Urban Design Around the World

URBAN UPDATE 19th June 2015

Main news from the Urban Design Group Jobs – WYG Richard Coleman CityDesigner + PhD opportunities Business Rates – a tax on the sustainability of towns and cities? A free service for all individuals and organisations who care about life in cities Urban Design Photo Competition towns and villages ……… World water resources running dry planners – landscape architects – architects – conservation practitioners – Flooding and Water Management engineers –surveyors – masterplanners – managers – urban designers - Greenspace boosts children’s memory and thinking skills urbanists – health professionals - politicians – public 6 tips on encouraging cycling Sea Level Rise forecast for Europe New techniques to model networks – computers and slime mould

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National Urban Design Awards Have you had your say on what The National Conference 2016 events you would like to see in on Urban Design 2015 2016? Bristol 8-9-10 October Entries Invited for Practice Awards This year’s conference is takes place in Bristol, one http://www.udg.org.uk/content/udg-practice-award and what videos you would like of the UK’s most vibrant and successful cities. It is also one of the UK’s leading experiments in civic Francis Tibbalds Prize worth £1000 to see on Urban.nous? leadership and governance, with George Ferguson as mayor. Deadline 26 June – 1 week to go! Please let us have your views by 5th July on the link below! The conference theme looks at town, cities and Don’t miss the limelight! st https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VZ3JLYM development in the 21 century and how better Don’t miss the deadline design quality can achieve health, wellbeing and prosperity while reducing costs to the public purse; Check out the details and deadlines for entering the and yet still make a profit. other awards http://www.udg.org.uk/awards We hope to see you in Bristol! Forthcoming UDG Events Business rates … a tax on the sustainability of towns and cities?

The purpose of a tax is first and foremost to raise Some of the large internet retailers have been able to The City as Developer revenue. A second purpose can be to influence avoid paying corporation tax. Amazon for example Joint with the AoU behaviour by taxing goods or services that society paid just £4.2 million in 2013 against UK sales of Wednesday 8th July 6.20 wants people to use less. A third purpose is £4.3 billion. The Gallery, Cowcross Street, London where the tax is used to pay for the costs the Featuring contributors to the forthcoming edition of consumption of the goods or services impose on The situation is made worse by the fact that road urban design society. An example is the tax levied on alcohol, transport costs do not reflect the full social and Peter Bishop, where there is both a health impact and costs environmental costs imposed on society. Peter Studdert, imposed on society through increased road deaths, Lawrence Barth, violence, family break-up, and costs on the There is a strong case for reforming the Business Henk Bouwman, National Health Services. Business rates are, Rates system to stop the environmental, economic Dick Gleeson (tbc) however, an exception. They disadvantage a and social damage to towns and villages. Led by John Worthington social good – local shops, in favour of a form of Academician and UDG Patron retail with significant environmental impact and There is even a case for questioning whether it negligible social benefit – internet retail. would simply be better to scrap the tax altogether and raise the funds through a cost and price neutral Weather in the City - How design shapes the Local shops bring many benefits, not just in increase in VAT. Business rates bring in just over Urban Climate supplying a range of goods, but by providing the £20 billion to the UK Treasury each year, compared Monday 20 July – The Gallery, Cowcross Street basis of a local community around which other with over £100 billion raised through VAT. London 6.20 activities and friendships can form. Local shops Dispensing with business rates would also save The launch of a book by Sanda Lenzholzer which also provide the destinations that encouraging money in the bureaucracy and costs involved in brings an understanding of wind, sun, heat and air walking and cycling. Internet retail on the other operating the system. movements within the reach of any built hand brings substantial environmental and social environment professional. Introduced by Professor costs. Operating from out of town distribution The Business rate system has not kept pace with the Michael Hebbert centres, it is totally dependent on vehicle use, and changes in technology and trading patterns. It has supports very little by way of community. The failed to reflect the growing understanding of Underground Urbanism business rates regime charges out of town environmental, social and health impact from the Wednesday 16 September – London warehouses at a fraction of town centre or decline of traditional town and neighbourhood neighbourhood shops, enabling internet retailers centres. Join the StreetNW mailing list on to undercut traditional place-based shops and mailto:[email protected] drive them out of business. The British Retail As it stands the Business Rate system is a tax on the Consortium has warned that business rates could sustainability of local communities. It is in urgent lead to closure of 80,000 shops by 2017 http://m.retail- need of reform. week.com/5075975.article . It would be a devastating blow to our towns and cities.

