Urbanism
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Park life
Brazil's Santa Catarina state is booming, thanks to its location and skilled labour. Its capital, Florianópolis, is now regarded as one of the country's best places to live and work.
Under growth
With roads gridlocked, delivering goods in the world’s cities is a growing problem. One engineer believes the answer lies in underground Victorian-style pneumatic pipes and he has some powerful backers.
Street talker
After a life in radical campaign groups, Algerian-descended Fadela Amara is now at the heart of French government. Her challenge from President Sarkozy: to rebuild France’s riot-hit suburbs.
Americas
Why China is miffed with Canada, and Mexico's solution to groping on public transport.
Site seeing
Tokyo's Marunouchi district is in the latest stage of a 20-year transformation. The next phase includes Mitsubishi’s Marunouchi Park Building, a 34-floor office tower, shops, a rose garden and an art gallery.
Asia
The empty schools of Japan, bridging Hong Kong and searching for a new Seoul in Yongsan.
Canal plus
Thousands of Venezuelans have fled to Panama, which is attracting everyone from US retirees to multinationals and emerging as Latin America’s most vibrant and strategic centre.
Prime mover
Mitsubishi built Tokyo’s first office block in Marunouchi 114 years ago and is now behind the area’s redevelopment into a major financial centre. Overleaf, we dissect a building site.
Observation
Leaders of the world’s major cities need to get out more to watch the competition and form alliances. With a thin field for its leadership race, is London up to the challenge?
Trade secret
Once a colonial trading hub, George Town on the Malaysian island of Penang lost out to Hong Kong and Singapore. Now its faded villas and relaxed pace are luring a new generation of entrepreneurs.
