Sustainable Ideas

10/04/2024

Some important every day practices from Race to Zero Waste

10/04/2024

CR: Simple Organic Life

10/04/2024

"In a world that tells us we always need “more of this,” or “the newest that,” the truth is that we need *less*. Less textile waste piling up in the Atacama Desert, fewer microfibers making their way into the environment, less plastic packaging wrapping the things we buy.

"Join 5 Gyres as we by buying less, washing less, and wasting less. Take the pledge today to commit to making a change, and gain access to exclusive resources and virtual workshops. Kicking off February 1 — link in [their] bio to join"

Post CR:
Art CR:

07/02/2024

Going green to keep cool 🌳

How did Medellín do it? By planting trees of course!

Medellín's 30 'Green Corridors' have not only helped to reduce city temperatures by 2 °C, but has also led to improved air quality and biodiversity.

What initially started as a project planting some 120,000 individual plants and 12,500 trees on roads and in parks has since grown to include around 124 parks connected by the corridors and planted with new vegetation.

The project has also seen the involvement of the local community who support maintenance of the scheme directly by volunteering as gardeners.

So not only does the Medellín's Green Corridors help to keep the city cool, but also brings communities together by creating a healthier environment for all 💚

06/02/2024

24/01/2024

A little reminder by the brilliant Kate Raworth that we *can* change the way our economies work.

Kate is the author of , a model for development centred around keeping humanity within social and planetary boundaries. Her work challenges the notion that economies must achieve constant growth at any cost, and instead puts forward that the goal of the 21st century should be to ‘meet the needs of all people within the means of the living planet’.

This is a task so huge it cannot be left to politicians or business leaders alone. As designers, we can help by changing the way we make and use things, and by creating tangible examples of what different economies could look like.

Do you have an idea that could shake the foundations of business-as-usual? Learn more about the and find out how to apply at 👉 redesigneverything.whatdesigncando.com

24/01/2024

24/01/2024

in Action | 🏆 goes to TOAST Circle 🌐, a green initiative focused around Reworn and Renewed 🩳 🪡 (purchasing previously loved and creatively repaired pieces), Exchange and Repair 🔄🧵(offering events-based clothes swaps and free mending services).

24/01/2024

24/01/2024

🏭 The Centrinno EU Project will soon conclude its 4-year transformative journey having left an enduring mark on the landscape of urban innovation.

💡 CENTRINNO is a EU Horizon 2020 project focused on testing and demonstrating strategies, approaches and solutions for the regeneration of industrial historic sites as creative, locally productive, and inclusive hubs.

🌟 Throughout its run, 3 platforms were developed to support communities in a variety of ways:
• Cartography: a platform helping communities to embark on a journey to map their local ecosystems
• Living Archive: an open access platform containing content stemming from (post-) industrial sites aimed to help communities enable the creation of inclusive and circular hubs
• Fab City Hub Toolkit: a hands-on and living manual for hub managers, local communities, or institutions that want to set up their own Fab City Hub.

🔍 Don’t miss the opportunity to register for its final event to learn more about each platform, get a comprehensive insight into the CENTRINNO project and what it means for the future of urban regeneration and transformation. Register here: https://centrinno.eu/event/final-event/

17/01/2024

Our study last year of 22 metropolitan areas revealed several key learnings about decision-making in metropolitan governance:

These findings highlight the trends and practices in metropolitan governance, focusing on collective decision-making, political representation, informed choices, and public participation to enhance metropolitan management and sustainability​.

Here are the details of five case studies from the document:

GUADALAJARA:
- Junta de Coordinación Metropolitana: Comprises municipal presidents and the Governor of Jalisco.
- Decision-Making: Requires more than half of the members for a quorum and decisions are made unanimously.
- Key Decisions: Include metropolitan agenda, development programs, risk mapping, public safety, transportation, environmental management, and annual investment plans.
- Citizen Participation: The Consejo Ciudadano Metropolitano, comprising local civil, professional, and academic associations, advises on decisions and reports anomalies​​.

