Denis Olivier | Photography<p>Rostral Columns, Place Des Quinconces, Bordeaux, France. March 2008. Ref-1297<br><a href="https://www.denisolivier.com/photography/rostral-columns-place-des-quinconces-bordeaux-france/en/1297" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">denisolivier.com/photography/r</span><span class="invisible">ostral-columns-place-des-quinconces-bordeaux-france/en/1297</span></a><br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/denisolivierphoto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>denisolivierphoto</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/denisolivier" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>denisolivier</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/city" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>city</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/town" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>town</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/denisolivierphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>denisolivierphotography</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/architecture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>architecture</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/tower" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>tower</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/denisolivierphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>denisolivierphotographer</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/place" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>place</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/quinconces" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>quinconces</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/construction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>construction</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/bordeaux" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bordeaux</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/rostral" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>rostral</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/urban" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urban</span></a></p>
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#Urbanism
40 posts · 31 participants · 6 posts today
Ned Yeung<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://techhub.social/@qole" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>qole</span></a></span> Sorry, I just realized that I didn't answer your last question directly. What they restrict, specifically, is what can be built on the property, rather than who it can be sold to like the discriminatory "white only" covenants. That means in theory that if a developer buys the property they would be restricted to building a single-family house on it, and not a duplex or fourplex.</p><p>But as has been discussed in this thread... restrictive covenants are not enforceable if you simply pay to have a lawyer remove them. So in the end, they're not restricting big developers with deep pockets, they're only restricting themselves and any private home owner who might want to buy it.</p><p>The covenants themselves in this case are not as harmful as the divisive politics and hateful rhetoric that surrounds them. That is the part which is destroying my neighborhood.</p><p>The way people are behaving over this has gotten scary...</p><p><a href="https://beige.party/tags/yeg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>yeg</span></a> <a href="https://beige.party/tags/yyc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>yyc</span></a> <a href="https://beige.party/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a></p>
Ned Yeung<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://techhub.social/@qole" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>qole</span></a></span> They have been revived big time in Edmonton and Calgary as part of a far-right push against progressive urban City Councils, after politicizing the goal of urban densification through infill housing (basically, just splitting up a property lot into two to build houses with a smaller footprint, building upwards instead of outwards). These allow more living units to inhabit the same land space. A typical infill is a duplex, and you could have 2 of those duplexes where a single house with front and back yard used to stand.</p><p>Large municipalities always end up left-leaning because they service the needs of many and need to build sustainable cities to survive into the future. So the right attacks municipalities at the provincial/state level, the same way they attack academics for leaning left.</p><p>The anti-infill propaganda is just a continuation of the former conspiracy theories against "15 minute cities".</p><p>The push against infills is inherently classist but less on the surface than "white only" communities. It's steeped in NIMBY arguments that bringing in new people will bring down the property values of existing owners, and the fear that these smaller units will house more of "the poors" in their neighborhood. You let them argue about it long enough, and they'll reach racism eventually. In the end, they just don't want new people moving into their neighborhood.</p><p>The biggest argument being used against infills and blasted through every propaganda machine pushed by divisive politics, is that they don't provide more parking for cars. As our entire city isn't already dedicated as a big massive parking lot for cars with no space for human beings to walk, nevermind live!</p><p>Which again goes towards the argument that only the rich can be allowed in our mature suburban neighborhoods, because the poors actually like to get around with active transportation, and aren't confined to an automobile just to get to the neighborhood store or school. "The poors" are fighting for walkability and inclusive infrastructure, which is against the goal of the anti-infill crowd who wants to promote urban sprawl like the 80's.</p><p>So on the surface there's no racism... but classism and segregation is embedded deep into the roots of this process. Anti-urbanism always ends in bigotry, when all other arguments are shot down. Keep debunking them, and they'll finally reach that "Ah, there it is" moment.</p><p><a href="https://beige.party/tags/yeg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>yeg</span></a> <a href="https://beige.party/tags/yyc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>yyc</span></a> <a href="https://beige.party/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://beige.party/tags/classwar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>classwar</span></a></p>
