As austerity measures sweep across the European continent, the freshly installed Flemish government abolished the position of Vlaams Bouwmeester, or Flemish Government Architect, last month. This news follows after the City of Antwerp had abolished the position of Stadsbouwmeester, or City Architect last year. Though it is difficult to translate this job title, the Vlaams […]
Tag Archives: europe
(Re)New Your City, New York City: European Best Practices for NYC
After waiting for three trains to enter and to leave Fulton Street before I could fit inside (there were delays), I had one more example to use when explaining why we need better public transportation. But what does better transportation mean? It depends on our geography, our culture, our economy, our politics, and our history. […]
Tear Down This Turnstile
“Tear down this wall”. President Reagan referred, of course, to the Berlin Wall, which was behind him alongside the Brandenburg Gate. That gate — a historical entrance to the old city which saw Napoleon, the Prussians, the Imperial German Army, the Nazis, the Red Army, the Stasi, and so many others pass through — soon […]
A Love Letter To Flemish Cities
I’ve recently become enamored with the historic cities of Flandres, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. Whilst I used to only pass through Flandres in the past, often on my way to France, I first discovered Flemish cities on a study trip to the region in 2007. Wandering through places like Bruges or Ghent with a […]
Becoming the Cycling Capital of the 21st Century
Last year, we wrote about cycling in Amsterdam, the world’s most bicycle-friendly city according to the Copenhagenize Index of 2013. Whilst we don’t need to repeat how the city’s urban form is very conducive to cycling, or how the city’s high cycling rates are a result of decades of careful planning, it is worth noting […]
Schouwburgplein: More than meets the eye
Dutch cities are known for many things, but grand plazas aren’t one of them. Whilst there are many older plazas in the inner cities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, one plaza in Rotterdam counters the typical image of the Dutch plaza: the old-city center point surrounded by mainly low or midrise buildings. Schouwburgplein (Theatre […]
The Dutch-Belgian High Speed Rail Debacle
We’ve been talking a lot about high speed rail lately here on PlaNYourCity. That’s not just because we like the subject, it’s also because it’s one of those dynamic topics that often seems to be in the news. Last week brought us headlines about a high speed rail debacle over in The Netherlands and Belgium. […]
Using art to relieve bicycle congestion
The Dutch city of Utrecht is no stranger to a phenomenon called “bicycle congestion”—a situation where infrastructural facilities for cyclists are used so much that their efficiency starts to suffer and negatively affects the cyclist’s biking experience (much like how congestion on roads affects motorists). Whether the congestion hits suggested bike lanes, seperated bike paths, […]
Do Cities Bring High Speed Rail Within Reach?
A couple of weeks ago, we cited a fantastic (and sadly, entirely fictional) map made by Alfred Twu as a potential catalyst for High Speed Rail in the U.S. The map oozes ambitions for a hyper-connected continent, and builds on many of the more realistic proposals for High-Speed Rail that were put forth over the […]
