Category: portland
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Introducing THINK.urban
I am happy to announce the formation of a new organization, THINK.urban in Portland, Oregon. Along with colleagues Katrina Johnston and Allison Duncan, our group plans to promote, as our tagline mentions: “Better Design Through Applied Research.” We bring a range of experience in urban design research, landscape architecture, urban ecology, public space, and…
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Walking the Turtle
While familiar with the concept of the flâneur, the inquistive wanderer, or “…detached pedestrian observer of a metropolis, a gentleman stroller of city streets”. Reading After the City last night, Lars Lerup, in discussing the idea of the ‘speed’ of the modern metropolis, made a passing reference to a 19th century custom of using a…
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Coyote Urban
A few weeks back, on my way home I spotted in my neighborhood a lone coyote crossing busy 33rd Avenue just north of Fremont. While urban coyotes are not necessarily that out of the ordinary (such as the adventurous multi-modal coyote that boarded MAX light rail a few years back) but the neighborhood I live…
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Tales from Portlandia
As it is always important to laugh at oneself – the 6-part IFC Original short-based comedy series PORTLANDIA, created, written by and starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein will premiere January 21, 2011 at 10:30 PM ET/PT. Each episode’s character-based shorts draw viewers into “Portlandia,” the creators’ dreamy and absurd rendering of Portland, Oregon. Bloody brilliant… Can’t wait for…
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Zappata Romana
The ease of online mapmaking leads to a democratization of the dissemination of all forms of information. In the spirit of Greenmaps, Italian firm Urban Architecture Project presents Zappata Romana, a simple, icon-based mapping of community-run green spaces on underused and abandoned areas in Rome. Visualizza “ZAPPATA ROMANA”: community-run green areas _by studioUAP in una…
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Smart Growth
One of the recent awards from the EPA for the 2010 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement went to Portland Metro region for it’s 2040 Growth Concept. Policies, Programs, and Regulations: 2040 Growth Concept, Portland metro, OregonEPA says: Metro, the elected regional government of the Portland, Oregon, area, is making sure that future population growth can be…
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On Agrarian Urbanism
An opportunity for point-counterpoint on the topic of Agrarian Urbanism – one that, with the recent explosion of discussion and interest in urban agriculture – is vital to discussing the place of food in the city, and what impact this will have on the form and function of our urban agglomerations. The topic is poignant…
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Feral Green Streets (Tamed)
It was bound to happen, but a nice walk for some coffee showed the new ‘orderly frames’ for the previously unruly green street planters along Burnside Street. Some updated images displaying what is quickly becoming ‘stock’ in the local green street planting arsenal – (c) Jason King | Landscape+Urbanism. I’m really intrigued by the planters…