Randy D. Dunn’s Post

When it comes to finding inspiration for new ideas and models in urban planning, Europe is (almost) always a sure bet. Take this next example of JOY in city building: the Barcelona superblock, the city’s street transformation program. The basic idea of a superblock is to combine a large area of roughly three-by-three blocks as shared-use space. Here are the principles that inform this new street model: ✅ Priority use for citizens ✅ A single-level street from façade to façade, with asphalt road surfaces a thing of the past ✅ More greenery (from 1% to more than 10%) ✅ A new environmental infrastructure and more fertile subsoil ✅ Streets accessible for everyone ✅ A new lighting system for a new atmosphere ✅ New furniture to encourage social uses ✅ Focus on local commerce While there are only a handful of superblocks at present, plans are to build up to 500 throughout the city. How does the Barcelona superblock exemplify the JOY Principles? It’s clear that one of the main priorities with Barcelona’s new street program is increasing social relations and connectedness among citizens. From a people-first approach to new furniture and lighting that promote socialization, this project clearly reflects one of the new JOY contexts: expanded scope to a “social scope”. The Barcelona superblock is about more than just getting rid of cars—it’s an opportunity to bring people together. While they may not have stated it as such, the City of Barcelona understands that when developing new urban projects, one of the problems we need to solve for are the human and community effects of a divided society, epidemic levels of loneliness, depression, isolation, and distrust of institutions. Thoughts? Have you visited a superblock? Share your experience in the comments below. #citybuilding #cityliving #urbandesign #urbanplanning #urbanist #placemaking #socialconnection #socialfabric #barcelona #joyfulcities #joyexperiments

In honor of International Day of Happiness, let's explore what makes cities truly happy places! Our latest article dives into the key design elements that can transform cities into havens of well-being. ️ Key Takeaways: - Bustling plazas and interactive elements encourage social interaction and a sense of belonging. We explore the Sky Garden at Orange County Great Park as an inspiring example. - Walkable cities with bike lanes promote healthy lifestyles, reduce pollution, and foster connection. The Greek city of Heraklion's #ChallengeMyCity project is a great case study. - From rooftop gardens to expansive parks, nature in the city improves mood, reduces stress, and boosts overall well-being. New research even shows community gardens can benefit biodiversity! By incorporating these design elements, we can create cities that are vibrant, healthy, and joyful. Read the full article to learn more about how design can build happiness, one block at a time! https://lnkd.in/dfkeHRRq Photo: Corey Seip #designthinking #happyplaces #urbanplanning #internationaldayofhappiness

🌳 🏦 The vital role of Urban #boulevards in City Life! #Urban boulevards are lifeblood of vibrant cities, offering a blend of aesthetic appeal, functionality, and social significance. 👉Here's why urban boulevards are essential to modern urban landscapes: 🔹Aesthetic value ✨ Boulevards are often beautifully landscaped with trees, flowers, and public art, creating scenic pathways that enhance the visual appeal of a city. 🔹Connectivity and accessibility 🚶♂️🚴♀️ Designed to accommodate various modes of transportation, boulevards improve connectivity within cities. They often feature wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and efficient public transit routes. 🔹Economic vitality 💼 Boulevards are hubs of economic activity, lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and offices. This mix of commercial spaces attracts both locals and tourists, boosting the local economy and providing numerous job opportunities. 🔹Social interaction and community building 👫 . These spaces serve as social magnets, where people gather, stroll, and engage in community activities. Boulevards often host events, markets, and festivals, fostering a sense of community and belonging among residents. 🔹Cultural significance 🎭 Many boulevards are home to historical landmarks, museums, theaters, and galleries, making them cultural corridors that reflect a city's heritage and contemporary artistic expressions. Below 10 out of the most famous boulevards in the world: 1️⃣Champs-Élysées, Paris, France 2️⃣Avenida Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil 3️⃣Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain 4️⃣Broadway, New York City, USA 5️⃣Unter den Linden, Berlin, Germany 6️⃣The Bund, Shanghai, China 7️⃣Orchard Road, Singapore 8️⃣The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland 9️⃣Av. 9 de Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1️⃣0️⃣Avenida Reforma, Mexico City, Mexico Comment which others are missing ✨! Picture: Av. 9 de Julio, Buenos Aires (author: Juan Pablo Mascanfroni)

