North of 18

From the ages of 14 to lets say 20 we complain about the towns we grew up in. From the ages of 20 and above we are convinced we know how to fix them and lavishly bestow this wisdom upon are friends, must abundantly while intoxicated.

But it seems as if The Brookings Institute and MVRDV have come up with better ideas. MVRDV presents their vision for Grand Paris 2030 commissioned by Nicolas Sarkozy entitled “Paris(s) Plus petit.” Along with the usual mumbo-jumbo ego busting redirect of more this, more that, more …. There are some rather good ideas. I’m not against the ramble that is usually associated with motivating people and a city to action, I rather think it is quite useful. As for their good idea, well I rather have them say it.

“The City Calculator is a proposed demo version of a potential software and possible webtool, which quantifies the behavior and performance of a city and makes it comparable to others. It connects qualitative to quantitative parameters. It can be used as a public and planning tool to support sustainable planning. The City Calculator will be conceived in collaboration, by The Why Factory at Delft University of Technology”

http://www.mvrdv.nl/

I do not know what kind of parameters they will place in the system or how they will measure such things, but my idea would be to pursue such categories as Walkability, Usage Mix, Park area per Person (measured in ParkPersons), or maybe Trees per person. The point being the data collected should be presented in easily digestible measurements; measurements that a person could use to compare cities side by side. MVRDV’s ideas will be presented to the public along with ten other proposals April 29^th to Nov 22^nd in Paris. If anyone is there, please inform us on how it goes. www.citechaillot.fr

The other notable idea comes from the Brookings Institute where they proposed joining up planning and transportation as linked subjects interconnected. This sort of understanding is long overdue and should be so tightly knotted into our minds that the two cannot be separated. How can we not see that that roads, interstates, and bridges we build not only change how we live, but change who we are and how we interact?

Some policy solutions such as the Federal Government directing metro/city corporation is a well intentioned idea and a wise course correction for the future, but I think they should be cautioned; for abstraction and hierarchy can lead to blanket solutions and regulations that are not good for individuals and can stifle creative solutions.

Studio Mention of the Day: Studio HT, Bolder Colorado for their ability to pursue big picture ideas without losing site of the little people who will inhabit them.

View there graphic by clicking on the picture in there link:

http://www.studioht.com/work/research/recycling-kiosk/index.html

“Studio H:T recently participated in an American Institute of Architects sponsored design competition centered on the design of a series of recycling kiosks to be installed in downtown Denver. During that exercise, our focus slowly shifted from the individual receptacle to larger questions about the fundamental inefficiencies of the current means of solid waste collection. While exploring the possibility of a city-wide waste collection infrastructure, we hoped to open a new forum for discourse on the future of waste management within the larger context of sustainability..”