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The Babuk Lounge
“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 […]
Streetscapes
Successful streetscapes are defined by spaces between buildings. The spaces become successful places; streets where we live out our lives, nooks and crannies that create pleasant oasis, buildings that form backdrops and walls that give meter to time and space….all decidedly urban concepts. A downtown Chicago streetscape Let’s take the flipside to this thought and […]
Infills
Infills While this was written twenty years ago from a very Chicago perspective, it still seems fresh today, applying to many cities: Much has been said about issues concerning development on the periphery of Chicagoland. Sprawl – even the name sounds like a lethargic beast. I’ve oft wondered what sort of commute times we’ve created […]
Is your morning commute still fun to drive?
Time was, driving was a fun recreation. From a casual Sunday excursion, to a cross country trip, to something energetic like Nascar racing, the experience generated by being catapulted through ever changing scenery was exciting. A happy way to commute… Automotive design enhanced the experience. Swooping masses of sheet metal clad in bright colours, outlined […]
Big people, little cars, and the scale of our neighbourhoods
It was an odd conversation over a backyard 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 reverse […]
Parking Lots
Some time ago, an article by Paul Kaihla in BUSINESS2.0 Magazine brought me to think about the parking lot as a prolific, yet endangered landscape feature of the post war era. The article, entitled The Next Real Estate Boom (November 1, 2005) spoke of a coming wave of expansion, growth and redevelopment of American cities, of a […]
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The Babuk Lounge
March 13, 2025
Streetscapes
March 13, 2025
Infills
March 13, 2025