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City myths: what happens when what we think of cities turns out to be untrue? From superstitions to bogus branding, we visit London, Jerusalem, Milan, Zürich and Toronto.
Maps: we hear about the man who made New York a grid, find out why some Swiss prefer a relief, and learn about Beirut through one of its first maps.
Gentrification: we speak to critics and champions, and visit Warsaw, Budapest, San Francisco, Madrid and Tel Aviv to ask about the role of people, architecture and history in the ever-controversial process.
Concrete: invented in the Roman era but seemingly modern, we talk about concrete with architects, urbanists, psychologists and academics. Does it drive us mad? How does it differ in Japan, Italy or Switzerland? And, what are the prospects for a renaissance?
Hometowns: heading back to hometowns can remind us how they work, or don’t, and what the future holds for a collection of buildings that were once very familiar. We check out Bemidji, Winnipeg, LA and San Diego.
Views: a commute into Glasgow, we walk the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto, and why Warsaw is trying to hide one of its most iconic buildings.
London: Andrew Tuck sits down with City of London planner Peter Rees and landscape architect Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, to discuss how the past inspires the future of design in London.
Best of 2012: Building cities from scratch to squatted-in skyscrapers, street-sweepers and a series of our favourite Tall Stories, it’s the best the city had to offer in 2012.
Winter: how even today, Christmas is breathing new life into Bethlehem, why we need skating rinks in cities, and we speak to city lighting expert Mark Major.
Meeting places: you can’t just keep to yourself in cities, so The Urbanist explores the parks, plazas, squares and stations that serve as places to meet in our cities.
The way we live: Toronto’s Modernist legacy, we look at micro-apartments, and find out why certain cities are dedicated to the outdoor life.
We hear from Richard Florida, Amanda Burden and Richard Rogers at this year’s London Conference 2012, plus an interview with New York landscape architect Diana Balmori.
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