REDESIGNING CITIES: The Speedwell Foundation Talks @ Georgia Tech

Episode 51: Episode 51: Ecologies of Memory

How do designed landscapes connect us not just to the natural environment and ecology of a place, but to the people and cultural memories that have inhabited it? When should the designer minimize the presence of their own hand and when is it appropriate to intervene with bold and contrasting design ideas to stimulate new forms of occupation of the land? Sara Zewde, Associate Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture at Harvard and founding principal of Studio Zewde shares her approach to these questions in her design work and forthcoming book on Frederick Law Olmsted’s abolitionist work in the South, followed by a discussion with Ellen Dunham-Jones.

Episode 50: Episode 50: Health and Economic Benefits of Walkability

Does driving make you fat? Does taking transit make you thin? Are you likely to be healthier in a city with small blocks or big blocks? Are you less likely to get diabetes if you live near a park?  Do you breathe more pollutants in heavy traffic on a bike or in a car?  What urban form is healthier when you’re a teenager or a senior? Are you likely to have more friends if you live in a walkable neighborhood?  What health-related economic benefits do you receive from walkability, bikeways, and greenways? How do you measure these things? One of the most cited scholars in the world, Dr. Lawrence Frank coined the term walkability and has been answering such questions for three decades. After sharing the state of the evidence linking built and natural environment features with health and economics, he and Yilun Zha discuss the findings’ impacts on cities and public health.

Episode 49: Episode 49: Mayors Redesigning Cities: The Transformation of Greenville SC’s Downtown

Like many downtowns, suburbanization wiped much of the life out of Greenville SC’s downtown by the 1970s. Today it is a thriving, award-winning destination largely due to the 30-year leadership of Mayor Knox White. Why has it been so successful and what can other cities learn from its multi-layered strategies to attract people downtown and celebrate gathering at new iconic parks (including removing a four-lane highway bridge to do so?) Mayor White explains and Michael Messner and Ellen Dunham-Jones lead the follow-up conversation on the implementation and impacts of this remarkable redesign.

Episode 47: Episode 47: Council Members Redesigning Cities: Autonomous Vehicle Shuttles in Boca Raton, FL

Autonomous vehicles are here – but which mode best serves cities? Private AVs like Tesla? Privately-owned and operated robotaxis like Waymo? Or publicly supported on-demand AV shuttle buses? Are on-demand AV shuttles a more efficient way to provide transit service in lower-density areas where regular bus service is infeasible – and if so how should cities plan for them? This summer Boca Rotan, Florida began a three-year roll-out of AV shuttles. An affluent city struggling to attract service-industry workers, the city sees the shuttles as a means of connecting affordable housing to affordable transportation. Is it working? Jun Wang, Assistant Professor at FAU in Boca Rotan shares her dissertation research on planning for AV shuttles before Mark Wigder, Boca Raton Council Member tells us why he championed the AV shuttle and how it’s doing so far. Noted transit urbanist Peter Calthorpe also makes a surprise appearance.

Episode 48: Episode 48: Mayors Redesigning: Putting downtown Oklahoma City's streets on a diet

How did Oklahoma City go from being one of America’s most obese and least walkable cities in 2008 to an award-winning thriving downtown attracting an influx of jobs, dining, recreation, and young adults? Through the implementation of a complete redesign of the public streets and parks in the 50-block downtown core. Defying fears of gridlock, the one-way street system and a third of the driving lanes were eliminated while on-street parking was doubled, a bike network established, and over 2,500 street trees planted. Then Mayor Mick Cornett and urban designer Jeff Speck discuss how they pulled this off and lessons learned.