August 2010
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Tianjin Eco-City, China
All text and photos taken from the Tianjin Eco-City Development’s official website:
The Master Plan of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city lays down the guidelines for the Eco-city’s development as a scaleable, practicable and replicable model for sustainable development for other cities in China and around the world. It was jointly developed by the China Academy of Urban Planning...
July 2010
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Shanghai's 2010 World Expo Exposes Challenges for... →
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Watch
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An Ode to Roppongii Hills
All photos taken from Flickr.
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NYTimes: China's Instant Cities →
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Watch“Pavement to Parks” a growing movement and planning practice in the US.
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Shanghai Urban Planner Part #2
See this post from a couple of days ago for Part #1 of this interesting interview with a Shanghai Urban Planner. It provides an interesting perspective on China’s current approach to urbanizing the country.
Here is the second part of the interview and the following are some of its best quotes:
The issue of reconstruction aside, China’s cities are also too big and there’s a real problem...
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All photos were taken from an exhibition of work by German architectural and civil engineering firms Behnisch Architekten + Transsolar ClimateEngineering on July 15, 2010.
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Shanghai Urban Planner Critical of Modern Chinese...
The following line is a very enlightening interview with a Shanghai planner Zhang Song about China’s rapid urbanization:
http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/3722
I have picked out some of the best quotes.
China is currently urbanising very rapidly – the number of urban dwellers isapproaching half of the country’s total population and there is a significant rural...
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America in 2050: Urban or Suburban? →
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Distributed Energy Master Plan for Rome
Last night I learned about the pioneering economist Jeremy Rifkin, and the groundbreaking work he is doing in Europe.
The above is a master plan he created with the help of over 100 businesses to turn Rome into the world’s first post-Carbon city. It is an exciting project and one that is gaining momentum.
Taken from this article:
“…..According to the US economist,...
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China breaks ground in creating Eco-City
China has adopt a relatively aggressive campaign to lower its carbon emissions through the creation of various eco-cities across the country. The first of its kind will be Turpan, located in Western China.
I found the following from an article in the China People’s Daily:
In the face of industrialization and fast urbanization, Chinese cities are now working on cost-effective ways to...
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Water in Beijing
As mentioned earlier, I am hoping to understand urban planning in China in the next few weeks before I start my actual education in Urban Planning. Even though I live in Toronto and will be studying Canadian Urban Planning, I feel I must ultimately understand the situation in both China (and eventually India) in order to truly help plan for a sustainable future.
Anyways, today I learned about...
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China to become an Urban country by 2015
It was reported in various outlets yesterday that by 2015 China is projected to officially become an Urban society - meaning more people will live in the nation’s cities rather than the more traditional rural lifestyle.
For thousands of years, China has been an agrarian society. Only since the country made its first steps toward capitalism 30 years ago did it start to truly urbanize....
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June 2010
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G-20 Protest - Before the Anarchists Ruined...
I attended the G-20 protests today mainly because I’ve never experienced one before. It started at Queen’s Park around 12pm and was an amalgamation of different groups representing countless issues.
Unfortunately, I had to work at 4pm so I had to leave early. Apparently I missed quite the show. It is unfortunate that violence ensued and ruined what was a very peaceful and...
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High-speed rail in Canada off to a slow start... →
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10 Principles of Sustainable Urban Transport
The following 10 Principles were created by the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy to “meet the challenges of rapid population growth and climate change while improving competitiveness.”
Walk the walk: Create great pedestrian environments.
Powered by people: Create a great environment for bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles.
Get on the bus: Provide great,...
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WatchA Ministry of Infrastructure video by the Government of Ontario. It is about the Government’s work to expand High-way 69 (hehe) by 2 lanes between Sudbury and Perry Sound. The work is slated to be done by 2017 and costs who knows what.
I found it interesting because essentially the Government is boasting that it is expanding a high-way in order to create jobs and “enhance economic...
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Fortress Toronto
The G-20 Fence is now complete and downtown Toronto has taken on a Police State feel. It remains to be seen whether the astronomical price tag of $1Billion for Toronto to host the G-20 will be money well spent.
I am skeptical of accusations that the PM’s Office will use Agent Provocateurs in order to justify the bill. However, I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that the...