5 May 2016
Episode 238
30 minutes
Can old manufacturing towns hold the key to innovation? A new book called ‘The Smartest Places on Earth’ believes that rust-belt cities are now brain-belt ones. Plus: can you guess which city is set to be the first in the world to have its own bike mayor?
5 May 2016
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We’ve talked a lot about megacities and some of the best ways of ensuring they affect positive change as they grow. But what role should public and private resources play as our urban environments expand? We explore some of the main questions Toronto is facing at the moment.
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Former manufacturing towns and rust-belt cities have suffered economically in the US in recent decades as fabrication jobs have moved abroad. A new book called ‘The Smartest Places on Earth’, however, argues that these cities are set for a major shift and will transform into what it calls “brain-belts”.
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Now we all know that, together with Copenhagen, Amsterdam is probably one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the world. But cycling in the Dutch capital is about to reach a whole new level: the city is set to get the world’s very first bicycle mayor.
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Canada may not be one of the world’s soccer powerhouses: its national side is presently ranked 95th. Next time the team plays in Montréal, however, it will at least have the consolation of one of the world’s better-looking stadiums. The new Le Stade de Soccer de Montréal is the recipient of the Design Excellence Award of 2016, presented by the Ontario Association of Architects.
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