Category: History
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Traditional Media vs Social Media, and it’s Similarity to Urban vs Suburban Design
The recent passing of Walter Cronkite and the commemoration of the Apollo 11 lunar landing spawned much commentary about how as a culture, we’ve lost not just trusted voice and a collective goal, even the ability to dream. There are many indicators supporting this notion, even some directly related to the design of our cities.…
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A Perfectly Suburban Afternoon
Christopher Hume, the architecture critic for the Toronto Star newspaper, recently wrote of his ten most favourite streets in the “905 area code”, a euphemism for the Toronto suburbs. True to the title, he wrote only of the streets, not of specific buildings on the streets, but of the streets themselves, and how the backdrop…
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Rencontre avec Darrel G. Babuk – Architecte, spécialiste en réseau de transport
Publié le 9 septembre 2006 In english: some time ago, I was recommended to Christophe Loustau, Recipient of the prestgious Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship. Christophe’s research project was to document the original New York City – San Francisco transcontinental railway across the United States. I did an amalgamation of many of my usual railway &…
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Deux journées de folie en compagnie de Darrel Babuk
session du 8 au 9 septembre 2006 In English: some time ago, I was recommended to Christophe Loustau, Recipient of the prestgious Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship. Christophe’s research project was to document the original New York City – San Francisco transcontinental railway across the United States. I did an amalgamation of many of my usual…
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Big People. Little Cars. Tiny Houses. The Scale of our Neighbourhoods
It was an odd conversation over the July Fourth barbeque. One side started talking about the increasing waistlines of various people. The other side was talking about my Mini, and their new-found interest in Microcars. Then – like a flyswatter hitting a mosquito – the two groups found out about each other. A sort of…
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Two National Holidays, One Week
What could be more cumbersome to get things done and to maintain a schedule than two national holidays – one mid week, one on a weekend – in the same week? Independence Day celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, signaling the creation of the United States of America. It happens on July 4. …
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Land Development Strategy on Autopilot
First we shape our buildings, and then they shape us” Sir Winston Churchill “Motion is the aesthetic of modern man” Clifford Wiens Maybe it was driving through a crowded parking lot, looking for a parking space. In amidst the row of SUV’s there appeared to be an empty space, only to come upon…
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Forecasting Global Economic Strategy, Understanding Urban Planning and the 1977 Mini Clubman Estate
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 While I’ve been avoiding the temptation, the removal of General Motors from the Dow Jones Index may provide a good reason to describe my own car, to draw parallels to the direction of this economy, and to the future of urban planning, of all things. Both General Motors and Citi Group…
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Breakfast with the Consul General of Canada
Thursday, May 28, 2009 This morning, the Canadian Club of Chicago hosted a breakfast presentation by the Honourable Georges Rioux, Consul General of Canada. It was held at Chicago’s Cliff Dwellers Club. It was a great opportunity to catch up on some old friendships and to hear the Consul General speak, a tradition in its…
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Presentation to Fachhochshule am Main Frankfurt and Ryerson University
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 Yesterday, I made a presentation of “The Canadian Side of the Chicago School of Architecture 1884 – 1935” to a group of architecture students and faculty visiting Chicago from Fachhochscule Frankfurtam Main of Frankfort, Germany and Ryerson University of Toronto, at their request. It was a group of about fifty people, they…