Megan Lynch (she/her)<p>Albania’s New Pyramid: Towers, Dirty Money, and an Emptying Nation</p><p><a href="https://www.tiranatimes.com/albanias-new-pyramid-towers-dirty-money-and-an-emptying-nationby-tirana-times/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">tiranatimes.com/albanias-new-p</span><span class="invisible">yramid-towers-dirty-money-and-an-emptying-nationby-tirana-times/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mas.to/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/Housing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Housing</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/Albania" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Albania</span></a></p>
😀🚲<p>🤔 it's almost like whatever the car/oil industry wants is the opposite of <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/SafeStreets" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SafeStreets</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/VisionZero" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>VisionZero</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/ClimateAction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateAction</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/PublicHealth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PublicHealth</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/SafeRoutesToSchool" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SafeRoutesToSchool</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/freeRangeKids" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>freeRangeKids</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/RightToRepair" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RightToRepair</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/Freedom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Freedom</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/transportation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>transportation</span></a>, <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/resist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>resist</span></a> ...</p>
Andrew Helwer<p>Event I sadly missed: racing the 8 bus up Denny Way during rush hour</p><p><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=cWiXawp0pXU" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">youtube.com/watch?v=cWiXawp0pXU</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p><a href="https://discuss.systems/tags/Seattle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Seattle</span></a> <a href="https://discuss.systems/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://discuss.systems/tags/Transit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Transit</span></a></p>
AJ Sadauskas<p>Two tunnel boring machines have broken through at Parramatta, as part of the Sydney Metro West project:<br><br>"TBMs Betty and Dorothy have been grinding through solid rock from Sydney Olympic Park to arrive in the Parramatta station box.<br><br>"This marks 90 per cent completion of all tunnelling on the Sydney Metro West project and comes after a double breakthrough at Pyrmont at the eastern end of the line.<br><br>"Sydney Metro West will transform the Parramatta city centre into a vibrant precinct, with the station anchoring a mixed-use development over the equivalent of two city blocks.<br><br>"The new Metro station is close to Light Rail services and will link directly to the new Civic Link, a 450-metre-long pedestrian spine connecting the metro precinct to the future Powerhouse Parramatta.<br><br>"The TBMs have chewed through 200 metres of Sydney sandstone every week since early 2024, excavating 1.25 million tonnes of rock – enough to fill the Olympic pool at Sydney Olympic Park 204 times over.<br><br>"Appropriately, it was TBM Betty, named after Australian “Golden Girl” Olympic champion sprinter Betty Cuthbert, that reached the finish line into Parramatta first and is already on its way towards Westmead.<br><br>"TBM Dorothy, named after human rights activist Dorothy Buckland-Fuller, broke through into the station box just before 10am on Thursday last week and will receive some maintenance before pushing on to Westmead to complete the western end of the line by the end of the year.<br><br>"More than 48,000 precast concrete segments have been installed – each weighing up to four tonnes – to line the tunnels.<br><br>"Six of the nine station boxes for the Sydney Metro West project have been excavated and lined: The Bays, Five Dock, Burwood North, North Strathfield Sydney Olympic Park and Westmead. Work continues at Parramatta, Pyrmont and the Hunter Street station in the city, which will link pedestrians to Martin Place Station on the M1 metro line."<br><br><a href="https://councilmagazine.com.au/metro-tunnel-breaks-through-at-parramatta/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://councilmagazine.com.au/metro-tunnel-breaks-through-at-parramatta/</a><br><br><a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/train" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>train</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/rail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>rail</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/railway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>railway</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/sydney" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>sydney</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/nswpol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nswpol</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/auspol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>auspol</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/parramatta" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>parramatta</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/nsw" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nsw</span></a></p>
AJ Sadauskas<p>Two tunnel boring machines have broken through at Parramatta, as part of the Sydney Metro West project:
<a href="https://councilmagazine.com.au/metro-tunnel-breaks-through-at-parramatta/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">councilmagazine.com.au/metro-tunnel...</a>
