I was given a particularly intriguing reading recently - an excerpt from the recent book Palaces for the People, by the sociologist Eric Klinenberg. It discusses the value of social infrastructure - an umbrella term for the "physical spaces and organizations that shape the way people interact." In other words, it's comprised of the places … Continue reading Social Infrastructure
Urbanism
Wonky writings about urban planning
Housing Precedent Cases
Throughout the [IN]CITY summer program, we will be working towards crafting a redevelopment proposal for a BART station in Berkeley, California. Currently, the site is mostly covered in surface parking lots, but we believe we have an opportunity to inspire the city to turn this space into a new kind of destination by leveraging TOD … Continue reading Housing Precedent Cases
Arguments For and Against Planning
The first week of the UC Berkeley [IN]CITY 2020 summer program has been a whirlwind. I've learned more about urban planning in 5 days than I have in my last 5 years of it as a hobby... and we're just getting started! If this is a taste of what graduate school and the profession is … Continue reading Arguments For and Against Planning
Statement of Purpose
This is a slightly revised version of my statement of purpose, which I used to apply to several graduate programs in urban planning. It aims to provide clarity on why I am pursuing this new career as well as defines the foundation for future writings going forward. At first glance, the disciplines of urban planning … Continue reading Statement of Purpose
Scenes in Scandinavia
Much has been said about the high quality of life enjoyed by folks in northern Europe and Scandinavian regions. As an aspiring urbanist, I had long wanted to visit - keen to learn how their built environments might contribute to their high livability scores. So last month, I took my work on the road and … Continue reading Scenes in Scandinavia
Class Warfare (in Cape Town)
I recently took my first trip to South Africa. It’s an astoundingly beautiful country, with an astoundingly sad history. After returning to San Francisco, I wanted to reflect on what I had seen through the lens of the current situation in the Bay Area. Heads up - this isn’t your average travel blog post. South … Continue reading Class Warfare (in Cape Town)
Thoughts on the Sidewalk Labs Vision for Waterfront Toronto
If you're an urban planner, city official, or just an aspiring urbanist like me, you'll no doubt have heard the big news from Toronto – Waterfront Toronto recently chose Sidewalk Labs as their partner to redevelop Quayside, a neighbourhood with enormous potential right to the east of the downtown core. I've followed Sidewalk Labs for … Continue reading Thoughts on the Sidewalk Labs Vision for Waterfront Toronto
