A recent article in the Economist about the Rosetta space probe reminded me again of the uniqueness of London on the global stage. The piece notes: In a clean room at the Airbus Defence & Space (ADS) factory north of London, scientists are working on LISA Pathfinder (pictured), a hexagon-shaped satellite due to be launched next year. The aim of the ambitious space mission is to try, for the first time, to find and measure gravitational waves–ripples in space-time predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity. ... About one-quarter … [Read more...]
The Mark of a Great City Is in How It Treats Its Ordinary Spaces, Not Its Special Ones
Cities turn to starchitecture in order to create iconic images to symbolize their city and its aspirations to the world. Famous buildings can, as with the Bilbao Guggenheim or the Milwaukee Art Museum, even come to symbolize a city itself. Such buildings or spaces also fulfill the human need for the spectacular, and for sacred space in the community. Similarly cities create "gateways" to mark the entry to special districts, or engage in various "placemaking" initiatives around branding. We frequently see, for example, the main street, plaza, … [Read more...]