<a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23train" target="_blank">#train</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23rail" target="_blank">#rail</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23railway" target="_blank">#railway</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23sydney" target="_blank">#sydney</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23nswpol" target="_blank">#nswpol</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23auspol" target="_blank">#auspol</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23urbanism" target="_blank">#urbanism</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23parramatta" target="_blank">#parramatta</a> <a class="hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://bsky.app/search?q=%23nsw" target="_blank">#nsw</a><br><br><a href="https://councilmagazine.com.au/metro-tunnel-breaks-through-at-parramatta/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Metro tunnel breaks through at...</a></p>
Architecture News<p>Archdaily : LAPI Fase 2 / SuperLimão <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/1032511/lapi-fase-2-superlimao" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">archdaily.com/1032511/lapi-fas</span><span class="invisible">e-2-superlimao</span></a> <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/CommercialArchitecture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CommercialArchitecture</span></a> <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/UrbanDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UrbanDesign</span></a> <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/PublicSpace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PublicSpace</span></a> <a href="https://masto.ai/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a></p>
Megan Lynch (she/her)<p>"Park(ing) day is a global, public, participatory project where people across the world temporarily repurpose curbside parking spaces and convert them into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets for people."</p><p><a href="https://www.myparkingday.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="">myparkingday.org/</span><span class="invisible"></span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/ParkingDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ParkingDay</span></a></p>
Megan Lynch (she/her)<p>Parklets: How Londoners are taking back the streets | Focus on Europe</p><p>"Get ready: Park(ing) Day is September 19, 2025!"</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYN8NXAPrmA" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="">youtube.com/watch?v=LYN8NXAPrmA</span><span class="invisible"></span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/ParkingDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ParkingDay</span></a></p>
Detroiters for Parking Reform<p>Great op-ed today in <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@bridgedet313" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>bridgedet313</span></a></span> on proposed zoning changes that will incrementally cut back on some parking mandates from our friends at Strong Towns Detroit. <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/parkingreform" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>parkingreform</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/parking" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>parking</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/Detroit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Detroit</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/cities" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cities</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/housing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>housing</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/affordability" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>affordability</span></a> <a href="https://urbanists.social/tags/strongtowns" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>strongtowns</span></a></p>
Andreas Fornberg 👑<p>Utmärkt exempel på hur vi bygger i fortsättningen.<br>Där man prioriterar folk med gång, cykel, kollektivtrafik, bil- och cykelpooler.</p><p><a href="https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2025-07-28/sa-bygger-malmo-bort-parkeringar-ruta-for-ruta/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">sydsvenskan.se/2025-07-28/sa-b</span><span class="invisible">ygger-malmo-bort-parkeringar-ruta-for-ruta/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/milj%C3%B6" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>miljö</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/st%C3%A4der" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>städer</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/bost%C3%A4der" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bostäder</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/bilism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bilism</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/cykel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cykel</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.helvetet.eu/tags/kollektivtrafik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>kollektivtrafik</span></a></p>
t3<p>I've started sharing my photos over on Pixelfed at <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://pixelfed.social/dharmabread" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>dharmabread</span></a></span> and will be boosting them here. <br>Please take a look if you have time!</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>photography</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/pixelfed" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>pixelfed</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/pentax" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>pentax</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/art" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>art</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/graffiti" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>graffiti</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/architecture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>architecture</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/streetphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>streetphotography</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/urbanphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanphotography</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>urbanism</span></a></p>
