Third Wave Urbanism

This week we have a special episode on the incredible storm surging through Houston this weekend, Hurricane Harvey. With our guest, Tanvi Misra, author of the CityLab article The Vulnerable Communities in Harvey’s Path, Mapped, we discuss the issues that disadvantaged populations face not only in times of environmental crisis but every day in our cities.

As per Tanvi’s suggestions, we’re linking to an excellent thread on Twitter by Jia Tolentino that includes a list of local organizations she suggests supporting. Beyond that we can only ask ourselves, how do we consider compassion when planning our cities? Why does it take the worst case scenario to raise awareness of our citizens’ plights? What do we lose when we refuse to plan ahead, for hurricanes or others’ daily struggles? 

If you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

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Articles referenced in this episode:

Main article from CityLab: https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/08/the-vulnerable-populations-in-harveys-path-mapped/538071/

ProPublica article on Houston’s preparedness: https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/harvey

The Urban Edge on zoning in Houston: https://urbanedge.blogs.rice.edu/2015/09/08/forget-what-youve-heard-houston-really-does-have-zoning-sort-of/?sbe-widgetadd=true#.WaTUMZOGO1v

An excellent current summary of events from Vox: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/24/16198030/hurricane-harvey-2017-texas-gulf-corpus-christi-galveston-houston

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Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

The recent discussions, protests, and removal of confederate monuments following the events in Charlottesville have helped revive the conversation around who we are as a country, who we were, and who we want to be — as memorialized in our public space. Mariah’s recent story in Next City discusses a hopeful shift in the installation of a new statue — that of a black woman, Maggie Walker — in Richmond, Virginia. In contrast to this, however, she also found herself asked to leave during a celebratory gathering of black women on a separate occasion because of a lack of a permit. 

What does public space mean if it’s not for everyone? How does our civic space and our regulations reflect what — or who — we value? What can we do to improve the urban environment to not only allow for, but encourage, expressions of black joy? Join us as we continue our series of conversations around Next City content and unpack what the urban planning field needs to be more inclusive and community-oriented. 

If you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

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Articles referenced in this episode:

Main article from Next City — Cities Should Celebrate, Not Suppress, Black Joy in Public Space — by Mariah Williams: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/celebrate-black-joy-public-spaces

Mariah’s organization, Black Girls Meet Up: https://www.blackgirlsmeetup.org/

Mansplaining the City — Alissa Walker’s article in Curbed that interviews Katrina + Kristen about Third Wave Urbanism and Women Led Cities: https://www.curbed.com/2017/8/16/16151000/mansplain-gentrification-define-richard-florida-saskia-sassen

Monument Lab in Philadelphia — a new way to co-create our monuments? http://monumentlab.muralarts.org/

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Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

Historically, “jaywalking” wasn’t an issue. Until the dominance of vehicles (and auto companies assisted by police forces) people and vehicles of all kinds mixed on American streets. Today people walking in cities face the risk of prosecution — or worse — when crossing the street where no marking exists. But what does this mean for a human-centered city? Who loses when we criminalize walking? 

Join us as we talk with Josh Cohen, Next City contributor and author of this week’s featured article on jaywalking, and how Seattle’s council may undo the law altogether. This is also the second episode in our partnership with Next City on a series of conversations about interesting stories found on NextCity.org. Check them out for more in-depth analysis of urban issues and stay tuned for our featured content from them every month!

If you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our unsponsored efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

And our guest Josh Cohen can be found @jcohenwrites on Twitter

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Articles referenced in this episode:

Main article from Next City — Seattle Council Member Questions Jaywalking Law: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/seattle-jaywalking-tickets-police-bias

The Invention of Jaywalking: https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2012/04/invention-jaywalking/1837/ 

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Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

Mandatory parking minimums are an important part of how our cities are shaped (we swear!) and we are happy to see the subject explained in a more digestible way in a recent video by Vox and Mobility Lab. In our first video-inspired episode, we discuss what exactly these wonky requirements are, and unpack the nuance surrounding how to go about disincentivizing unnecessary driving in city centers in an equitable way. 

We are also still doing a happy dance for our partnership with Next City on a series of conversations about interesting stories found on NextCity.org. Check them out for more in-depth analysis of urban issues and stay tuned for more frequent content from them every month!

If you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our unsponsored efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

Articles referenced in this episode:

Main video from Vox and Mobility Lab — The High Cost of Free Parking: https://mobilitylab.org/2017/07/19/voxmobility-lab-video-high-cost-free-parking/

Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

It’s no secret that the justice system in the United States needs reform. A proposal in New York City aims to address one specific link in the chain: city jails. What if jails were community hubs? How does treating people with dignity improve recidivism rates? And can the design of a space make us behave better? This week’s episode is based on the Next City article by Catesby Holmes on the now mayor-backed idea of smaller, community-based jails in each of the boroughs.

We are also super excited to announce that this episode is the first in a partnership with Next City on a series of conversations about interesting stories found on NextCity.org. Check them out for more in-depth analysis of urban issues and stay tuned for more frequent content from them every month! 

