Mark Greaves Urbanism

02/12/2015

12/11/2015

The angst of backwardness and its consequences: Reflecting on the huge changes that have occurred in London over his long career, Leon Krier argues in this essay that it is traditional urbanism - not dense Modernism - that offers the solutions to the planet’s ecological problems

23/10/2015

Another excellent article by Hank Dittmar in BD in which he asks questions about the acceptability of design influences and references, and application of the word 'pastiche' in UK planning documents.

If pastiche is so bad, why is it OK to be influenced by Breuer or the Smithsons, asks Hank Dittmar

09/10/2015

A fascinating Internet discussion makes the case for solving congestion problems using economic, rather than engineering, strategies. But urban design should also be considered.

23/09/2015

"As you can see, the optimal speed for maximum capacity is 25 – 30 MPH. The reason for this is that the faster a vehicle travels the farther apart vehicles need to space themselves to have a safe follow distance. This means that faster speeds actually reduces a roadway’s capacity."

Slower Speed = Faster Travel In the world of traffic engineering, we understand the difference between volume (the number of vehicles) vs. capacity (the number of vehicles a roadway can efficiently accommodate at posted speed). Disclaimer: we’re not traffic engineers. But, we are drivers and you d…

10/09/2015

"NOOFY" = Not On Our Front Yard. A NOOFY recognizes that the front yard, a.k.a. the private frontage, really belongs to all of us, because it affects our experience from the public sidewalk – our view, our comfort, our safety. It’s not just my yard, but our neighborhood’s yard.

Everybody knows what a NIMBY is, right? The homeowner who blocks all new development with the attitude Not In My Back Yard. If you're watching the terrific HBO miniseries Show Me A Hero, those are ...

10/09/2015

Planning has recently re-emphasised the importance of 'Place-making'. Does that mean we can talk about beauty again? Planning and designing beautiful places?

John D. Rockefeller Jr. gave a park in the upper reaches of Manhattan to New York City and built a museum in the grand manner on its grounds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Cloisters and Fo...

09/09/2015

Murthy announced a national campaign to encourage Americans to walk more and make all communities safer and easier for walking. His office will partner with schools, citizens groups and businesses to meet these goals.

31/08/2015

Several years ago, Brad Pitt's foundation summoned architects, including three of the world's most acclaimed, to design homes for the Lower Ninth Ward. Here's why the designs from architecture stars haven't exactly worked out.

28/08/2015

Beauty has always paid better than any other commodity and always will.

22/06/2015

In the 1920s, auto groups redefined who owned the city street.