Our Wonderful Green FutureBiophilia refers to the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature and other living beings. It reflects the inherent bond humans have with the natural world, which positively impacts both our physical and mental health. <br>
<a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Biodiversity?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Biodiversity</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Biophilia?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Biophilia</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/climateChange?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#climateChange</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Environment?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Environment</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Nature?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Nature</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/OWGF?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#OWGF</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Regeneration?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Regeneration</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/SolarPunk?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#SolarPunk</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/StrongTowns?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#StrongTowns</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Sustainability?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Sustainability</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/Urbanism?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Urbanism</a><br>
<a href="https://owgf.org/2025/07/26/bioplhilia-and-the-need-to-fill-our-cities-with-nature/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://owgf.org/2025/07/26/bioplhilia-and-the-need-to-fill-our-cities-with-nature/</a>
Rob Attrell<p>Our homes are our first place, work is our second, but where is our "third place"? These are the crucial public spaces—the cafes, parks, and pubs—where community is truly built. It's time we started designing our neighbourhoods to include them. <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/ThirdPlace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ThirdPlace</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Community" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Community</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a><br><a href="https://theneworleans.ca/2025/07/26/beyond-home-and-work-the-search-for-third-places-in-orleans/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">theneworleans.ca/2025/07/26/be</span><span class="invisible">yond-home-and-work-the-search-for-third-places-in-orleans/</span></a></p>
AJ Sadauskas<p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.online/@daliazygas" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>daliazygas</span></a></span> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://pixelfed.social/ajsadauskas" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>ajsadauskas</span></a></span> It really is!<br><br>You can literally walk from one end of town to the other along fully pedestrian streets.<br><br>You read in old books about people "promenading". Of people seeing and being seen.<br><br>Of people sitting to just watch people passing by. Of people walking down the boulevard in their best designer gear.<br><br>And especially in that tree-lined centre corridor, with the park benches, there's a lot of folks doing that today.<br><br>Something that really stood out to me was the diversity of different kinds of people who were cycling, rollerskating, and scootering down Laisvės Alėja.<br><br>It wasn't just the usual middle aged men in lycra.<br><br>There were young kids, right through to elderly grandmas and grandpas.<br><br>Even whole families cycling together!<br><br>I saw a number of young families, with mum, dad, and two kids around six or eight, all cycling together!<br><br>And something else you don't often see elsewhere: Parents cycling with their teenaged sons or daughters.<br><br>The skateboarders are treated as just another mode of active transport, instead of as something to be banned.<br><br>Which leads to skaters getting to where they need to go, respectful of other people.<br><br>There's also a lot of people who either live or work within a block or two of the street. Many of the rest head there in their spare time to have a coffee, or a drink, or a meal with friends. Or go to a show at one of the theatres, or a concert.<br><br>People don't want to sit in their apartments when it's sunny and 24 degrees (celsius) in Summer, and the days are long. They want to sit outside and catch up with friends and colleagues at a café/bar after work.<br><br>So the street basically functions as the city's communal living room.<br><br>As a result, there's constantly people spontaneously bumping into a friend, or a neighbour, or a colleague, and saying "labas".<br><br>Pictures can only tell half the story. It really is a great vibe in Kaunas during the Summertime.<br><br><a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/city" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>City</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/cities" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Cities</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/planning" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Planning</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/urbanplanning" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UrbanPlanning</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/kaunas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Kaunas</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/lietuva" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Lietuva</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/lithuania" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Lithuania</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/bike" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bike</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/bicycle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bicycle</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/cycle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cycle</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/cycling" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cycling</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/walking" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>walking</span></a> <a href="https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/tags/europe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Europe</span></a></p>
