Here's a remarkable new piece of technology that maps London according to price, commute time, and other attributes (even how scenic various neighborhoods are).  It's called Mapumental and a short video on the technology ought to be viewed by all urban leaders.  (Stick with the video.  The capability… more

Good news for city leaders looking for different ideas.

According to Marcia Caines, in this blog, the design trend at the recent International DMY Design Festival in Berlin was greater emphasis on “public space, recycling, re-use and open source technologies”, which she sees… more

In a presentation last night to young professionals in Chicago on the ways to turn around America’s global image, Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide and the founder and president of Business for Diplomatic Action, offered an interesting perspective on ‘recruiting’ people to the U.S.… more

Entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the natural advantages cities offer to kids.  Urban Baby Tours, highlighted in this Pop City article, offers walking tours that explore all the city of Pittsburgh has to offer for parents and their little ones.  What a great ambassador for downtown family… more

Share your experience in this survey by our colleague, Stacey Randall of SBR Consulting.  As smart cities continue to focus on talent as a key lever for success, this study could shine new light on unemployed young talent and perhaps what you can do to snatch them up. … more

You've been in this downtown before.  It feels so disconnected that no one even thinks of walking.  Instead, they'll hop in the car to drive three short blocks.

Hartford, CT, will unveil a plan tomorrow to address the problem.  Tom Condon of the Hartford Courant previews the plan with… more

This story keeps running so I finally have to comment.  It's the story that the Obama Administration is considering backing a plan to shrink deteriorating American cities by bulldozing entire neighborhoods and returning the land to nature. The idea, which originated in Flint, Mich. -- cratered by the auto… more

Imagine that you could animate your streets with the kind of entertainment found on the Ramblas in Barcelona.  Now, imagine that the animation has a different purpose -- to teach math, science and foreign languages in exciting and fun ways that are present on the streets.  Imagine.

Memphis College of Art President Jeff Nesin responded to Joe Cortright's view that the arts product and marketing need a major overhaul, given the fact that arts participation is declining.

"Why marketing or product?  Maybe there's a shift, perhaps technological, perhaps cultural, probably both, that we need to acknowledge.  I… more

A new study from San Diego State University finds that people who live in city neighborhoods are twice as likely to get exercise than their suburban counterparts. 

According to the study published in this month’s American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the biggest single factor influencing physical activity around the… more

Joe Cortright commented on the recent blog post on the new study showing the decline of participation in the arts: 

"If you think about college-educated older people being a key market for arts, it is shocking to see these kinds of declines.  That… more

This San Diego collective is an example of a group of artists who have come together “to connect creative people and create a new art culture”, developing their own DIY collective.

Yeller is working to connect up local artists with each other, generate new markets for their… more

If you are looking for a get away “to rediscover life's natural rhythms” here’s an entrepreneurial twist on a farm stay vacation for you.

Feather Down Farms, “a network of working farms in the UK and beyond offer a decidedly compelling twist,” as small-scale, working… more

This quote reminded me that the greatest advances against climate change will be made when sustainability is factored into everyday considerations of decision-makers:

‘It can’t be a bolt-on for just one area – everybody’s got to do it. We’ve all got to wear green hats and we’ve all got… more

What is bad news for the arts can also be bad news for cities.

Arts Participation 2008: Highlights from a National Survey features top findings from the 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, conducted by the NEA in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau.  And the findings are… more

It seems for some this current period of transition through the economic turmoil is changing what it means to be global.

A new vision is emerging for expanding agencies with global ambitions in advertising circles, which challenges the traditional approach to having an office in every major city to… more

This morning I learned about Chicago's Red Line Green Roofs.  I was instantly intrigued by the project's name.  Underway in Chicago’s 48th Ward, it' an effort to activate a neighborhood coalition to design and create 50,000 square feet of green roofs along one of the city's busiest elevated… more

The local "Street of Dreams" real estate extravaganza in Portland, which is generally focused on a suburban development, will be in the Pearl District this year, along the Streetcar line.

The stated reason is that the suburban projects are not getting built due to lending conditions.

"Dream… more

New York Times Magazine tomorrow is all about infrastructure.  The Infrastructurist has the Cliff Notes.

At first glance, cities may appear to be a big source of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. But new research by the nonprofit Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), which compares greenhouse gas emissions of city and suburban households, yields some surprising results.

CNT looked at emissions of… more

Two hundred Green Carts have hit the streets of New York to bring fresh produce to the city's low income neighborhoods.

They are first of 1000 new mobile food carts approved for the five boroughs in "food desert" locations without easy access to fresh produce at reasonable prices.  What… more

Interest in second cities is on the rise again.  As travelers look to urban experiences that come with a lower price tag and go beyond the most established destinations while still accessing world class dining, entertainment, culture and events, second cities around the world are proving attractive choices.

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This message came this morning from Mr. Peter Ong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore, who is on a world tour of global cities.

"Carol

Seattle is interesting.  People come here first without a job because they
have first decided… more

Beauty makes such a difference in the human experience.  And it's readily available to any city.

This is Millennium Park's Lurie Garden last weekend.

Why would you do this to a city's riverfront?  This is why cities continue to tear down these expressway barriers to their waterfronts.  Louisville, sadly, is still stuck with this mess.

Next time you’re in London, forget stopping to smell the roses.  Stop by for a tinker on the piano, street-side. 

In a bid to foster public spirit and trust, 31 pianos are being placed around the city at prominent sites such as Tate Britain, the British Library and… more

Daron Dierkes, who has lived abroad for three years, posted this on MyCity last night comparing U.S. transportation with that in Asia:

"I have lived abroad for about three years now. I spent a year in Seoul, a few months in Barclelona and around, and the past year and… more

Another brilliant blog post from Ryan Avent who writes,