Diana Lind’s Post

I'm thrilled to announce that my article, "Book Review: The New Urban Crisis by Richard Florida," has been published on Urban Design Lab! 🎉 In this review, I delve into Florida's critical perspectives on urban inequality, economic shifts, and the challenges facing contemporary cities, sparking reflections on how we can create more inclusive urban futures. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/d2Yp4gEY #UrbanDesign #UrbanPlanning #UrbanInequality #RichardFlorida #BookReview #CityPlanning #TheNewUrbanCrisis

A livable city is a happy one. This book explores the intersection of urban policy and well-being. (from the archive)

Learn more about walkable cities, 🎬 view Ted episode "How can more U.S. cities become more walkable? Here's one urban planner's approach" by Jeff Speck. https://lnkd.in/gErj3H7u

Heber City leaders are moving to preserve the historical character of the central district by establishing a National Historic District. Spearheaded by Rachel Kahler, the initiative aims to protect hundreds of historic homes from redevelopment pressures and conserve Heber City's architectural heritage, especially as population density increases. By designating the area as a National Historic District, property owners would be eligible for substantial tax credits through federal and state preservation programs, which could offset restoration costs and make historical upkeep more accessible. The project builds on an outdated 1981 survey that identified 380 buildings as historic; Kahler estimates a current survey would identify approximately 1,200 qualifying homes, illustrating the district's potential scale. The historic designation could offer a way to maintain affordable housing by enabling owners to restore rather than redevelop older homes without mandating preservation regulations typically associated with local historic districts. Amber Anderson, a technical preservation manager, stresses that this approach could benefit low-income residents, allowing them to maintain and revitalize their homes, contributing to the neighborhood's lasting value. With city council support and proposed funding for a Certified Local Government grant in 2025, an updated survey could move the process forward. Establishing the district would conserve architectural diversity and enhance community identity and long-term value for Heber’s central area.

The UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate, in partnership with cityLAB UCLA, the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Department of Urban Planning, the UCLA Architecture and Urban Design, and the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies , invite you to “Housing the Just City: How Urban Design Can Contribute to a More Affordable and Inclusive City” – a weekly speaker series that aims to investigate the interplay of affordable and accessible housing, the built environment of cities, the policies that advance equitable, inclusive neighborhoods, the architecture of collective living, and the role of urban design. Recent tragedies have placed housing justice at the forefront of political agendas across the nation once again. Housing affordability is not only an economic challenge; it is a significant social challenge. This series explores these themes and aims to reshape the contours of the conversations about housing, urban design, cities and regions. Come join the conversation every Thursday from 12:30 - 1:50pm this Winter Quarter either virtually via Zoom or in-person at the UCLA Public Affairs Building Room 4320A (on 2/6 and 2/27, it will be in Room 4240A). Hope to see you there! Zoom link for all talks: https://lnkd.in/dhMckN-v

10th Oct 2024 17.00- 19.30 Van Eesteren Museum Identifying structural racism in neighbourhood development policy Prof. Yasminah Beebeejuan from the Bartlett School of Planning and Architecture, University College London and Eline Hansen Phd, University of Amsterdam, present an introductory discussion on structural racism in urban planning and neighbourhood development policy. Urban planning’s role is often seen as neutral in this process. However, the ways in which urban planning understands and frames concepts of ‘culture’, ‘diversity’ and the ‘ethnic/migrant neighbourhood’, cannot be easily disentangled from a European colonial legacy which underlies a series of racial and spatial imaginaries. Urban planning, therefore, plays a significant role in thinking about and executing the ordering of ‘difference’ and notions of belonging within the city. These racial and spatial imaginaries can include ways in which planning policy develops narratives around certain neighbourhoods as being problematic; the ways in which non-white residents are understood as needing special treatment to be allowed to settle in the city which aids and facilitates difficult dialogues; or indeed the ways in which planning engages with cultural difference through the creation of sites of ‘White consumption’ rather than engaging with reality of residents lives. Through a re-examination of the concepts of 'diversity', 'participation' and 'social cohesion' prof. Beebeejaun and Eline invite you to think about the role of race in urban planning policy.

Usually in the series of “Humankind Glossary” we give precise definitions to the words we use when navigating through projects and cities but today we wanted to speak about a layered concept that does not have a precise definition – the word "smooth" when applied to cities or urban environments. What is a smooth city? What do we mean by this word? Smooth can be referred to two very different dynamics where the scenario is not just the city but also the citizens who are actors within it. Before reading Rene Boer’s book “Smooth City - Against Urban Perfection Towards Collective Alternatives” we had one idea of what a smooth city could be. Sometimes we've seen the word “smooth” referred to a city, a street or a neighbourhood to convey that those spaces are transformative and fluid - a city that changes temporally its features based on the needs of the citizens. We can do an imaginative exercise for this concept and think about a day in the life of a plaza: in the morning we have a local market, in the afternoon some kids play together, later we can find a group of people doing sport and, maybe, during the night it transforms into the perfect hotspot for teens to hang out. On the opposite, though, the word smooth can also be used to refer to the concrete phenomenon of "washed spaces" where urban life was transformed into a seamless experience - everything is comforting and standardised, there is no space for experimentation, for appropriation out of the box. So, what do you think about when you hear the word “smooth” referring to a city?

10th Oct 2024 17.00- 19.30 Van Eesteren Museum Identifying structural racism in neighbourhood development policy Prof. Yasminah Beebeejuan from the Bartlett School of Planning and Architecture, University College London and Eline Hansen Phd, University of Amsterdam, present an introductory discussion on structural racism in urban planning and neighbourhood development policy. Urban planning’s role is often seen as neutral in this process. However, the ways in which urban planning understands and frames concepts of ‘culture’, ‘diversity’ and the ‘ethnic/migrant neighbourhood’, cannot be easily disentangled from a European colonial legacy which underlies a series of racial and spatial imaginaries. Urban planning, therefore, plays a significant role in thinking about and executing the ordering of ‘difference’ and notions of belonging within the city. These racial and spatial imaginaries can include ways in which planning policy develops narratives around certain neighbourhoods as being problematic; the ways in which non-white residents are understood as needing special treatment to be allowed to settle in the city which aids and facilitates difficult dialogues; or indeed the ways in which planning engages with cultural difference through the creation of sites of ‘White consumption’ rather than engaging with reality of residents lives. Through a re-examination of the concepts of 'diversity', 'participation' and 'social cohesion' prof. Beebeejaun and Eline invite you to think about the role of race in urban planning policy.

📢 Publication Alert ❓ What are the characteristics of the participants who took part in the spatial accessibility-related studies? 🔍 What methods are used to capture different individuals' perceptions of the street elements present in the urban environment? 👥 How do different population groups perceive the street elements in the urban environment? 📊 What is the frequency with which the street elements are mentioned? Check out the recently published paper by Alexandra Ioana Georgescu et al., where we explored these questions in a systematic review on the impact of microscale street elements on the active transport of mobility-restricted individuals.