New on UrbanNous Where do you read Urban Other events Health and Urban Design Design? Prize competition CycleCity Active Major 2 day conference 25-26 June Newcastle http://www.landor.co.uk/cycleactivecity/programme.php

Academy of Urbanism Event / Mid-Year Review and Reception 22nd July – London http://www.academyofurbanism.org.uk/events/mid-year-review-and-reception/

http://www.urbannous.org.uk/health-and-urban-design.htm BOBMK Events http://bobmk.org.uk/our-programme/ Next events autumn Greening the city: Urban streets and verges This picture was taken in Jalisco, Mexico. MADE Ian Hingley. Landscape architect, Urban Can you beat it!! http://www.made.org.uk/events/calendar/ Movement The Urban Design Group will award two prizes to Introduction to Design Codes 23 June the best photographs taken during this Summer and submitted before 5th September 2015. The idea is to show interesting or original places in which Museum of Walking members have read the journal. The competition is  27 June Saturday 10.30am-1.30pm open to individual UDG members and the  Ruskin Walk in Shoreditch: Home Fronts photograph (only one per member) should be  with artist and creator of the Ruskin submitted as a jpg at 300dpi for a minimum size of Walk: Martin Fidler 190mm width, with your name, and the location of  to complement the Geffrye Museum’s “Homes for the homeless” exhibition http://www.urbannous.org.uk/greening-the-city-streets.htm the photograph . The author of the best photograph,  Read more to be chosen by the Editors, will be given a year's http://www.museumofwalking.org.uk/events/ruskin-walks/ free subscription to the journal; the runner-up will be  Book here UrbanNous Catalogue available on-line http://home-fronts-ruskin-walk.eventbrite.co.uk sent a recent book about urban design and invited to review it for the journal. Both photographs will be Go to the home page and move your cursor to published in the journal and online on the UDG PTRC where it says “Hover here to bring ideas to life” Annual Transport Practitioners Meeting website. 1st – 2nd -3rd July - London Highlights include Christopher Alexander, George https://www.ptrc-training.co.uk/Portals/1/Documents/TPM/TPM15Leaflet.pdf Ferguson, Hans Monderman and scores of others. www.urbannous.org.uk URBAN DESIGN Edition 134: Urban Design London Events coming up – extensive programme some free, some charged/£175+VAT (Free for subscribers) . Jobs http://www.urbandesignlondon.com/?page_id=3251 Graduate Urban Designer - WYG London - St John's Street UDL HOUSING SPECIAL Competitive Salary + Excellent Benefits Density Debate http://www.udg.org.uk/jobs/london-and-south-east/graduate-urban-designer-wyg 30 June Housing Policies PhD Opportunities in Healthy planning – Current edition sent to UDG members st 1 July Welcome Trust Past editions can be downloaded on the UDG http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Sustaining- Viewing and Assessing Schemes, a Built for Life website update health/index.htm 2nd July Urban Design Assistant - Richard Coleman CityDesigner Design South East / Kent Design London – Salary c £22,000 Event Calendar http://www.udg.org.uk/jobs/london-and-south- http://www.kentdesign.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Event-Calendar-2015-16-edited-14.4.15.pdf east/richard-coleman-citydesigner-urban-designer- %E2%80%93-assistant-1 Introduction to Building for Life 12 Sevenoaks 24 June

Architecture and Design Scotland http://www.ads.org.uk/events

The Grass is Always Greener 4 July 2015 http://www.ads.org.uk/events/decade-the-grass-is-always-greene

Urban Design around the Latest Research, Policy and Practice World

Built Environment Stirling Prize shortlist Australia http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33185650 Designing for high density living The claim that “The revamped front-of-house at the National Theatre has "radically transformed" http://theconversation.com/speaking-with-hazel-easthope-on-designing-for-high-density- living-37631 London's South Bank” may come as news to many, not least those who regularly use the South Bank. A triumph in architecture or a triumph in exaggeration and hubris – you decide!

