May 14, 2012
THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TWEETED (AND CROSS-POSTED)
The Center for An Urban Future has confirmed what many of all already knew:
There are a lot of tech startups in the Flatiron District
So lets hear it for NYC taking its place at the table of technology innovation. However, we’d love to see how that sort of activity is really influencing the economy. Also, we’d like to know how the economy is valuing that type of innovation.
Take for example, the recent acquisition of Instagram (a company of 12 employees) by Facebook for 1 BILLION DOLLARS (reference: Dr. Evil). We’re happy that these people have allowed us to tweet a sepia toned picture of the last hamburger we had at shakeshack. Maybe some of that creative and tech-minded energy could be better put to use trying to solve the great problems of the day?
We don’t need any more apps that cross-post and multi-tweet the latest coffee shop you walked into. Really, we don’t.
Also, since we’re all about innovation here at Urbanitis, we are also going to take this opportunity to coin a new term: SoMe. Its just so hard to type Social Media all the time. Do you think we can get a cool Billion for coining the term SoMe? I mean isn’t SoMe what social Media is all about?
CAN WE GET AN INTERNET MEME OVER HERE?
urbanitisblog@gmail.com@urbanitisblog

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TWEETED (AND CROSS-POSTED)

The Center for An Urban Future has confirmed what many of all already knew:

There are a lot of tech startups in the Flatiron District

So lets hear it for NYC taking its place at the table of technology innovation. However, we’d love to see how that sort of activity is really influencing the economy. Also, we’d like to know how the economy is valuing that type of innovation.

Take for example, the recent acquisition of Instagram (a company of 12 employees) by Facebook for 1 BILLION DOLLARS (reference: Dr. Evil). We’re happy that these people have allowed us to tweet a sepia toned picture of the last hamburger we had at shakeshack. Maybe some of that creative and tech-minded energy could be better put to use trying to solve the great problems of the day?

We don’t need any more apps that cross-post and multi-tweet the latest coffee shop you walked into. Really, we don’t.

Also, since we’re all about innovation here at Urbanitis, we are also going to take this opportunity to coin a new term: SoMe. Its just so hard to type Social Media all the time. Do you think we can get a cool Billion for coining the term SoMe? I mean isn’t SoMe what social Media is all about?

CAN WE GET AN INTERNET MEME OVER HERE?

urbanitisblog@gmail.com
@urbanitisblog

May 8, 2012
THE WORLD IS NOT FAIR!
Look at this series of expressive photos of World’s Fair sites of the past as photographed today. We are specifically intersted in the detritus of the American locales such as Chicago and Philadelphia in relation to several of the other locaions. However, you Spaniards in Seville may be fighting us for last place.
Things fall apart…

THE WORLD IS NOT FAIR!

Look at this series of expressive photos of World’s Fair sites of the past as photographed today. We are specifically intersted in the detritus of the American locales such as Chicago and Philadelphia in relation to several of the other locaions. However, you Spaniards in Seville may be fighting us for last place.

Things fall apart…

April 17, 2012

LEARN SPANISH, ECONOMICS AND TRAFFIC THEORY ALL AT ONCE.

We love multitasking. So crack open a Corona and click play. Then discuss with your liberal friends.

xo

urbanitis.

urbanitisblog@gmail.com
@urbanitis

March 6, 2012

SPRAWL IN ACTION

Check out this video showing the growth of Las Vegas from 1972 through 2010. Note how no matter how srawl-ish it gets you can still make out ‘the strip’ and the airport pretty much from the beging.

January 12, 2012

A new installation by Chris Burden has just opened at the LACMA called Metropolis II. The kinetic rhub goldberg like machine imagines an urban environment that is free from the will of drivers and (to some extent) the pysics of contemporary construction. Watch the video let us know what you think. We’ll be sure to check this out when we head west in April.

January 6, 2012
MORE (RUIN) PORN

Very interesting article that foollows up on a post we did earlier about the way photos of abandoned and decaying spaces affect perception of place. Follow the links there are some…captivating…photographs.

October 20, 2011
CATCH UP WITH URBANITIS, NYTIMES

Op Ed Piece in the NY Times abotu Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS).

SCOOPED by Urbanitis!

_____________________
@urbanitisblog
urbanitisblog@gmail.com
_____________________

October 17, 2011
TAKE THAT P.O.P.S!
A short op-ed on the Atlantic Cities points out something obvious about the most suddenly well known public space in the world (Zucotti Park): Its not a very good park.
Starting with the fact that its really more of a plaza than a public park, Zucotti park was created out of the Privately Owned Public Space (P.O.P.S) regulations from back in the day. This allowed developers to get some extra height and floor area out of their buildings if they provided some ‘public space’ on their lot. The op-ed points out that there is probably a conflict somewhere along the way that makes the developer do this when they don’t really want the place to be actually all that public. So, once again, maybe we cant depend on the private sector to provide what the public needs. Le sigh.
There are plenty of P.O.P.S that were developed in the 60s, 70s and 80s, but most of the fail milserably. Recently, the Downtown Alliance and Starr-Whitehouse have come up with some ideas on how to enliven all of the P.O.P.S along water street. Check out some of their ideas that we blogged about previously, here.
_____________________@urbanitisblogurbanitisblog@gmail.com_____________________

TAKE THAT P.O.P.S!

A short op-ed on the Atlantic Cities points out something obvious about the most suddenly well known public space in the world (Zucotti Park): Its not a very good park.

Starting with the fact that its really more of a plaza than a public park, Zucotti park was created out of the Privately Owned Public Space (P.O.P.S) regulations from back in the day. This allowed developers to get some extra height and floor area out of their buildings if they provided some ‘public space’ on their lot. The op-ed points out that there is probably a conflict somewhere along the way that makes the developer do this when they don’t really want the place to be actually all that public. So, once again, maybe we cant depend on the private sector to provide what the public needs. Le sigh.

There are plenty of P.O.P.S that were developed in the 60s, 70s and 80s, but most of the fail milserably. Recently, the Downtown Alliance and Starr-Whitehouse have come up with some ideas on how to enliven all of the P.O.P.S along water street. Check out some of their ideas that we blogged about previously, here.

_____________________
@urbanitisblog
urbanitisblog@gmail.com
_____________________

October 17, 2011
THANKS FOR COMING !

Wow! What a turnout! We had over 100 people show up for our tours of East Harlem on Saturday. The day was beautiful and made for a perfect OHNY weekend. Thank you so much for supporting a great organization and showing your interest in public space, cities and architecture.

Carry On!

xo

Urbanitis

____________________
@urbanitisblog
urbanitisblog@gmail.com
____________________

October 14, 2011
DONT FORGET: URBANITIS TOUR OF EAST HARLEM FOR OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK (FREE!!!)
Join us at 12pm or 2pm on October 15th for a tour of the architectural wonders and hidden gems of East Harlem. We will meet at 114th Street and Pleasant Avenue (across the street from Rao’s) and walk the neighborhood for about an hour. Reservations are not required, but if you’d like to email us and let us know you’re coming, thats fine too (urbanitisblog@gmail.com)
More information on OHNY and our tour here.

DONT FORGET: URBANITIS TOUR OF EAST HARLEM FOR OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK (FREE!!!)

Join us at 12pm or 2pm on October 15th for a tour of the architectural wonders and hidden gems of East Harlem. We will meet at 114th Street and Pleasant Avenue (across the street from Rao’s) and walk the neighborhood for about an hour. Reservations are not required, but if you’d like to email us and let us know you’re coming, thats fine too (urbanitisblog@gmail.com)

More information on OHNY and our tour here.

Liked posts on Tumblr: More liked posts »