Urbanism
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Bioplhilia and the need to fill our cities with nature.
Biophilia refers to the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature and other living beings. It reflects the inherent bond humans have with the natural world, which positively impacts both our physical and mental health.
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Is this a template for the Solar Punk City of the future?
Gelephu Mindfulness City in Bhutan aims to integrate Gross National Happiness principles with sustainable development, creating eco-friendly urban spaces rooted in cultural values. The project emphasizes mindfulness, environmental sustainability, economic diversity, and community-centered design, proposing an innovative model for future cities while ensuring genuine public consultation for success.
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Participatory Urbanism: A beginners guide
I recently did a speech to my local Rotary Club about a Participatory Urbanism project I am working on. To my surprise, the audience appeared equally interested in the whole Participatory Urbanism concept, as much as the project itself. So I thought it would be good to put together a quick explainer, which I can…
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Connecting with nature | Field Studies
One thing I am personally involved in right now is getting more greenery into my local community and encouraging more people to connect with it. This excellent video delves into the concept of Nature Connectedness, and how it is about more than having contact with nature, it means having a sense of a relationship with…
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Let’s use the word ReGrowth, not degrowth
We know the word degrowth is unappealing, thanks to loss aversion theory.0 Loss aversion theory refers to a cognitive bias in which a situation is perceived as worse if it is framed as a loss, rather than a gain. Losses tend to be treated as if they were twice as large as an equivalent gain.…
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C40 Cities (2024) Climate Action Guide for Urban Planners
Who is this guide for? Good urban planners are key climate champions. Urban planners work across silos, making them ideal drivers of cross-sectoral action. Accordingly, this guide is written for urban planning staff within local governments. The advice within this guide is applicable for staff both in cities that have a Climate Action Plan (CAP)…
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Transforming Lawrence Weston, Bristol, With the Power of Community
This inspiring video came to my attention recently and I felt it really deserved a blog post. For a while I have been thinking about writing a series of posts called “People who got stuff done, and how.” As the name suggests, it was going to be a collection of inspiring stories about Community Lead…
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St. George Rainway: From Vision to Vibrant Community Space
The St. George Rainway in Vancouver is a wonderful fusion of community-driven initiatives and innovative urban design. What began as a vision to transform an underutilised space into a vibrant corridor has evolved into a dynamic area that enhances both the environment and the local community. The St. George Rainway was first envisioned by a…
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Kigali’s Bold Move: Phasing Out Petrol-Powered Motorcycles
This is another great story from Africa. Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, has announced a plan to phase out petrol-powered motorcycle taxis, starting January 2025. Petrol-powered motorbike taxis account for about 20% of all trips in Rwanda’s capital and significantly contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Electrifying motorcycle taxis offer many benefits. Zero…
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Future for All: A vision for 2048
Capitalist realism is dispelled. Today it is easier to imagine the end of capitalism by 2048 than to imagine the end of the world.
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Solar on your Balcony
Power to the people! Balkonkraftwerk, bringing Solar Power to balconies and rental properties in Germany.
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Shouldn’t every School have Safe Streets?
Why doesn’t every city in the world put children first and create Safe Schools Streets?
Our Wonderful Green Future 