Monday, April 30, 2007

Bloggiest Neighborhoods

outside.in has just released their study of 3,000 neighborhoods and listed the ten bloggiest neighborhods in the United States. The top 10 bloggiest neighborhoods are more economically, ethnically, and racially diverse than a list of the top ten most educated or top ten most affluent neighborhoods. What is the relationship between the culture of a neighborhood and the level of blogging? Does the energy of these neighborhoods create more opportunities say something interesting or does the change and activity in a neighborhood create larger need for a community forum?

Given the emphasis on individualism, it is important to see a study that focuses on a larger level of organization than the individual and a smaller level of organization than the nation as a whole.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Sao Paolo goes advertising-free


(via Boing Boing)
Back in December, 2006, the mayor of the 11-million-person Brazilian city of Sao Paulo banned all outdoor billboard advertising, citing advertisers' unwillingness to comply with the city's rules on what sort of billboards can be placed where. Now the rule is in effect, and Flickr user Tony de Marco has documented the eerie sight of a city stripped bare of commercial visuals.

Urban Markets


Over the past few decades, urban America has seen a resurgence in farmer's markets, which help tie a community together through frequent, informal interaction at the same time that some of the relations that support and sustain community become more visible and understood. Open air markets have a very long history and this web site offers a global set of resources.

Mapping French Identity


The Strangemaps blog offers many unusual ways of representing the world. What is more communicative than food? This image offers a graphic representation of local identity in France.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Space Syntax


"Space Syntax provides a unique, evidence based approach to the planning and design of buildings and cities. Our focus is the creation of environments which are socially and economically successful."

One recent project constructs routemaps of pedestrian paths in London in order to understand the opportunities for improving London's public realm.