Claudia Zahn<p>René Lalique<br>The work, made of gold and enamel, consists of nine snakes coiled around each other, forming a knot from which eight of them hang, while one remains upright.<br>By <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Belle%C3%89poqueArtAndArt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BelleÉpoqueArtAndArt</span></a> Nouveau<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Architecture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Architecture</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Design" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Design</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Style" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Style</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Nature</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Art" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Art</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Artist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Artist</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photo</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photographer</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Urbanism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Urbanism</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/City" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>City</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Village" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Village</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Staircases" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Staircases</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/History" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>History</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Histoire" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Histoire</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Abandoned" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Abandoned</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/AbandonedPlaces" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AbandonedPlaces</span></a></p>
Our Wonderful Green Future<p><strong>Bioplhilia and the need to fill our cities with nature.</strong></p><p class="">The one giant living ecosystem we are all part of on planet Earth has given birth to us human beings. Our DNA comes from this ecosystem. Our cell structures, our shapes, and our brains are what they are today because we inherited them from our “Mother Earth.” To be human is to be from planet Earth and its living ecosystem. </p><p class="">Humanity has known this truth for millennia, and many cultures throughout history had some way of expressing it. The Greeks created <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Gaia</a>, the earth goddess, who symbolises the living spirit of nature and embodies our deep, instinctive connection to the natural world. Australia’s Indigenous peoples believed in Dreamtime, which represents the sacred connection between people, land, and nature—echoing a recognition of humans’ innate bond with the living world. Humans have long known this connection with nature on a spiritual level, and modern science has only amplified that understanding further.</p><p class=""><strong>Biophilia</strong></p><p>Biophilia, which literally means “love of life” or “love of living systems,” acknowledges how we recognise our connection to nature on an emotional level. Being surrounded by the natural world feels like a mother’s embrace—a deep connection to our heritage and our very essence. This is why, when immersed in nature, we experience a profound affinity with our environment. Biophilia refers to the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature and other living beings. It reflects the inherent bond humans have with the natural world, which positively impacts both our physical and mental health. Biophilia is linked to reduced stress, enhanced cognitive function, and an overall greater sense of well-being. </p><p><strong>Our broken connection with nature</strong></p><p>It’s clear to see that this connection has been broken. As more and more people move into our industrialised and mechanised cities, a growing number of people experience this broken connection. The noise from our machines, the pollution they create, the giant freeways, speeding cars, hard surfaces, and toxic smells in our cities all disconnect us from that inherent sense of belonging to the environment. All these unnatural elements create tension, unease, and anxiety within us. Perhaps not all the time, and usually to a greater or lesser degree, but that uneasy feeling is there, just beneath the surface. While we distract ourselves with our jobs, gadgets, entertainment and leisure activities, the need for connection with nature always lives below the surface.</p>Unnatural and hostile Urban environments <p><strong>Nature connectedness</strong></p><p class="">All over the world, people are noticing this broken connection. People are writing books about Biophilia, [<a href="https://www.nadinagalle.com/the-nature-of-our-cities" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Links</a>] blogging about it, creating academic courses, [<a href="https://www.biophilicinstitute.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>] and making videos on the subject. [<a href="https://owgf.org/2025/01/09/connecting-with-nature-field-studies" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>] Nature Therapy and Nature Bathing have become business opportunities, with people paying to reconnect with nature. [<a href="https://odysseyresorts.com/odyssey-experiences/forest-bathing" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>] The theory of Nature Connectedness is now well established and attracting research interest. [<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X24001970" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>] As more and more people recognise these broken connections in our cities, the rise of a movement in response should come as no surprise.