Cities are growing faster than the economy in many countries, which often results in large slums at the outskirts of cities because the authorities cannot meet economic and social needs, faced with accelerated urban development. It is estimated that 900…
Trapped between hills and the ocean, the compact city of Hong Kong is facing a concerning waste issue. Its 7.4 million inhabitants produce about 15,000 tons of trash every day, and the city hasn’t yet set up any recycling plan. The only existing option is…
Among other natural elements, water surely is one of the most appreciated in cities – or even a symbol, as the famous “Jet d’Eau” (water-jet) in Geneva. The activity of swimming in urban waterways was something common in the early decades of the 20th…
The United States suffer from a car-oriented design of their cities, which are not really adapted for bikes and pedestrians. The California State, widely known for its automobile culture and its massive road networks, is now at a turning point. A recent…
Since May 2016, Uber launched “uberGREEN” in Paris, enabling its users to choose hybrid or electric vehicles for their journeys. One year later, about 1,500 “green” vehicles are available, with 55,000 active users. The French mobility research-oriented…
With the Notre Dame cathedral, the Ile de la Cité is a must-see destination mentioned in every Paris tour guide. If the island is visited by millions of tourists every year, Parisians generally avoid the place. Its limited access and the massive…
Compared to some countries still struggling to launch sustainable energy policies, Costa Rica is a pioneer in terms of green energy. The country ran the greatest part of the year on renewable energy, i.e. 250 days in 2016.The country used a mix of clean…
Nothing seems to stop Anne Hidalgo in her resolution to reduce car traffic in Paris. After banning cars from a large section of the River Seine’s quayside last September, the Paris mayor is determined to pursue the pedestrianization of central Paris with…
By 2050, the vast majority of humanity will live in cities. Our urban world will have to face many challenges, and among them is the air quality. Air pollution already causes 3.2 million deaths per year, and things could get worse in a few decades: a…
As it becomes more and more difficult to find an affordable place to live in big cities, two German architects have developed a smart housing solution: tiny houses located on unused rooftops.By the end of 2016, Berlin's rooftops will be the first to greet…
And it is a global trend. In his speech, the director of LSE Cities Ricky Burdett reminds us of the preoccupying situation of urban growth. By 2050, an expected 2.5 billion people around the world will be moving into cities, climate change refugees not…
Urban farming and community gardens are now flourishing in the bankrupt city of Detroit: some 1,400 green spaces of this kind are spread across the city’s 139 square miles. They could be a good alternative too for the thousands of abandoned houses…
A great example of sustainable urban projects is to be built in Heidelberg, Germany. The Heidelberg Village in Bahnstadt District is a 162 unit-apartments complex that will be the largest passive house development in the world.Twice the size of the…
As we mentioned in a previous Focus, neglected urban spaces represent great potential for the creation of vibrant public spaces. Sao Paulo decided to take this opportunity by turning a derelict, hostile space under a highway into a giant hanging garden,…
This Focus, first component of a trilogy dedicated to the innovative ways citizens can directly take action to change their cities, will look at crowdfunding as a powerful tool to transform public spaces in these times of financial crisis. Crowdfunding…
A glowing, tiny birdhouse made its appearance in Amsterdam streets. Called TreeWifi, this little thing is actually smarter than you think.Equipped with pollution sensors, the birdhouse measures the level of pollution in the street. When the air is clean,…
With 561 bus shelters, which 433 equipped with city traffic information terminals or 42” LCD screens, AFA JCDecaux wants to make the city with The Little Mermaid a green smart city.
Though cities are depicted as lively places bustling with human activity, things become more ambivalent when you look closer. Economic crisis, bad urban planning or urban pauperization are some of the many reasons explaining the proliferation of derelict…
With natural disasters on average affecting more than a third of the population each year, Vanuatu is considered as the riskiest place to live in the world, according to the World Risk Report 2016.The global report takes into account the frequency of…
If people want to save the planet, they should move to New York City (or any other big city). This affirmation comes from "Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution", a new book written by Janette Sadik-Khan and Seth Solomonow.The former commissioner…