Canada Mapela - urban site that flourished in Zimbabwe between 800 and 1800 currently being excavated Controversial waterfront tower back at Evidence of exists of international trade Vancouver’s urban design panel http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/06/2015/mapela-archaeologists-re-visit-a-forgotten-urban-site-in-zimbabwe http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/1397764/controversial-waterfront-tower-back-at- vancouvers-urban-design-panel/ Politics, Economics, Philosophy Our future is urban. Why don’t we talk more about our cities? China http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/14/city-london-mayor-paris Learn Urban Design at “Hogwarts”… Hebei Academy of Fine Arts Sharing economy compromised by culture and advertising which leads people to crave their own http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3127692/China-Hogwarts-students-embrace- ancient-tradition-graduation.html material goods http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sharing-economy-wont-become-widespread-because-people-crave-their-own-material-goods-says-study-10317074.html

Active Cities Boost Bottom Lines Hong Kong http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33065010 Public Engagement for Urban Design Study for the Wan Chai North and North Point Harbour- Hidden secrets of 1491 world map revealed via multispectral imaging front Areas launched http://phys.org/news/2015-06-hidden-secrets-world-revealed-multispectral.html http://7thspace.com/headlines/510837/stage_1_public_engagement_for_urban_design_stud This is an intriguing insight into the emerging perspective of the world at the very start of what historians y_for_the_wan_chai_north_and_north_point_harbourfront_areas_launched.html call the early modern period. It was a time when populations had recovered to the levels prior to the bubonic plague in the 1380s, and when science, arts and economies were beginning to flourish. India Charles Correa – “India’s greatest Trade Routes that supplied Rome revealed through huge waste pile http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11650703/Roman-rubbish-dump-reveals-secrets-of-ancient-trading-networks.html architect” - Co founder of 1984 Urban Design Research Institute- obituary http://www.dnaindia.com/india/column-he-thought-outside-the-confines-of-architecture- always-kept-urban-poor-in-mind-2096606 Flooding and Water Management http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/FOUNDATION-FOR- CHANGE/articleshow/47711950.cms The media has been busy this week with coverage of the flash flooding in Tbilisi which destroyed a zoo … The man who swore never to design a glass and left hippos, tigers and bears roaming the streets. However there were several other news and research building items this week which show at a global scale the gravity of the situation the world faces, and the attempts http://www.nyoooz.com/mumbai/130211/charles-correa-the-man-who-swore-never-to- design-a-glass-building that some cities are taking to address the challenge.

Urban design being used to re-imagine public Nasa data shows the world is running out of water http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nasa-data-shows-the-world-is-running-out-of-water-10325188.html spaces http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/development-has-not-gone-out-of-hand- in-tiruchi/article7317220.ece Indian City Overhaul Could Usher Future Of Water Sustainability Parks, act as "urban sponge," that will help capture the monsoon rains and replenish the city's underground aquifers. New Zealand http://www.wateronline.com/doc/indian-city-overhaul-could-usher-future-water-sustainability-0001 Auckland port extension consents invalid http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/69557486/auckland-port-extension-consents- invalid.html China bets on 'sponge cities' to cope with flooding and drought Solution in permeable pavements, gardens, http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060020275 Russia Mycoremediation, the use of fungi to treat water and soil, could be the stormwater filter of the Things have started to improve': Moscow present and future residents share thoughts on the city's changes http://greenbuildingelements.com/2015/06/19/mushrooms-hold-key-to-stormwater-treatment/ http://www.theguardian.com/cities/guardianwitness-blog/2015/jun/13/urban-improvement- moscow-residents-thoughts-changes-regeneration

