Las Vegas’ journey to what it is today counts about 200 years. This is great and everything, but when it comes to city planning and design, there are a number of challenges associated with it. In principle, when designing a place from scratch – say a greenfield site -, a vision is formed first, and…
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The spatial dynamics, planning background and many contrasts of San Francisco
Read moreFirst trip to the United States. Destination San Francisco. An enlightening experience, overall, but overwhelming nevertheless. Many things to comment on, from an urban design perspective, both good and bad, hence this blog post. Before, however, getting to the juicy part, a quick overview of the city planning history of San Francisco, from the early…
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Prague vs Budapest
Read moreI still, vaguely, remember one of Le Corbusier’s quotes about city planning; it is like playing with all the things found on your breakfast table. I heard this phrase during my first year in architecture and, it may sound funny but, I honestly think this moment was my very first interaction with urban design. This…
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The impact of the commodification of land and neoliberalisation of natural resources in Tenerife
Read moreIn recent times, the interest in nature has been increased since academics and scientists from various fields stress that the globe has failed to reverse the biodiversity decline, because the value of nature has not been fully recognised and it is still treated as an object under the law. Tenerife island is an interesting place…
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First observations and other remarks on place-making after a short trip to Budapest
Read moreNot long ago, I visited Budapest on a short 4-day trip. Truth to be told, I was already sold on this place, before visiting it, as there is so much positive feedback regarding its beauty and rich architecture. In fact, Budapest is practically a living museum thanks to the variety of architectural styles including baroque,…
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Go ECO, building sustainable houses, streets and neighbourhoods, or go home
Read moreBeing aware of the planet’s environmental issues and having an eco-friendly attitude on any aspect of life, is not only a necessity but it has, lately, become a priority. Ecological awareness is raised and more coordinated efforts are organised to tackle environmental issues. One of those, recent, efforts was COP26 conference, UN Climate Change Conference…
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Is Canary Wharf more than merely a place to work?
Read moreCanary Wharf is a place of huge debates. The old Docklands area, transformed into a modern financial centre of high-rise buildings, is one of the largest regeneration schemes in Europe. It is advertised as a place of high quality where one can work and live, whilst at the same time it also receives negative feedback…
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So many software programs, so little time
Read moreThere have been so many discussions and debates about what digital skills a designer should have. We are bombarded with so much information that we end up spending hours and money on one digital skills lesson after the other. I, myself, have been through the same situation during my university years in architecture. I started…
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Making Milan “global” by improving signage and wayfinding in the city
Read moreOld times were simpler times. City, town and countryside were equally benefited, during the industrial era, from the value of the land, the continuous search for cheaper labour and the flexibility that transport links could offer. Manufacturers did not need to cluster in big cities to secure their success; they only had to go where…
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Is it finally time for an upgrade to the centralised Greek planning system?
Read moreGreece is considered to be one of the most centralised countries in Europe. This fact, however, did not just happen over the night or under the commands of just one person. Studying the Greek planning system and its evolution can shed some light on the general context and the reasons behind this centralistic behaviour. After…