Portland is Building a 700-Foot Bridge for Pedestrians and Cyclists (Treehugger)
The City of Portland is working to build a new bike and pedestrian bridge over I-5 to connect the historic Lair Hill neighborhood with the South Waterfront District. The bridge will span approximately 700 feet.
Gleneagles Community Center Regulates its Temperature With Thermal Mass (Inhabitat)
The Gleneagles Community Center is a prime example of the potential the thermal mass process holds in storing energy inside a building. The tri-level community center relies on large overhangs, cast-in-place concrete floor slabs, tilt up concrete walls, radiant floors and a ground source heat pump to maintain a constant temperature inside the building.
California's Slow Speed Amtrak Trains See Ridership Gain (Planetizen)
The article focuses mostly on the San Jose/Oakland to Sacramento/Auburn Capitol Corridor line, the nation's third busiest Amtrak line, noting it's main competition: Intestate 80. The route now boasts the 'highest on-time performance rate', key to its 10.6% ridership increase over prior year.
Do roads pay for themselves? Nope (U.S.PIRG)
Highway advocates often claim that roads “pay for themselves,” with gasoline taxes and other charges to motorists covering – or nearly covering – the full cost of highway construction and maintenance. They are wrong.
Old Rail Engine Repurposed as Giant Trash Inhaling Machine (Inhabitat)
This old rail engine was assigned to be scrap until Indian Rail engineers decided to use it to clean up the tracks instead. It’s been fitted with a massive suction pipe that sucks up all of the garbage in its path much like an elephant trunk inhaling peanuts. It’s already begun its mission, making Mumbai a slightly cleaner city to live in.
China's Energy Efficiency Increases 20% in 5 years (Treehugger)
Ah, China. It's the giant emissions-belching, renewable energy-investing behemoth that everyone loves to analyze from their armchairs. Yes, it's the number one emitter of greenhouse gases. But it's also dumping more money into cleantech than anyone else.
Can public transit boast peace and quiet (The Globe and Mail)
New Jersey’s “Quiet Commute” program is causing a lot of noise – in the form of angry, librarian-esque shushing. The local transit authority launched “quiet” train cars in September, expanding the program earlier this month.
Energy Efficiency a Booming Biz (Planetizen)
Stephen L. Cowell, an energy efficiency expert, says that while other careers are sputtering the business of creating savings by reducing energy consumption is going gangbusters.
Chicago Puts Roads On A Diet (Planetizen)
Lawrence Avenue in Chicago's Lincoln Square ballooned over the years to 4 lanes. Putting the street on a "road diet" will make it friendlier to pedestrians.
Zombie Minimalism (Planetizen)
Minimalism, long declared dead, rises from the grave to lumber on, writes Sam Jacob. Can it be stopped?
What makes a city smart - video? (Time)
Prominent U.S. Mayors discuss what is needed to build intelligent cities that can compete in the global economy.
Friday Feature: Artour
Who are you and what do you do? My name is Artour and I’m a Transit Architect.
What made you decide to go into your field?
My cousin studied architecture and inspired me to become an architect. Originally I wanted to be an artist.
What did your family think of your chosen field?
My family always believed and supported me.
Who is the teacher who had the most influence on you and why?
Vitali Loskutov – A very bright, intelligent and talented practicing architect. He helped me to understand the architect’s role.
What was the biggest hurdle you faced along your educational path? (academic, financial, motivational, family or peer pressure, outside distraction, etc.)
Math, math and math again. I hate it …
What inspires you?
Almost anything may inspire me.
What schooling is required for success in your career?
Attending a School of Architecture (there are only two schools in Russia). In the USSR in the 80’s getting a diploma in architecture gave you the right to call yourself an architect.
What kind of people are the most successful in your field? Are there any specific attributes?
Well… I think business minded people are always more successful in any field.
What is the best advice you were ever given?
I’ve got a lot of them. The situation may measure the real value of advice.
Is your field growing? (ie. is there room for new entries and is there career growth?)
This is the beauty of life – Younger entrants are always coming and become leaders in the field . There is always room for them.
What advice would you give someone considering a career like yours?
No single body of knowledge or expertise defines the Architect – Be prepare to work in challenging environments.
Tuesday News Roundup
We hope you all had a great New Years. To get back into the swing of things, we thought we would provide you with a "Tuesday News Roundup."
Big Homebuilders Not Yet Embracing Green Standards (Planetizen)
With few exceptions, America's largest homebuilders are slower than companies in other fields to act on environmental concerns, according to a survey conducted by Calvert Asset Management Company.
Spending on major infrastructure in Canada to reach $96B, report says (Vancouver Sun)
Premier Gordon Campbell and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon officially launch construction of the new Port Mann Bridge and unveil its design in Surrey, Feb. 4, 2009. Spending on Canada's aging infrastructure continues to grow, with the current crop of projects expected to total $96 billion, says ReNew Canada magazine, which Tuesday published its Top 100 projects 2011 report.
