Many cities across Latin America and the Caribbean share a common issue: the existence of central areas or downtowns that are run down or underutilized. In most cases city centers are bustling with activity during the day, but become ghost towns during the night. This is the case of Nassau, a city where its downtown area—rich with historic landmarks and local treasures—becomes … [Read more...] about Nassau: A brand with tons of potential
Back to School for the People, Planet and Profit
Barbadian children went back to school a few weeks ago, but while they were on vacation, a group of Barbadian adults also went back to school to the soundtrack of a catchy calypso jingle: “Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative, Everyone has a voice Let’s improve where we live.” Residents and business people answered the call to let their voices be … [Read more...] about Back to School for the People, Planet and Profit
BID UrbanLab: an urban laboratory for Latin America
English | Español The Panamanian neighborhood of Curundú will emerge, connect, and become the model of a sustainable city. This statement reflects the future envisioned by the three projects that made it to the final round of the IDB UrbanLab, an international competition organized by the Inter-American Development Bank with a focus on this strategic site that connects the old … [Read more...] about BID UrbanLab: an urban laboratory for Latin America
The Systems of Secondary Cities: The neglected drivers of urbanizing economies
English | Español This article was originally posted in the CIVIS series by the Cities Alliance (No.7 – 2014) We inhabit a world where an increasing number of people live in cities, all of which are becoming intricately connected to a global system of cities. Modern cities are part of a new economic geography which makes them increasingly dependent on fast communications, … [Read more...] about The Systems of Secondary Cities: The neglected drivers of urbanizing economies
Biomimicry: Designing Cities According to Nature
Drawing on natural ecosystems in order to create innovative solutions, biomimicry has been inspiring designers for decades, many times without our full understanding of this discipline. Yet creative minds around the world have been increasingly turning to biomimicry–banyan tree leaves, butterfly wings, a bird's beak–for new, sustainable and ecofriendly designs. This approach … [Read more...] about Biomimicry: Designing Cities According to Nature