If you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our crowdfunded efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

Articles referenced in this episode:

Main article from Next City — New York Has a Chance to Embrace This New Type of Jail Design: https://nextcity.org/features/view/new-york-rikers-closing-prison-design-humane-jail

New Yorker — The Life of a South Central Statistic: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/07/24/the-life-of-a-south-central-statistic?reload=true

The Atlantic — Why Scandinavian Prisons are Superior: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/09/why-scandinavian-prisons-are-superior/279949/

Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

You know it when you walk by a spruced up front stoop, or walk through a park with plentiful benches — the little design elements make a big difference in our day to day urban lives. Now, thanks to the Center for Active Design, science has shown just how much of an impact these “extras” have on not only how welcome we feel in a place, but also importantly our sense of trust in institutions and overall city satisfaction. 

What implications do these findings have on our built environment? How do we apply these principles in an equitable way? And what can we do to ensure that our cities are promoting citizen-led action and prioritizing these small but mighty design elements for everyone? Tune in to hear more about this unprecedented survey, as well as the latest shoutout to #urbanistwomenatwork. 

And if you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our unsponsored efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

Articles referenced in this episode:

Main article from Fast Co Design — Science is proving why urban design matters more than ever: https://www.fastcodesign.com/90131075/science-is-proving-why-urban-design-matters-more-than-ever

The original study, the Assembly Civic Engagement Study, from the Center for Active Design: https://centerforactivedesign.org/assembly-civic-engagement-survey

A briefly mentioned article on Little Free Library controversy: https://www.citylab.com/life/2017/05/the-case-against-little-free-libraries/523533/

A proposed (and thankfully retracted) bill on getting approval for civic-minded sidewalk additions in Philadelphia: http://planphilly.com/articles/2017/02/06/after-blowback-blackwell-scraps-her-sidewalk-bill

Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

Gentrification has almost been labeled a veritable dirty word in many urbanist circles, oversimplified by some to encompass “societal ills” that should probably be called out for what they are. But whether alluding to racism and displacement, rising rent prices or new development, it’s not an easy subject to cover (which probably explains why it took us so long). 

Join us on this week’s episode where we explain our personal feelings towards the phenomenon — the good and the bad — and learn more about what one community in Brooklyn is doing to prevent gentrification before it starts courtesy of Next City. 

If you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

Articles referenced in this episode:

Main article from Next City — In New York, A Neighborhood Makes a Pre-gentrification Plan: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/new-york-brownsville-jobs-businesses-arts-hub-economic-development

NPR on the Tulsa Riot (audio): http://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=532076186:532076188

City Lab — Toward Being a Better Gentrifier: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/06/toward-being-a-better-gentrifier/531324/

Gentrifier (the book): https://www.amazon.com/Gentrifier-UTP-Insights-John-Schlichtman/dp/1442650451/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1498682441&sr=1-1

How can we reimagine our streets and turn them into dignified, safe, and healthy places for people? Oslo is on its way to transforming its downtown into a completely car-free district, in an ambitious plan to make the city even healthier through walking, cycling, and public transportation. But even in Oslo they can encounter the usual problems when it comes to business owners and parking concerns. 

This week we highlight the recent Guardian Cities article on Oslo’s new strategy and discuss how to apply this kind of planning to cities in the United States. From the sprawling suburbs to the new “Streetopia” vision for New York, we have a long way to go.

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

And if you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our unsponsored efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

A few years ago Pittsburgh made some bold claims - to be more livable, equitable, and to create a tech hub that promotes diversity. But how is it doing? This week's episode is about one man's experience raising a son in a world that still harasses and under represents huge swaths of the potential workforce. What does a smart city really look like if it doesn't include the local workforce, let alone women, the LGBTQ community, and people of color? Check it out and let us know what you think!

Thank you to everyone who also continue to support The Women led Cities Initiative as it gets off the ground! Also, don’t forget to send us your #urbanistwomenatwork submissions either anonymously or otherwise to talk about your experience as a woman working in urbanism. Email us at thirdwaveurbanism [at] gmail.com or send us a message on your social media platform of choice.

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram:

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

And if you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our unsponsored efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

This week's article from City Lab: https://www.citylab.com/tech/2017/06/can-cities-hack-diversity/527544/

Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode

Redfin has released Walk Score’s 10 Most Walkable Cities of America and New York City is on top once again. Katrina + Kristen are pleased to see their respective cities at the top, though some ranks have shifted this year… Do the top 10 cities surprise you? Does your own neighborhood’s score seem higher or lower than it should? Join us as we virtually “walk” through these cities for ourselves and what it means to be walkable. 

Thank you to everyone for signing up for The Women Led Cities Initiative teased last week! Don’t forget to send us your #urbanistwomenatwork submissions either anonymously or otherwise to talk about your experience as a woman working in urbanism. Email us at thirdwaveurbanism [at] gmail.com or send us a message on your social media platform of choice. 

As always, you can keep up with our thoughts and send us your comments on Twitter or Instagram: 

Katrina can be found at @think_katrina

Kristen can be found at @blackurbanist

And if you like these conversations and advocating for human-scale cities, you can donate to our unsponsored efforts on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thirdwaveurbanism. Thank you to our supporters, and thank you all for listening, sharing, and doing what you do!

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Here are the references in this episode:

Redfin — These are the 10 Most Walkable Cities of 2017: https://www.redfin.com/blog/2017/05/these-are-the-10-most-walkable-cities-of-2017.html

Walk Score — What makes a neighborhood walkable: https://www.walkscore.com/walkable-neighborhoods.shtml

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Intro and closing music is “Urban Life” by Gustavs Strazdin used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode