13 articles tagged with urban planning
There's something deliciously ironic about a place named 'Great Dismal Swamp' being one of the most fascinating ecological treasures I've encountered. Just a short drive from Chesapeake's urban core, this 112,000-acre natural refuge defies its gloomy moniker with vibrant biodiversity...
Standing beneath the imposing Gothic spires of St. Mary's Basilica, watching amber-colored sunlight dance across centuries-old brick facades, I couldn't help but marvel at how Gdansk has masterfully balanced preservation and progress. This Polish port city—once a powerful Hanseatic League...
San Francisco exists at a fascinating intersection of natural topography and human design ingenuity. The city's famous 49-square-mile grid somehow manages to embrace the peninsula's dramatic hills rather than fight them, creating one of North America's most visually distinctive urban...
There's something profoundly nostalgic about returning to your home country as a temporary visitor, especially when that visit transforms familiar streets into your mobile office. Having spent the last six years in Birmingham's urban planning department, my recent month-long return...
Having traversed global supply chains professionally for over 15 years, I've developed a particular appreciation for port cities – those dynamic nexus points where commerce, culture, and history converge with remarkable efficiency. Colombo, Sri Lanka's vibrant capital, exemplifies this convergence...
When most travelers think of Florida's east coast, they envision endless beaches and retirement communities. But as someone who's spent two decades analyzing how global innovations transform urban landscapes, I've discovered that Port St. Lucie represents something far more intriguing:...
Standing at the intersection of Chicken Street and Flower Street in Kabul's bustling center, I found myself mapping mental overlays of this city's complex urban fabric. The juxtaposition was striking—ancient architectural elements nestled against hastily constructed modern buildings, each telling...
Standing in London's British Museum before artifacts from around the world, then wandering through Jakarta's Kota Tua (Old Town) amid Dutch colonial architecture, I found myself contemplating the parallel yet distinct imperial narratives that shaped these two remarkable cities. As...
As an urban planner with a penchant for adventure, I've traversed landscapes across continents, but sometimes the most enlightening journeys happen in unexpected places. Northeast Ohio—with its fascinating blend of industrial heritage, natural beauty, and architectural innovation—offers precisely such a...
As I stand on the Quaibrücke bridge watching the gentle waters of Lake Zurich reflect the surrounding Alps, I'm reminded why this Swiss metropolis has become my regular retreat between consulting projects. Having visited Zurich dozens of times over the...
Standing atop the Detroit Foundation Hotel's rooftop terrace, watching drones capture footage of the city's evolving skyline, I felt the pulsating energy of reinvention that defines today's Detroit. The juxtaposition of Beaux-Arts masterpieces against modern glass structures tells a story...
Milwaukee's relationship with beer isn't just historical—it's architectural, cultural, and evolving in ways that perfectly illustrate urban adaptive reuse. As someone who studies how cities repurpose spaces for cultural expression, I've found Milwaukee's transformation from industrial brewing giant to craft...
Standing at the edge of Cliff Walk, where meticulously designed landscapes meet the untamed Atlantic, I'm struck by the perfect urban tension Newport embodies. These Gilded Age mansions aren't merely ostentatious displays of wealth—they're physical manifestations of America's complex relationship...
