Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities is a short, often wonderful but consistently enigmatic (at least to me) novel about an extended conversation between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan. Marco tells the Khan a series of tales about fantastical cities he’s perhaps only imagined. I’ve always assumed that the book’s title refers to that imaginary quality, since no […]
Market Urbanism MUsings October 14, 2016
1. This week at Market Urbansim: Markets As Cities by Sandy IkedaThere is a deep affinity between cities and markets, and indeed between cities and liberty. (As … [Read More...]
Episode 04: Anthony Ling on Brazilian Cities and the Future of Transportation
My guest this week is Anthony Ling. Anthony is founder and editor of Caos Planejado, a Brazilian website on cities and urban planning. He also founded Bora, a … [Read More...]
Markets As Cities
Why are a growing number of libertarians fascinated by cities and indeed pinning their hopes for a freer future on cities? Two examples of this just from recent Freeman issues are by Zachary Caceres on startup cities and the winner of the Thorpe-Freeman Blog … [Read More...]
Market Urbanism MUsings October 7, 2016
1. This week at Market Urbanism: 4 Things Austin’s City Council Could Do Today To Fight The Housing Shortage by Dan KeshetCentral Austin needs more housing. Prices have been rising, more and more people want to live where they have short commutes, but are … [Read More...]
Book Review: The Well-Tempered City
This book review is part of a TLC Book Tour.The Well-Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations, and Human Nature Teach Us About the Future of Urban Lifeby Jonathan F. P. Rose In The Well-Tempered City, real estate … [Read More...]
Where Do Upzonings Happen?
I think the most useful way to think about NIMBYism is as a neighborhood-centered phenomenon. When people shop for homes, they shop for specific, physical features of a dwelling, of course, but mainly they shop for neighborhoods. The quality of … [Read More...]
Spillovers: Knowledge, Beer, and Technology
In my last article, I wrote about how an economically and culturally vital city is able, without central planning, to generate two things that are essential to the city’s success: diversity and cohesion. I argued that when lots of people who reflect a huge … [Read More...]
4 Things Austin’s City Council Could Do Today To Fight The Housing Shortage
Central Austin needs more housing. Prices have been rising, more and more people want to live where they have short commutes, but are only able to afford homes near the periphery. We have a long-term plan to alter our land development code in a way that would … [Read More...]
Market Urbanism MUsings September 30, 2016
1. This week at Market Urbanism: Joel Kotkin’s New Book Lays Out His Sprawling Vision For America by Michael LewynSo if I interpret his book correctly, it seems that there is nothing libertarian about Kotkin’s views: he wants strong local … [Read More...]
You’re an Urbanist? Excellent. Why Aren’t You a Developer Yet?
I continue to ask urbanists “why aren’t you a developer yet?” That’s a sincere and serious question. I want to recruit architects, planners, engineers and activists who consider themselves urbanists (new or otherwise) into the ranks of the small … [Read More...]
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Top Posts
- Only 2 Ways to Fight Gentrification (you're not going to like one of them)
- Market Urbanism MUsings October 14, 2016
- Markets As Cities
- How important really are skyscrapers?
- Reclaiming "Redneck" Urbanism: What Urban Planners Can Learn From Trailer Parks
- Episode 04: Anthony Ling on Brazilian Cities and the Future of Transportation
- Rent Control Is Bad For Both Landlords And Tenants
- Joel Kotkin's New Book Lays Out His Sprawling Vision For America
- What is wrong with “How to Make an Attractive City”