SAN SALVADOR:
- Consejo de Alcaldes: Formed by mayors of the metropolitan area.
- Voting Model: Decisions are made in committees and require a majority of council members present.
- Main Areas of Decisions: Development policies, land use norms, public and rural development.
- Participation Mechanisms: Include COPLAMSS for the involvement of unions and businesses, and a transparency portal for public interaction and feedback​​.

SANTO DOMINGO:
- Asamblea General: Involves municipal representatives and council presidents.
- Decision-Making: Requires a majority for important decisions like public credit approvals or land use planning.
- Key Decisions: Cover territorial planning, environmental management, public space, and economic development.
- Citizen Participation: Includes public petitions, referendums, plebiscites, and municipal assemblies for citizen involvement in metropolitan management​​.

VALLE DE ABURRA:
- Junta Metropolitana: Consists of mayors, council representatives, and environmental non-profit representatives.
- Decision Process: Requires a majority of members present, with some decisions needing the affirmative vote of the core municipality's mayor.
- Strategic Decisions: Focus on metropolitan development, housing, land management, public services, and mobility policies.
- Participation and Information Mechanisms: Feature open communication channels, data access, metropolitan planning councils, and an information observatory​​.

LIMA:
- Consejo Metropolitano: Composed of the Metropolitan Mayor and 39 councilors elected by universal suffrage.
- Decision-Making: Requires half plus one of the members for a quorum, with the mayor having a decisive vote in case of a tie.
- Main Decisions: Include regional planning, infrastructure, public health, environment, and municipal enterprise management.
- Participation Frameworks: Incorporate a cooperation board, transparency portal, and a consultative Metropolitan Assembly for efficient ex*****on of metropolitan competencies​​.

To read the whole report (in Spanish), head here: https://loom.ly/QN1kKTU

01/09/2023

Explore the design of conceptual radical cities through user authorship. From Archigram's Plug-In City to Kenzo Tange's masterplan for Tokyo.

04/04/2023

Magdalena Valdés, founder and director of Bosko, explains why native forests are the future of conscious and truly ecological landscaping.

04/04/2023

The World's First Industrial City

A visual exploration of historical Manchester’s rapid growth into a “shock city” – and how slavery was key to the emergence of Cottonopolis

06/03/2023

When buildings are under-utilized or when sites await development, meanwhile uses of the space can bring a range of benefits to urban areas.

28/02/2023

OPEN CALL FOR STORIES | How does design influence how and why we shop? 🤔

Since launching the last October, we’ve been diving deeper into the complicated relationship between design, waste and circularity.

One thing we’ve found is that conversations about alternative ways of living tend to focus on finding solutions for the end of the line. While this is useful and necessary, we realise it’s also important to explore how and why we consume in the first place.

That’s why we would like to invite writers everywhere to send us original articles, features and essays on the link between design and consumerism. Topics can include everything from the changing role of advertising, to the lifecycles of products and the very design of ownership.

Interested? Send us your entries via [email protected] by 1 April 2023. Selected contributors will receive €250,- for their submission!

More info: https://bit.ly/3NOqvWb

27/02/2023

Ten-Minute city in Seoul

Architects have unveiled designs for a "smart" neighborhood in South Korea in which residents can reach work and leisure facilities within a 10-minute walk of their homes.

27/02/2023

15-Minute cities

The idea of 15-minute cities is pretty simple: Everything you need should be within a roughly 15 minute walk or cycle. Yet it has become the subject of a conspiracy theory, fast gaining pace globally, which has rebranded them as "climate lockdowns."

25/02/2023

It is time for radical change in education

25/02/2023

These are the top 7 smart cities in the world making progress towards more energy-efficient infrastructures and lowering carbon emissions.

24/02/2023

The historical and contemporary stories of greenhouses are stories of control, undeserved wealth, and of resistance.

24/02/2023

In the last few years, strategic design, and systemic design have started attracting a lot of attention in design communities and beyond

24/02/2023

Tucked away in a remote stretch of the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island is one of the…

23/02/2023

The application deadline for the 8th phase of the Urban Thinkers Campers has been extended!

The World Urban Campaign secretariat is looking forward to receiving your submissions.

Be inspired by the 5 Urban Thinkers Campuses that have already been approved by our Steering Committee.

Apply to be a part of the conversation: https://forms.gle/on34kAQuQTHANfsPA