COP15

So what is all this COP15 business about? Well – the BBC have a handy introductory guide… and some graphs and images too! Now you have a better idea… how does it all link in with planning and urban design? Take a look at this page over at RUDI as a pretty good start… specifically the Spring 2007 issue of Urban Design Quarterly article ‘Adapting to Climate Change’.

 

…then let’s stop TALKING about it all and start DOING the changes needed to secure a sustainable future… because if you believe global warming is human-caused or not… it’s happening… and inefficiency of energy and resources is just plain wasteful… please!?

 

 

 

Ever wanted...

…to know ALL ABOUT the Danish Planning system?  Now you can!: read this.

 

A little tongue-in-cheek of me perhaps but in all seriousness it’s more than a little interesting. Especially considering how well known Denmark is for it’s reduction in car use in city centres, green approaches to spatial development and the Copenhagen Finger Plan. International case studies keep those clogs turning…

But is this urban art?

The Design Against Crime Research Centre have planned a series of 6 talks called “A Dialogue with Graffiti”:

‘Why do designers love graffiti and why is it a hot topic with art and design students/staff?  What activities (or none) should be criminalised?’

‘The first talk “In Defence of Illegal Graffiti” will take place at the Cochrane Theatre, Holborn on Thursday 3rd December 2009 at 6pm, by Patrick Turner (Centre for Urban and Community Research, Goldsmiths University). He suggests:

‘Progressive’ discussion of the merits or otherwise of illegal street art and graffiti frequently revolves around whether such expression justifies tolerance on aesthetic grounds – ‘is it art and by what measure’ or whether it perhaps offers the potential for channelling delinquent energies in a constructive, ‘pro-social’ direction.  In this talk I will mount a defence of illegal graffiti and street art as practices that potentially foster informal association and self-organisation, do not ask for permission, and represent struggles over the nature of public space, its policing and ownership.’