Vote on the future of Vancouver's carbon tax (Tyee)
Liberal candidate George Abbott would put the carbon tax to a province wide vote stating that “This is an important enough decision we need to make it with the people of British Columbia.”
New report says roads don't pay for themselves (Planetizen)
A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group PIRG's report estimates that road construction has cost the American public $600 billion since the highway system began.
Planning Challenge 1: Commercial Aggregation and Subdivision (Planning Pool)
The word “subdivision” is almost synonymous with the “suburbs.” The building blocks of many suburbs are subdivisions with names ranging from the biblical (“Green Acres”), to the pompous (“Kingdom Heights”), to the pastoral (“Pheasant Run”). The problems of inner-city rejuvenation, brownfield restoration, and strip-mall redevelopment are miles away from the great subdividing maw of suburbanization at the rural fringe.
Green-Roofed Superblock for Fargo, North Dakota (Inhabitat)
Fargo, North Dakota needs a new 500-car parking garage stat, so the city launched the Downtown Fargo: Urban Infill Design Competition to source creative solutions for creating a downtown block that still provides adequate parking spaces.
The urban landscape from A to Z (grist)
We've covered a lot of urban ground in the past year, so we thought it would be fun to take a look back (and a couple of peeks forward) by going from A to Z in the urban alphabet. Here are some of the things we’ve been watching, and will continue to school ourselves on.
Sol Cinema: The World's Smallest Solar-Powered Mobile Movie Theater (GOOD)
Roughly two decades after the demise of the drive-in comes The Sol Cinema, a solar-powered mobile movie theater that seats eight adults and does so with vintage charm.
The Definitive Guide to New Transit in 2011 (Planetizen)
Yonah Freemark over at the Transport Politic presents an exhaustive catalog of openings and construction of new transit in the U.S., from the Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Extension in Rhode Island to Phase 1A of the Expo Line in Los Angeles.
The year ahead in bikes (grist)
There's been a bicycle movement brewing for years, and since 2008 it's been unstoppable. Things really ramped up in 2010, but it's looking like next year will be even better. Here's what I predict we'll see in 2011.
Big Homebuilders Not Yet Embracing Green Standards (Planetizen)
With few exceptions, America's largest homebuilders are slower than companies in other fields to act on environmental concerns, according to a survey conducted by Calvert Asset Management Company.
Spending on major infrastructure in Canada to reach $96B, report says (Vancouver Sun)
Premier Gordon Campbell and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon officially launch construction of the new Port Mann Bridge and unveil its design in Surrey, Feb. 4, 2009. Spending on Canada's aging infrastructure continues to grow, with the current crop of projects expected to total $96 billion, says ReNew Canada magazine, which Tuesday published its Top 100 projects 2011 report.
Vote on the future of Vancouver's carbon tax (Tyee)
Liberal candidate George Abbott would put the carbon tax to a province wide vote stating that “This is an important enough decision we need to make it with the people of British Columbia.”
New report says roads don't pay for themselves (Planetizen)
A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group PIRG's report estimates that road construction has cost the American public $600 billion since the highway system began.
Planning Challenge 1: Commercial Aggregation and Subdivision (Planning Pool)
The word “subdivision” is almost synonymous with the “suburbs.” The building blocks of many suburbs are subdivisions with names ranging from the biblical (“Green Acres”), to the pompous (“Kingdom Heights”), to the pastoral (“Pheasant Run”). The problems of inner-city rejuvenation, brownfield restoration, and strip-mall redevelopment are miles away from the great subdividing maw of suburbanization at the rural fringe.
Green-Roofed Superblock for Fargo, North Dakota (Inhabitat)
Fargo, North Dakota needs a new 500-car parking garage stat, so the city launched the Downtown Fargo: Urban Infill Design Competition to source creative solutions for creating a downtown block that still provides adequate parking spaces.
The urban landscape from A to Z (grist)
We've covered a lot of urban ground in the past year, so we thought it would be fun to take a look back (and a couple of peeks forward) by going from A to Z in the urban alphabet. Here are some of the things we’ve been watching, and will continue to school ourselves on.
Sol Cinema: The World's Smallest Solar-Powered Mobile Movie Theater (GOOD)
Roughly two decades after the demise of the drive-in comes The Sol Cinema, a solar-powered mobile movie theater that seats eight adults and does so with vintage charm.
The Definitive Guide to New Transit in 2011 (Planetizen)
Yonah Freemark over at the Transport Politic presents an exhaustive catalog of openings and construction of new transit in the U.S., from the Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Extension in Rhode Island to Phase 1A of the Expo Line in Los Angeles.
The year ahead in bikes (grist)
There's been a bicycle movement brewing for years, and since 2008 it's been unstoppable. Things really ramped up in 2010, but it's looking like next year will be even better. Here's what I predict we'll see in 2011.
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