</p><p class=""><strong>Modern day deserts – Loneliness</strong></p><p class="">Our cities have become modern-day deserts to humanity’s Biophilic needs. They can feel completely alien to us, both physically and emotionally. In urban environments, it is often only our shared connection with other people that keeps us feeling grounded and happy. For hundreds of years, our relationships with each other have fulfilled many of our innate “nature-connected” needs—but even that is now breaking down. As we organise ourselves into increasingly disconnected and individual spheres, we are losing that vital human-to-human connection. As more people drive everywhere, that sense of connection fades. As more people move to suburbs—especially those without local parks, town squares, or corner shops where we naturally bump into other people—things only get worse. Is it any wonder that we’re now facing <strong>a loneliness epidemic</strong>? [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness_epidemic" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>]</p><p><strong>In the Countryside </strong></p><p>While this post is mostly about cities, it would be wrong to think that this disconnection exists only in urban areas. Our countryside has suffered significant ecological degradation. It’s crisscrossed by asphalt roads and divided by fences, with fields ravaged by heavy agricultural machinery, leaving behind vast, artificial monocultures. While we can still find pockets of nature, they are like small islands—similar to parks in our cities. Is it any wonder that farmers commit suicide in such high numbers? Yes, this has much to do with the pressures of modern agriculture, but a disconnect from nature clearly plays a role as well.</p><p class="">I still think of that scene in <em>Trainspotting</em>, the movie, where the protagonists leave their squalid urban surroundings to enjoy a walk in the countryside. When they get there, they find a cold, wind-swept, barren place that in no way feels welcoming. It may be the countryside, but it’s been stripped of almost all life. Our anti-heroes quickly scurry back to their squalid urban life, which they see as the preferable option. I wonder if they had gone to the countryside and been surrounded by lush green forests and spent time sitting under giant trees with the sun on their faces, perhaps the film would have ended a bit differently. <a href="https://youtu.be/xtbS_PdA198" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">[Link]</a></p><p class="">Both urban and rural environments suffer from invisible toxins permeating the air, soil, and water, disrupting nature’s delicate balance. These pollutants and petrochemicals break fundamental ecological bonds, causing widespread environmental damage. Though their effects remain unseen, these toxins are making our planet and its farmers increasingly ill. [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_pesticides" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>] While Biophilia focuses on humanity’s connection to nature, when we damage nature’s internal connections on a large scale, we ultimately harm ourselves as well.</p>“Oil Fields <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/19a/" target="_blank">#19a</a>,” Belridge, California, U.S.A., 2003.Photographs by Edward Burtynsky / Courtesy International Center of Photography<p class="">These problems are well known by farmers, yet few are willing to acknowledge them or make the necessary changes. <strong>Charles Massey</strong>, a Monaro woolgrower, in his book <em>The Reed Warbler</em>, explores the profound connection between humans and nature, emphasising that this bond is essential for our well-being and spiritual health. He argues that the natural world is not just a backdrop for human activity but a living, interconnected system of which we are deeply part of. Massey highlights how reconnecting with nature helps restore a sense of belonging and meaning, countering the alienation many feel in modern, technology-driven society. [<a href="https://openlibrary.org/books/OL38979600M/Call_of_the_Reed_Warbler" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>]</p><p class=""><strong>The Wealthy</strong></p><p class="">Wealthy individuals throughout history have leveraged their financial resources and influence to immerse themselves in natural surroundings. This practice spans from the meticulously designed gardens of 18th-century European nobility to the verdant landscapes of affluent suburbs and sprawling country estates. What began as a display of status has evolved into a means of creating personal green sanctuaries amidst our increasingly industrialised urban environments and altered landscapes. In contrast, the poorest people have always been denied access to nature in cities. From the Manchester terraces, of the Industrial Revolution, to the favelas of South America, greenery and nature have consistently been withheld from the urban poor by developers and planners.</p><p class="">With the impacts of climate change worsening, phenomena like <strong>the urban heat island effect</strong> highlight some of the many other issues that arise from a lack of nature. While many cities are finally beginning to address the issue of limited green space in the poorest neighbourhoods, available resources are nowhere near enough to meet the scale of the problem. Much of the work is still often left to small not-for-profit organisations like North East Trees in LA. [<a href="https://mastodon.world/@OWGF/114885265218640583" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>]</p><p><strong>Creature Comforts</strong></p><p>While we do love our connection to nature, we also love the creature comforts that our cities offer. We don’t enjoy being surrounded by nature when we are uncomfortably cold and wet. We appreciate what our homes and cities provide: roofs over our heads, mud-free streets, temperature-controlled environments, running water, access to a myriad of services and more. Nobody wants to give up their creature comforts, but in order to have many of them, we end up destroying nature. Nobody is saying we should all go live in forests—so the question remains: what is the compromise? How can we have more nature in our cities, that we can connect with, especially when “free” space is in such short supply?