Quality of Life
Page 17
Cobble it up
Along with clean hospitals and punctual buses, our cities should have a cosy feel to them. Let’s hear it for warm street lighting, pristine parks and cobbled back alleys.
Theatre of life
In Munich, a unique building provides subsidised rent for retired actors, artists and journalists. The Werner Friedmann Foundation, which made its money in the circus, runs the enviable scheme.
Les Batignolles
Once the stamping ground of Impressionist painters, this 17th arrondissement neighbourhood is attracting a new wave of residents fleeing the overpriced centre and seeking some old-fashioned charm.
Perfect old age community
We've designed the perfect town for mature living. Our first development is in Hawaii, with government-subsidised housing, reinvested profits and a moderate cost of living. Future sites include Italy, Japan and New Zealand.
Best of the best
Good medical care is about more than mending broken bones – it also fixes nations. These are the countries and people building healthier states.
Lucca
For those who want to breathe in the Tuscan air but avoid sharing it with too many tourists, Lucca’s old town could be just the ticket.
Expo 55: Portland
Though often misty and cold, Maine’s largest settlement doesn’t let the weather prevent the warm, relaxed and extremely infectious lifestyle of its inhabitants from shining through.
Expo 55: Valparaiso
Once becalmed in quiet isolation, Chile’s second city is opening up to the world. But will tourism and redevelopment corrupt the port’s cheerful bohemian atmosphere?
Expo 55: Naha
Despite a complex history and political identity, Naha seems healthy, happy and relaxed. It's a world away from Japan’s manic big cities, yet sits at a vital strategic point in East Asia.
Expo 55: Tbilisi
Chaotically beautiful, brimming with optimism and inhabited by friendly, fun-loving people, the capital of Georgia is a lesson in transformation.
