Urban Heat: Mapping temperature in Ipswich
Professor Karine Dupré and I are undertaking a survey to enhance the understanding of Urban Heat Islands (UHI) on the Ipswich (Queensland, Australia). The information provided about local areas within Ipswich will be considered in steps to reduce UHI through urban design and other methods.
Read more…
7 principles of building better cities, by Peter Calthorpe
I am preparing a ‘Planning Theory and Governance’ course at USC, and as a warm up for my students I shared this TEDTalk by Peter Calthorpe. Read more…
‘Streetfight’
“Every community has excuses for why changing the way they use their streets is impossible, impractical, or just insane. I learned firsthand that there is no end to the reasons for inaction. But inaction is inexcusable. As our cities grow, leaders and the people they serve cannot accept dysfunctional streets; they must fight to change them. The fight for these changes—well, that’s just part of the job.”
Public Microclimates
I have recently published a book chapter entitled ‘Public Microclimates: Thermal Outdoor Expectations in Post-Earthquake Christchurch (New Zealand)’, in the book ‘The Urban Microclimate as Artifact: Towards an Architectural Theory of Thermal Diversity’ by Sascha Roesler and Madlen Kobi. Read more…
On the importance of local values
As we have Chuck Wolfe with us at JCU leading the Urban Thinkers Campus this and next weeks, this week’s quote comes from his Urbanism Without Effort book… Read more…
Uruguay, or the ‘Switzerland of South America’
On our way to the south of Brazil last November, we flew from Australia to Chile and then to Montevideo in Uruguay. When friends in this part of the world ask me what is the best place in South America I always say the same: Uruguay is its best kept secret. Read more…
Landscapes that make places
Palm Cove is a pretty special place. My followers on Instagram will know how hard it is for me to avoid taking photos of the beach and its surroundings. I have dozens of photos of the same landscape, which is never ‘the same thing’. Read more…
City identity, spirit, and ethos… And people’s subtle ways of expressing their ideal view
A couple of years ago I came across an episode of the Social Science Bites – one of my favourite podcasts – which was an interview with Avner de-Shalit, an author of The Spirit of Cities: Why the Identity of a City Matters in a Global Age along with Daniel A. Bell. In that episode de-Shalit discussed what they mean by a city’s spirit or ethos, and the role of cities in people’s lives. Read more…
Placemaking, urbanism and the future of public open spaces
This article was originally published in Portuguese on the Placemaking Leadership Council in Brazil (Conselho Brasileiro de Lideranças em Placemaking). This version has been translated from the original publication. Read more…
SILVIA TAVARES 