In a world of constant uncertainty, there are positives to take note of forming in the great urban cores of the world, our cities. The urban landscape has forever changed from the days we once knew before the automobile. “Urbanized“, a documentary by Gary Hustwit, looks beyond that and provides examples of the changing urban landscape in cities and towns and how they are becoming more livable, social, diverse, and sustainable.

The documentary sits down with seminal leaders in architecture, landscapes architecture, urban design, and organizations all making a difference. Below are a few key points picked up during the film. Recommend seeing the documentary, well worth your time.

  • Cities are physical manifestations of the socio-economics, political landscape,
  • Urban design language of a city, everything has been designed, every aspect
  • Multi-disciplinary process in urban design
  • Urban design runs the gamut from temporary landscapes to massive undertakings like the Big Dig or 911 Memorial
  • Urbanization of immigrants will happen in forms of slums if immigration isn’t looked after in years time by 2050
  • City Beautiful encourages civic pride
  • Garden City Movement, stems from City Beautiful – green belts, park connectors, etc.
  • Restricting car use by restrictions on parking, look to London’s congestion charge
  • Urban life is about connections through people and physical elements in the landscape like bike paths, etc.
  • Must promote bicycle use – Copenhagen has created a unique culture and connection through its city
  • Look at who has stopped in a city to see what is going on
  • Seating in urban design is essential in space development
  • 100m by 100m, extent in which humans can command a space visually…thats why we see first urban spaces to be about this size
  • High Line as a connector changed the urban landscape forever
  • Communal sensibility created at High Line
  • Robert Moses
  • Jane Jacobs
  • Civic identity is being lost as we move outward to suburbs…pattern of development has changed
  • Technology has provided forward progress in cities
  • VPUU Violence Provention by Urban Upgrading
  • www.iwishthiswas.com
  • Project 21 Stuttgart
  • City is an expression of microcosms found in public spaces and urban landscapes, neighborhoods, communities

This link here can provide further information on the documentary, but why do that if its available on Netflix Instant!