We all like to discover new cities and are attracted by their special characters, but how do we extract these characters and put them into our everyday life? Nuno will share with us his experiences of living away from home and using local elements in his design and architecture. Nuno Soares is an architect and urban planner based in Macau since 2003, spreading his practice through architectural design, teaching, and research. He founded and directs the CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism, a non-profit organization with the mission to promote research, education, production, and diffusion of knowledge in the fields of architecture and urbanism, taking local issues to a global audience. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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Trailer for movie End of Suburbia. Since World War II North Americans have invested much of their newfound wealth in suburbia. It has promised a sense of space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. As the population of suburban sprawl has exploded in the past 50 years, so too has the suburban way of life become embedded in the American consciousness. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream.  Entire movie here on YouTube.

A brief (3-minute) presentation by Rick Rybeck of Just Economics to the Center for State Innovation about smart growth and dumb growth. "Value capture" is discussed as a technique for funding infrastructure and creating jobs while making housing more affordable and development more sustainable. See also ShelterForce.

How promoting walkability can increase citizen well-being and create both business and more liveable urban environment? How do we get people to walk and ride bikes instead of choosing cars?

Jeff Speck is a city planner and urban designer who advocates walkability and sustainable design. He is also author of the bestselling book: "Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time". 

This video was recorded on 8th of April 2015 in Lahti, Finland. The event was organised by Aalto University Professional Development, The Regional Council of Päijät-Häme and the City of Lahti. It was partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Published on Apr 9, 2015

As the world grapples with what some have deemed “the age of urbanization,” affordable* housing has become a great concern. Dr. Joan Clos, executive director of UN-Habitat recommends that housing should be a big part and at the center of the urban planning and design conversation. He means by that, that housing should come back to the center of the urban strategy: urban planning, design, and urban strategy. Published on Mar 19, 2015

TEDxPhylly speech, Architecture critic Inga Saffron challenges cities to shift focus and look beyond skyscraper fantasies in her TEDxPhilly talk - "Moving from The Grand Vision to The Grand Adjustment." Cities should instead work to improve and build amenities that make urban areas better places to live for existing dwellers. Public spaces should be a priority: upgrade transit systems, add bike lanes to all major roadways, increase walkability, create and maintain great parks and public plazas. Saffron believes that skyscrapers are not the only way to achieve the worthy goal of density and sustainability. To explain, she points to the success of mid-rise buildings in Philadelphia and posits that different cities need a range of densities. American cities must be flexible and make adjustments - an idea jokingly demonstrated in Saffron's opening skyscraper yoga poses. Uploaded on Jan 29, 2012

Harvard Thinks Green 2 "Clashing Cultures in Pursuit of Sustainability in the Built Environment" | Harvard Thinks Green 2 by Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. Edmondson joined the Harvard faculty in 1996 following completion of her PhD in Organizational Behavior. She teaches leadership and organizational learning in the MBA and Executive Education programs. Her book, Teaming: How organizations learn, innovate and compete in the knowledge economy was published in May, 2012, by Jossey-Bass.