farley Peters, the group's organizer and strategist, includes a collegial network of Associates with parallel interests and achievements. Many are public speakers and authors of cutting-edge research and writing in the field.
Recently the Group created Citiwire.net -- a weekly news service -- and Citiscope.org, a non-profit focused on 21st century connections and learning among cities and metro regions, in the United States but also worldwide as the urban agenda of our time turns global.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Center for an Urban Future
Location: New York, NY
Website: www.nycfuture.org
The Center for an Urban Future is a public policy organization dedicated to improving the overall health of New York City and serving its long-term interests by targeting problems facing low-income and working-class neighborhoods in all five boroughs.
A new kind of think tank, the Center brings a unique, community-oriented perspective to the public policy arena. Our staffers function more like beat reporters than like academics, going out into the field to observe and interview neighborhood residents, local businesspeople and community organizations. We also consult with academic experts, government officials and others, in order to get the broadest possible view of an issue or problem, and to hear from all those affected by it.
In other words, we start with the facts.
As a result, the Center produces groundbreaking research in fields including economic development, workforce development, public and higher education, vocational education, child welfare, and criminal justice. But we don't stop there. Once the Center has a picture of the problem, our rigorous information-gathering techniques become problem-solving and consensus-building tools, which allow us to translate our research into action agendas that win support from a broad range of constituents across the ideological spectrum. Instead of joining well-publicized, politically polarized forensics debates, we focus our efforts on effecting concrete change by bringing lower-profile problems to the table and identifying underused assets — before indelible battle lines are drawn — and then offering thoughtful recommendations for constructive action.
This means not only envisioning workable solutions, but also conveying them clearly and effectively to local advocates, policy makers, academics and the public. We see communication as a vital part of our job. We understand that the right words can generate interest, inspire action, and help frame discussions and recommendations in a positive, solution-oriented way. Our publications are written for people, not just policy experts, because they are meant to be used.
We believe the Center's inclusive, whole-city approach to planning and policy can not only improve life for all New Yorkers, but can also provide a model for other urban areas interested in moving away from politically expedient, piecemeal public policy and toward a sustainable, long-term, vision for managing urban life in the new millennium.
The Center for an Urban Future is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
Website: www.nycfuture.org
The Center for an Urban Future is a public policy organization dedicated to improving the overall health of New York City and serving its long-term interests by targeting problems facing low-income and working-class neighborhoods in all five boroughs.
A new kind of think tank, the Center brings a unique, community-oriented perspective to the public policy arena. Our staffers function more like beat reporters than like academics, going out into the field to observe and interview neighborhood residents, local businesspeople and community organizations. We also consult with academic experts, government officials and others, in order to get the broadest possible view of an issue or problem, and to hear from all those affected by it.
In other words, we start with the facts.
As a result, the Center produces groundbreaking research in fields including economic development, workforce development, public and higher education, vocational education, child welfare, and criminal justice. But we don't stop there. Once the Center has a picture of the problem, our rigorous information-gathering techniques become problem-solving and consensus-building tools, which allow us to translate our research into action agendas that win support from a broad range of constituents across the ideological spectrum. Instead of joining well-publicized, politically polarized forensics debates, we focus our efforts on effecting concrete change by bringing lower-profile problems to the table and identifying underused assets — before indelible battle lines are drawn — and then offering thoughtful recommendations for constructive action.
This means not only envisioning workable solutions, but also conveying them clearly and effectively to local advocates, policy makers, academics and the public. We see communication as a vital part of our job. We understand that the right words can generate interest, inspire action, and help frame discussions and recommendations in a positive, solution-oriented way. Our publications are written for people, not just policy experts, because they are meant to be used.
We believe the Center's inclusive, whole-city approach to planning and policy can not only improve life for all New Yorkers, but can also provide a model for other urban areas interested in moving away from politically expedient, piecemeal public policy and toward a sustainable, long-term, vision for managing urban life in the new millennium.
The Center for an Urban Future is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Citytank
Locatiom: Seattle, WA
Website: www.citytank.org
Citytank is a think tank for cities.
Citytank aspires to be an online convergence of the best thinkers and doers in urbanism both locally and nationwide.
Citytank will generate pointed analysis and advocacy that supports the proposition that cities are our best hope for achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability, from the local to global scales.
Citytank will address the need to bridge the knowledge gaps between policy, research, and design.
Citytank’s mission is to propagate ideas that help fulfill the promise of cities to both expand the human spirit and sustain a thriving planet.
Citytank was thunk up by Dan Bertolet. He’s a recovering electrical engineer and lately an urban designer who created a blog called Hugeasscity that in the course of two years grew an audience of over 17,000 unique site visits per month. In 2010 the Seattle news and politics web site PubliCola swallowed up Hugeasscity, exposing Dan’s writing to a much broader audience.
Dan has long believed that Seattle needs a source of analysis and commentary to help bring sanity to debates over policy that will shape the future of the City. Thus, Citytank.
Website: www.citytank.org
Citytank is a think tank for cities.
Citytank aspires to be an online convergence of the best thinkers and doers in urbanism both locally and nationwide.
Citytank will generate pointed analysis and advocacy that supports the proposition that cities are our best hope for achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability, from the local to global scales.
Citytank will address the need to bridge the knowledge gaps between policy, research, and design.
Citytank’s mission is to propagate ideas that help fulfill the promise of cities to both expand the human spirit and sustain a thriving planet.
Citytank was thunk up by Dan Bertolet. He’s a recovering electrical engineer and lately an urban designer who created a blog called Hugeasscity that in the course of two years grew an audience of over 17,000 unique site visits per month. In 2010 the Seattle news and politics web site PubliCola swallowed up Hugeasscity, exposing Dan’s writing to a much broader audience.
Dan has long believed that Seattle needs a source of analysis and commentary to help bring sanity to debates over policy that will shape the future of the City. Thus, Citytank.
The Atlantic Cities
Location: International
Website: www.atlanticcities.com
The Atlantic Cities explores the most innovative ideas and pressing issues facing today’s global cities and neighborhoods. By bringing together news, analysis, data, and trends, the site is an engaging destination for an increasingly urbanized world.
Website: www.atlanticcities.com
The Atlantic Cities explores the most innovative ideas and pressing issues facing today’s global cities and neighborhoods. By bringing together news, analysis, data, and trends, the site is an engaging destination for an increasingly urbanized world.
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