Singapore Technology and Modelling Living in the skies of Singapore – high rise hotel set within a vertically stacked garden Design centre creates free software tool to analyze cities as spatial networks http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/15/travel/living-in-the-skies-of-singapore/ The Urban Network Analysis software plugin for Rhinoceros 3-D modelling software from the MIT- Singapore International Design Center, enables the description of spatial patterns of cities using mathematical network analysis methods UK http://phys.org/news/2015-06-center-free-software-tool-cities.html Radical redesigns proposed for Aldwych, the Strand, and the Victoria Embankment, London, Slime mold used to compute Roman road network in the Balkans by North Bank BID and Publica Researchers placed a physarum polycephalum in a petri dish containing 17 little bits of food http://www.cityam.com/218177/strand-about-get-radical-makeover representing 17 urban centres in the Balkans from the Roman imperial period. The slime mold “imitated Backing for bars, restaurants and offices over rather spectacularly the two main military roads of the area, the Via Egnatia [across Macedonia] and the houses and industry in East Cowes Via Diagonalis [from central Europe to Constantinople] http://www.archaeology.org/issues/182-1507/trenches/3365-trenches-roman-roads-slime-mold http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/backing-for-bars-restaurants-and-offices-over-houses- and-industry-in-east-cowes-84207.aspx The quicker members of the design community will realise that this slime-mold could be used to generate an optimal street network connecting urban centres. USA Boston complex slammed by design panel You can create your own Physarum computer to identify the optimal routes for a new development http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/blog/real-estate/2015/06/plans-for-merritt-complex- in-canton-slammed-by.html Buy a kit for under £50 How New York Plans to Elevate the Spaces http://www.blades-bio.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CBK031 Under Freeways, Subway Platforms http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/new-yorks-design-ideas-space-freeways-under-subway- A book on creating a physarum computer platforms http://www.amazon.co.uk/PHYSARUM-MACHINES-COMPUTERS-Scientific-Nonlinear/dp/9814327581

Top growing tips.. http://slimoco.ning.com/forum/topics/top-tips-for-growing-physarum

Humans, Health and Society A Beautiful City Creates Beautiful Residents http://hetq.am/eng/news/60956/a-beautiful-city-creates-beautiful-residents.html

Three year olds have sense of justice Energy and Climate Change http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/m-thv061815.php Study shows global warming is unlikely to reduce winter deaths http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/cums-ssg061815.php Do you really need to take 10,000 steps per day? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33154510 Risk of Major Sea Level Rise in Northern Europe For London, the calculated best estimate is that sea level will rise by 0.8 meters. Growing up near parks and woodland 'boosts a http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/uoc--rom061815.php child's memory and thinking skills', study reveals http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3126418/Growing-near-parks-woodland-boosts- child-s-memory-thinking-skills-study-reveals.html Important that this should have appeared in the Daily Mail

Movement Copenhagenize - Urban design company proposes cycle-desire paths http://arstechnica.co.uk/science/2015/06/urban-design-company-proposes-bicycle-desire- paths-helmets-for-car-drivers/

How to get people cycling  Stop building cul-de-sacs and bring back the grid  Make development mixed-use  Eliminate minimum parking requirements  Make carriageways narrower  Build protected bike lanes  Connect bike lanes to create usable routes http://www.vox.com/2015/5/29/8682707/walking-biking-cities-transportation/in/8277740

How flu viruses use the transportation system in the USA http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150618145758.htm

Hyperloop Proposal http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/New-Hyperloop-proposal-shows-how- futuristic-6323707.php full paper http://www.aud.ucla.edu/pdfs/ucla_a.ud_hyperloop_suprastudio_2014- 15_fall_research_electronic.pdf

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