Oct 22, 2020
Do you listen to your city? Whether it’s a bird chirping on a neighborhood street, a train passing through town, or a car honking its horn, our auditory senses play a huge role in how we experience and navigate an urban environment. Focusing on the soundscape of cities can unlock this often forgotten layer of…
Oct 22, 2020
Traditionally, cities have often treated urban sound as “noise,” an isolated nuisance that should be measured and mitigated using noise control strategies and regulations. Attempts are frequently made to manage unwanted sounds by creating special windows, noise barriers, and hi-tech materials to drown these noises out. This myopic approach can solve some issues, but it…
Oct 22, 2020
In 2002, the European Environmental Noise Directive was released with the aim of establishing a common methodology among Member States to reduce noise pollution. One of the noise reduction measures introduced by the Directive was the creation of a plan for quiet areas in open country and agglomerations. The importance of protecting quiet areas in…
Oct 21, 2020
In March of this year, stay-at-home advisories and the cessation of all non-essential activities were implemented across the globe to alleviate the demands of rising COVID-19 cases on our healthcare systems. Highways once brimming with road traffic were freakishly desolate. Communities that lived directly under flight paths shared with me that their windows didn’t rattle…
Oct 20, 2020
Sound affects everything we do. It is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of all life and is a crucial building block for civilisation. Before the onslaught of visual media, the importance of sound, hearing and listening was understood to be critical to life. But in modern life we are continually bombarded by noise –…
Oct 08, 2020
Climate change is already impacting cities around the world, including where people are moving and why, the housing and real estate markets, and nearly every aspect of life in cities. In partnership with the City of Orlando, NewCities is excited to launch our initiative, Higher Ground. Through a virtual event format, we will explore and…
Oct 06, 2020
We have long known that our physical and social environment impacts our overall health—from pollution, air and water quality, to our working conditions and access to housing. COVID-19 has brought to light the importance of optimizing cities for urban wellbeing, calling into question spatial planning and density, public space, and health systems. To what extent…
Oct 05, 2020
Over 90% of our time is spent indoors, two-thirds of which is ordinarily spent at home. The COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified that time, making it more important than ever to focus on the impact that our home environments can have on our physical and mental health and wellbeing. Informed by leading research on health…
Oct 05, 2020
While working on a recent urban planning project, which involved an in-depth collaboration with our international and local consultants, we composed a plan visionary to all parameters that provide a healthy, inclusive and resilient future. Increasingly, as architects and within UNStudio, we are invited to address complex issues, such as urban densification, climate change and…
Oct 02, 2020
Cities are one of the greatest creations of humankind. They are amazing engines of creativity, productivity, and powerful economies; places where millions of people accomplish amazing things day in and day out around the globe. Since time immemorial, cities have been defined by incredible networks of built space and circulation—all designed to foster connections among…
Oct 02, 2020
When people think about health and wellbeing, local neighbourhoods are not the first thing that come to mind for many people. However, where people are born, where they live, learn, work, play and age are critical to long term health outcomes. In public health, these factors are referred to as the social determinants of health…
Oct 02, 2020
From homes to hospitals, from offices to theaters, from schools to factories, COVID-19 has raised public awareness of the merits of healthy buildings – and the detriment of unhealthy buildings – as never before. This awareness is not reversing, even if society gets a handle on how to live with COVID. People will want to…
