Cities are and always have been buzzing hubs of innovation.
The increasing number of urban inhabitants and density in cities will simply intensify innovation, which is why I am dedicating this category to all the innovative ideas on how to organize urban life. There are different forms of innovation, for example high tech innovation (smart cities), sustainability innovation (green cities) or policy innovation (participatory cities). I will feature innovations of all kinds.
Probably most interesting are innovative solutions from poor urban environments. When under pressure, people come up with many fascinating ideas to make their neighbourhood work.
Please share any innovative and inspiring urban solutions you know!
Exceptional circumstances, such as the current pandemic, have important consequences for urban planning. Here, I look into public spaces and the changing idea of three places.
In this interview, Dr. Bo Stjerne Thomsen of the LEGO Foundation talks about the ways children can participate in urban planning and about creativity.
Chalk Talk is a suggested method to get an ideal of issues in a neighbourhood and to first incentivise participation.
Colombia’s most innovative city, Medellín, has much more to offer than only a cable car system. This article looks at the secret recipe for successful urban innovation.
Rapid urbanisation also means that there is an increased need for food supply. This article looks at vertical farming, aquaponics and small-scale solutions that try to tackle food supply.
Mexico City’s district Iztapalapa is a great example for bottom-up risk communication and disaster preparedness, even though it is one of the city’s poorest areas.
This article discusses whether participation can be smart (e-participation) as an element of a smart city and how this could help to improve participatory practices particularly in poorer countries.
A guest author introduces the practice of busting ads in order to #subvertthecity.
A guest article describing a very different and innovative use of walls.
The creativity and different perspective of children can be used in different ways to enhance urban planning.
Tunisian street artist eL Seed works with communities to paint beautiful murals.
Two projects in Quito’s La Mariscal neighbourhood are examples of urban revival.
