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Why Don’t We Just Listen to What Cities Say?

Chuck Wolfe asks in his new book Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character, what do these terms mean and why do we care about them so much?

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Congress: Responsive Cities

This year’s Congress may have been virtual but an innovative approach to the study tours meant that you felt you were almost there. Heather Claridge..
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The Civic in the Suburbs

Civic spaces are fundamental to urban life. Kathryn Firth asks how we can reintegrate the civic into suburban exurban spaces like malls and business parks. “Difference”..
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Rapid Transit and Urban Recovery

The AoU recently organised a virtual study tour of four tram systems seeking to learn from those involved in their finance and construction. Nicholas Falk,..
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Everything Flows

Everything Flows: What the philosopher Heraclitus can teach us about urban planning. Andreas Markides reflects on change and 35 years of planning.
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Face to Face Still Matters

Are cities really so vulnerable to the long-term effects of Covid-19? Martin Crookson argues that reports of the death of the city are exaggerated. Based on his book written with Jonathan Reades he argues that face to face still matters.
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Connecting continents: Equitable futures for global cities

Charles Critchell shares insights into why some global cities have responded to the urban challenges of the pandemic more effectively than others
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Opinion

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SOUNDING OFF: The Curse of Tourism?

Reflecting on the Edinburgh Congress David Rudlin asks whether, after a year without travel, our cities can reset their relationship with tourists?   June this..
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SOUNDING-OFF: Can you name a second famous female planner from history?

Vicky Payne argues that it’s time to celebrate some of the lesser-known pioneers of planning. Can you name a famous female planner from history? Of..
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Planning without end

The Urban Idiot’s law of planning states that the level of objections raised by a planning authority to a submitted plan is a constant and..
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News & Reviews

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Message from the Chair

The Academy of Urbanism’s Chair Andrew Burrell on recent developments within the Academy As many of you will know it was my privilege to assume..
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REVIEW: The Oxford/Cambridge Arc

The Oxford/Cambridge Arc has been with us for some time at least as a concept. This year the Government has published a policy paper and..
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REVIEW: Shaping Neighbourhoods

Nicholas Falk reviews the monumental new edition of Shaping Neighbourhoods: For Local Health and Global Sustainability by Hugh Barton, Marcus Grant and Richard Guise.
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The Buzz of Urban Life

Following the article by Martin Crookson last month Steve Bee reviews his book ‘Why Face to Face Still Matters’ written with Jonathan Reades. I remember..
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Paradise Lost?

Hilary Kolinsky reviews a new book on lessons from the British and French New Towns edited by David Fée, Bob Colenutt, Sabine Coady Schabitz From..
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Space Syntax Training

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RAF Museum, Cosford

Darren Priday, Head of Conservation Having spent 26 years in the RAF as an aircraft mechanical engineer, the prospect of joining the RAF Museum was..
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Shires House, Guiseley, Leeds

Mark Sidding, Architect I was born in Lichfield and attended Friary Grange School. I was always aware of architecture – who could fail to be..
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Etosha Heights Private Reserve, Namibia

Eco Zhang, Urban Designer, Perkins & Will I grew up in northern China during the fast-developing period. Experiencing the built environment at an ambitious pace..
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Heubach, Germany

Claire von de Meden, Businesswoman It was 1969, and my father had a teaching post in Zambia. During the holidays he enjoyed traveling around Africa..
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Wilberforce House Museum, Hull

Robin Diaper, Curator of Maritime & Social History I never paid much attention to careers advice at school, and after leaving school with A-levels in..
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Ripley Castle

Sir Thomas Ingilby: Owner My family has lived at Ripley Castle for 714 years. It was given to us as a dowry – a wedding..
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Millhouses Park – Sheffield

Harshada Deshpande: Urbanist I work as an Urban Designer within the Planning Service of Sheffield City Council. My main role is as a design advocate..
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Herceg Novi – Montenegro

Aleks Milentilevic – Urbanist I studied Architecture and Planning at Nikola Tesla University in Belgrade, then I did my Master’s in Spatial Planning at Oxford..
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Brixton – London

Lia Ghilardi – Urbanist I was born in Lombardy in Italy and moved to London in 1982 after completing my degree in Sociology. As well..
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Clarence Dock, Leeds

Gordon Carey – Architect I was born in Leeds and went to primary school in the city. I always loved drawing as a child and..
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Amotherby, N.Yorks

Mike Snowden – Businessman In the Second World War this Nissen hut was used by German prisoners who were labouring on the farm. My wife..
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Trafford, Manchester

Kal Gill-Faci- Architect It is 7.30am and the middle of Summer 2020 and I’m out on my allotment, which is right next to my house;..
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