I had a great opportunity to study current planning and open space practice in Barcelona in late May, with Barcelona Field School - City Lab Barcelona. Great colleagues and leadership for the program, which showed the challenges of urbanism that were familiar, surprising, shared and very specific. No surprise, but Superblocks are a lot more complicated than a diagram, and generate a lot of different perspectives, in a city that is also reckoning with the weight of global tourism. https://lnkd.in/gtaN7tkt

Conquering Urban Obstacles: Top Challenges in City Beautification and How to Overcome Them City beautification isn't without its hurdles, but with strategic solutions, we can transform our urban landscapes into vibrant, welcoming spaces. 🚧 Budget Constraints 🚧 One of the biggest challenges is funding. Solutions include public-private partnerships and grants. For example, cities like Chicago have leveraged corporate sponsorships to fund beautification projects, ensuring financial sustainability. 🛤️ Urban Planning Conflicts 🛤️ Balancing development with beautification requires careful planning. Collaborations between urban planners, architects, and community stakeholders, as seen in the redevelopment of Mumbai's Marine Drive, ensure that aesthetic enhancements complement functional urban growth. 👥 Community Engagement 👥 Engaging residents can be tough. Initiatives like participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, empower citizens to have a direct say in how beautification funds are spent, fostering community buy-in and active participation. 🌳 Maintenance and Sustainability 🌳 Maintaining beautified spaces can be a long-term challenge. Sustainable solutions such as xeriscaping, which uses drought-resistant plants, reduce maintenance costs and environmental impact, as demonstrated in cities like Las Vegas. 🌆 Cultural Sensitivity 🌆 City beautification must respect cultural heritage. Incorporating local art and design elements, like the mural projects in Mexico City that celebrate indigenous culture, ensures that beautification efforts honor and enhance cultural identity. By addressing these challenges head-on, we can create beautiful, sustainable urban spaces that reflect the needs and aspirations of their communities. At Suncity Innovations, we are committed to overcoming these obstacles and bringing beauty to every corner of our cities. Ready to tackle city beautification challenges together? Let’s create a more beautiful urban future. #citybeautification #urbanchallenges #sustainablecities #communityengagement #culturalsensitivity #suncityinnovations

Conquering Urban Obstacles: Top Challenges in City Beautification and How to Overcome Them City beautification isn't without its hurdles, but with strategic solutions, we can transform our urban landscapes into vibrant, welcoming spaces. 🚧 Budget Constraints 🚧 One of the biggest challenges is funding. Solutions include public-private partnerships and grants. For example, cities like Chicago have leveraged corporate sponsorships to fund beautification projects, ensuring financial sustainability. 🛤️ Urban Planning Conflicts 🛤️ Balancing development with beautification requires careful planning. Collaborations between urban planners, architects, and community stakeholders, as seen in the redevelopment of Mumbai's Marine Drive, ensure that aesthetic enhancements complement functional urban growth. 👥 Community Engagement 👥 Engaging residents can be tough. Initiatives like participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, empower citizens to have a direct say in how beautification funds are spent, fostering community buy-in and active participation. 🌳 Maintenance and Sustainability 🌳 Maintaining beautified spaces can be a long-term challenge. Sustainable solutions such as xeriscaping, which uses drought-resistant plants, reduce maintenance costs and environmental impact, as demonstrated in cities like Las Vegas. 🌆 Cultural Sensitivity 🌆 City beautification must respect cultural heritage. Incorporating local art and design elements, like the mural projects in Mexico City that celebrate indigenous culture, ensures that beautification efforts honor and enhance cultural identity. By addressing these challenges head-on, we can create beautiful, sustainable urban spaces that reflect the needs and aspirations of their communities. At Suncity Innovations, we are committed to overcoming these obstacles and bringing beauty to every corner of our cities. Ready to tackle city beautification challenges together? Let’s create a more beautiful urban future. #citybeautification #urbanchallenges #sustainablecities #communityengagement #culturalsensitivity #suncityinnovations

𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐲: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 When planners and engineers envision highways and flyovers as solutions for urban joy, it can be both laughable and concerning. 😂 😮 Take the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, revolutionised by the legendary planner Ildefons Cerdà. Horrified by the conditions of the working class, Cerdà designed the Eixample district to be a model of orderly, clean, safe, and hygienic urban living. Cerdà's vision was exceptionally holistic. He ensured that each citizen had access to sufficient water, clean air, sunlight, ventilation, and space. His blocks were oriented northwest to southeast to maximise daily sun exposure. Cerdà's plan also embodied striking egalitarianism. Each block (manzana) had identical proportions, regular building heights, ample green space, and a mix of commerce and residential areas. This design fostered social equality by reducing social distance and ensuring shared public spaces. Each 20-square-block district was largely self-contained, with its own shops, civic facilities, hospitals, parks, and plazas, maximising equality of access. Key Points: ➡ Holistic urban planning ensuring access to essential resources. ➡ Egalitarian design promoting social equality. ➡ Self-contained districts with evenly distributed facilities. . . . #urbandesign #planning #mobility #transport #barcelona #cerda #spain

The Rise of Co-Living Spaces in Urban Areas Co-living is becoming increasingly popular in urban areas, offering a blend of private and shared spaces to cater to the modern lifestyle: • Community Focus: Co-living spaces foster a sense of community and social interaction. • Affordability: These spaces provide a cost-effective living solution, especially in expensive city centers. • Flexibility: Ideal for professionals and digital nomads, co-living offers flexibility with short-term leases. As the urban landscape evolves, co-living is set to play a significant role in shaping the future of city living. #CoLiving #UrbanLiving #RealEstateTrends

Paris 2.0 ++ [improving the pedestrian experience] Efforts to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists in urban design have significantly transformed Paris into a more livable, sustainable, and vibrant city, enhancing the overall experience for its residents and visitors. Here are some key initiatives and changes that have contributed to this transformation: *Pedestrianization of Streets: Paris has increasingly implemented pedestrian-only zones, particularly in the city center.  *Expansion of Bike Infrastructure: The city has invested heavily in cycling infrastructure, creating dedicated bike lanes and increasing the number of bike-sharing programs, such as Vélib’. *15-Minute City Concept: The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has championed the "15-minute city" concept, which aims to ensure that all essential services and amenities are within a 15-minute walk or bike ride for residents. *Green Spaces and Urban Parks: Paris has focused on creating and maintaining parks and green spaces to promote biodiversity and improve air quality.  *Street Design and Public Spaces: Reimagined public spaces, including larger sidewalks, pedestrian-friendly street furniture, and increased seating areas, allow for longer stays outside. 

Creating vibrant, welcoming spaces for everyone - from established residents to new arrivals and tourists - is a challenge, but it's key to successful placemaking. Here are 5 ideas to spark discussion: Flexible Design: Think multi-use spaces! Open plazas that transform from farmers' markets to yoga classes? Movable furniture that adapts to any activity? (Ditch the permanent fixtures ... stop screwing everything movable down!) Embrace the Temporary: Encourage pop-up events – food truck festivals, art exhibits, cultural performances – that reflect the community's evolving interests. Temporary murals and installations add a touch of the dramatic (to any space or event). Tech for All: Interactive displays in multiple languages keep tourists and newcomers informed. Encourage social media engagement – let visitors share their experiences and ideas for the space! Adaptability is Key: Modular design elements can be easily added, removed, or reconfigured as needs change. Sustainable infrastructure ensures features can adapt to different purposes, minimizing future renovations. Community Matters: Partner with local organizations like tourist agencies or cultural centres to better understand transient populations. Involve both established and new residents in caring for the space – it fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility! People like new and interesting things. So do streets and neighbourhood (as long as they don't cost too much or impede existing activity) By employing such strategies, placemaking can create spaces that are welcoming and dynamic, catering to the needs of both established and emerging communities. A successful place should ebb and flow like the communities it serves. #placemaking #communitybuilding #vibrantcities