</p><p><strong>Bringing nature back</strong></p><p class="">Our aim should be to restore as much nature as possible to both our cities and the countryside. We need to look at the quickest and easiest ways to do this and get started on those first. For me, the absolute simplest way is by removing a modest 10% of on-street parking and replacing it with native trees and plants. This would absolutely transform our cities. Streets are one of the most important parts of our cities and should be part of our commons that we all have the right to change—within reason and with full consultation.</p><p><strong>Yimby Melbourne </strong>produced this excellent report, looking at the feasibly and benefits of this approach and even did some costs too. <a href="http://trees.yimby.melbourne" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://trees.yimby.melbourne</a> </p><p>There are many ways we can swap parking for greenery that are quick, reasonably cheap, and would have an immediate effect on our cities. Paris is leading the way on this. Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plan for removing 70,000 of the city’s 140,000 on-street parking spaces to make Paris greener and more people-friendly is well under way. </p> <p class=""></p><p><strong>Participatory Urbanism.</strong></p><p class="">It’s 2025, and it is long past time that everyone in our cities had the same access to greenery that the wealthiest residents enjoy. Yes, there is a cost to this, but there is an even greater human health cost for those living in nature-deprived spaces. Fortunately, there are ways to achieve greening objectives more quickly, more cheaply, and more easily through participatory urbanism—by inviting people to shape their own streets and giving residents who want to get hands-on a way to do so, as Emma Cutting has done with her Pollinators Corridor project. [<a href="https://owgf.org/2024/06/27/melbourne-pollinator-corridor-restoring-biodiversity-in-urban-landscapes" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>]</p><p>All over the world we are seeing citizen <strong>De-paving</strong> movements springing up. [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depaving" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depaving</a>] Where local residents go out into the community and looking for opportunities to rip out hard surfaces and replacing them with nature. There are groups all over the world, from Portland to Berlin now doing this. Once the paving has gone they plant trees and bushes and return a little more space back to nature. De-paving also allows for opportunities to bringing back natural hydrological systems that capture stormwater run off. De-paving projects often include <strong>Sustainable Urban Stormwater Design.</strong> (SuSD) This is an approach to managing rainwater and runoff in urban areas that prioritises environmental sustainability, aiming to mimic natural hydrological processes to reduce pollution, improve water quality, and enhance urban resilience. I wrote about a project like this [<a href="https://owgf.org/2024/11/21/st-george-rainway-from-vision-to-vibrant-community-space/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">HERE</a>]</p><p class="">The <strong>Melbourne Regen Network </strong>has recently launched its <strong>300,000 Streets</strong> initiative, which aims to transform the city’s streets into vibrant, community-centered spaces that promote social interaction, environmental sustainability, and economic vitality. This project seeks to engage residents in shaping their neighbourhoods, addressing issues like walkability and green space to enhance overall liveability. [<a href="http://owgf.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/4f769-regenstreetsreport_final2024_compressed.pdf" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>]</p><p class=""><strong>Wrapping up…</strong></p><p class="">Biophilia is something that exists in all of us to a greater or lesser degree. Though we may block it out with endless distractions, it’s always there in the background. For many people, this need for connection with nature—and with others—is much more pronounced, much clearer and more obvious. For some, the disconnection from nature contributes to a general feeling of unease, a background anxiety they just can’t quite put their finger on.</p><p class="">As our cities and countryside have become more industrialised and mechanised, the backlash against our disconnection with nature has grown stronger and stronger. We are now at a point where thousands of movements around the world recognise Biophilia and are actively seeking to do something about it. This is very much part of what I see as the <strong>Re-Growth Revolution</strong>. [<a href="https://owgf.org/2024/12/08/lets-use-the-word-regrowth-not-degrowth" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Link</a>] And this author, for one, thinks this is bloody marvellous!</p> <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/biodiversity/" target="_blank">#Biodiversity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/biophilia/" target="_blank">#Biophilia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/climate-change/" target="_blank">#climateChange</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/environment/" target="_blank">#Environment</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/nature/" target="_blank">#nature</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/owgf/" target="_blank">#OWGF</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/regeneration/" target="_blank">#Regeneration</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/solarpunk/" target="_blank">#SolarPunk</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/strongtowns/" target="_blank">#StrongTowns</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/sustainability/" target="_blank">#sustainability</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://owgf.org/tag/urbanism/" target="_blank">#Urbanism</a></p>
Zagorath<p><strong>Yes, going fare-free can make transit better</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://aussie.zone/post/23021318" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">aussie.zone/post/23021318</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p>
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