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What's the value of Detroit's cultural legacy? Artists and preservationists make the case

Dorothy Hernandez

December 18, 2018 |

Model D |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Artists around Detroit take steps to preserve historic landmarks and incorporate community input into the urban planning process. While the city is drastically changing, activists are slowly preserving places like music venues and speakeasies, as well as creating organizations for artists to actively take part in updating the landscape of their changing communities.

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To solve its housing affordability crisis, Boston has turned to residents

Lauren Greenawalt

November 09, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

When local policy initiatives fail, it is often because they are not meeting local needs in a way that residents want. The Boston Housing Innovation Lab, know as the iLab, seeks to combat this challenge. So far, it has used creative approaches to let residents “experience” a policy- such as walking through an example compact house to give feedback on its design. This process informed feedback that otherwise would have been difficult to glean. By constantly seeking to understand users, the iLab and local Boston housing groups will be better equipped to create policies that actually help community members.

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Calgary's New Public Library Opens with Ambition and Style

Tim Querengesser

November 07, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Calgary

In Calgary, the new Central Library does more than just provide a beautiful space in which to read books. It also provides a place to access technology and acts as a connection space between the more and less affluent areas surrounding it. Though the architecture and design are impressive, some might say the most lasting impact is that “ this space unambiguously welcomes anyone from either side of the tracks.”

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A New Twist on Salvation

James Meadows

October 16, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Church after church in Philadelphia is being slated for demolition. In times where funding for religious institutions are scarce, Sacred Places, Civic Spaces is trying to repurpose old churches for community use. By working with the Civic Design Center, church leaders will be able to work with free design consultants to reimagine ways that their spaces can add new value to their communities.

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Mass tourism is ruining historic cities. Only government can stop it

Jennifer Guay

October 11, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Spain, Barcelona

With tourism on the rise, governments are figuring out how to limit overcrowding and environmental damage. Replicable ideas include marketing beaches and other attractions off the beaten path, regulating hotels and vacation rentals, and even requiring that every tourist must be accompanied by a local guide.

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This Is What Democracy Looks Like

Sarah Holder

October 09, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Effective visual messaging doesn’t just make political candidates stand out, it can also entice unlikely voters to the polls. The key is to pick up on what people respond to and take risks, including by hiring design firms new to election work.

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This building designed to flood is a glimpse of things to come

Katharine Schwab

September 28, 2018 |

FastCompany |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: India, Mumbai

At a factory in Mumbai, clever design and “resilient architecture” join together to form the “Concrete Void,” a space designed to hold water during India’s monsoon season. Rather than trying to keep the water out, the architect designed the factory such that this Concrete Void, positioned below the higher level of the factory, holds water in the rainy season. In the off-season, it functions as an amphitheater space for workers to gather. As climate change becomes more of a threat, more types of this resilient architecture are expected to be created.

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Plaza Heralds New Era of Afrocentric Development in Seattle Neighborhood

Gregory Scruggs

August 07, 2018 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Central District, a historically black neighborhood in Seattle, is getting a makeover to better align it with its roots. Africatown is a nonprofit community land trust that is using its influence to bring Afrocentric design standards to the neighborhood as well as spurring economic development and construction of affordable housing. One real estate project includes a community mural, more gathering space for residents, and local government support.

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How to design your department like a behavioural scientist

Jennifer Guay

July 10, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

Organizational design makes a big difference for public servants. Let workers personalize their desks and sit near teammates. Let them speak in reverse-hierarchical order during meetings, contribute ideas anonymously, and openly discuss the possibility of failure. Even small changes like these can dramatically improve productivity and happiness.

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London's Big Push for Better Design

Feargus O'Sullivan

May 23, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, London

Public Practice is the name of a new London social enterprise that is placing top urban planners in local government authorities. The program aims to incorporate skilled urban planners in essential city tasks: building affordable housing, developing better infrastructure, and improving city spaces. Though only in its first year, the program hopes to continue to help “London build more inclusive spaces.”

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