Many cities in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) face the challenge of rapid informal urban growth, which prevents them from providing basic services to their citizens and have a sustainable urban development. Today, drones, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) provide key information for cities to better understand informal growth patterns and improve … [Read more...] about Monitoring informal settlement growth in Manaus, Brazil with drones
smart cities
Shaping Smart Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean
The rapid urbanization process observed in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), during the last decades has posed multiple challenges to the region and caused great contrasts in the quality of life within cities. Today, more than 80% of LAC’s population lives in cities, and approximately 27% of the urban population still lives in informal settlements without proper access to … [Read more...] about Shaping Smart Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean
Urban Sustainability in the Caribbean: the case of Nassau, Bahamas
Sustainable urbanization in the Caribbean is a real and present development challenge. Caribbean cities are often small but not compact. They have immeasurable natural assets but are exposed to severe climate events. They have quality basic education, but struggle to prevent qualified professionals from migrating abroad. Grand hotels and beach resorts are juxtaposed by … [Read more...] about Urban Sustainability in the Caribbean: the case of Nassau, Bahamas
To be or not to be “Smart Cities”: Is that the Question?
Imagine for a moment Hamlet trying to elucidate the urban dilemma of the future. Of course, with the deepest respect for Shakespeare. Our Danish prince would no longer hold in one of his hands a skull, but a brand-new cell phone. Thoughtful, he would envisage that the balanced development of cities, and perhaps of the planet, depends heavily on the transformation of cities into … [Read more...] about To be or not to be “Smart Cities”: Is that the Question?
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