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OptimiCities
United States
Приєднався 24 сер 2022
Hello! I've lived in many cities around the world, and I want to share some interesting things I've noticed in my travels that I thought were cool and that might be of interest to you and your city. I make these videos more as a discussion point rather than formal education videos, so if you ever have differing opinions leave them in the comments!
Why Some City Parks Are Better Than Others
What makes a good park? Is it benches, fountains, landscaping? In my opinion it boils down to 3 main categories:
1. Location
2. Layout
3. Maintenance
But I'm curious to hear what you think affects the success of a city park, and which city parks are your favorite :)
1. Location
2. Layout
3. Maintenance
But I'm curious to hear what you think affects the success of a city park, and which city parks are your favorite :)
Переглядів: 464
Відео
Mixed Use Magic | Urban Planning and Christmas Movies
Переглядів 788Рік тому
Since it's that season... The first time I saw Breckenridge in the winter, I felt like I was in a Hallmark Movie. I had rarely seen places like that in real life, only in movies or shows like Gilmore Girls. These movie towns actually follow the principles of Jane Jacobs quite well, so I wish there would be more places like this in the US, not just vacation towns or ski towns. But ever since the...
Water Cities | Resilient Cities
Переглядів 455Рік тому
Part 2 of Resilient Cities Drawing inspiration from cities like Chicago, Bangkok and of course, the Netherlands that are all finding ways to live with water. Do you think any of these methods would be suitable for your city?
What Makes a Building Earthquake Proof? | Resilient Cities
Переглядів 1,4 тис.Рік тому
Having well-planned, walkable, livable cities becomes futile when they prove vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods.This underscores the importance of ensuring our cities are resilient too. Here I explore why certain cities and buildings are more vulnerable to earthquakes than others and what design choices we can make to avoid seismic disasters. Interesting links because...
Best Ways Cities Hide Their Parking | In the Mundane
Переглядів 1,5 тис.Рік тому
Yes, parking isn't a very interesting topic, but it can make a huge difference in the way your city functions. Parking lots can be obnoxious and break up a street. Giant concrete parking garages can be eyesores. But if you don't have enough parking, you end up with a situation like Seoul, where people double park and you have to manually push cars out of the way. Here are some of the better way...
Cobblestones Do More Than Look Pretty | In the Mundane
Переглядів 8 тис.Рік тому
Another video about something random and totally mundane that I was thinking about...cobblestone. When I was living in Belgium, I noticed maintenance workers digging up cobblestone to work on utility lines. After their work was completed, they replaced the stones exactly as they were without any major disruptions, jack hammers, or the horrible smelling asphalt. That's when I realized I had unde...
How Bilbao Transformed Itself | Urban Renewal Case Study
Переглядів 7 тис.Рік тому
I love Bilbao, and it's crazy to think that it was a decaying industrial city a few decades ago. Here's some inspiration that shows that cities can indeed be transformed. I had to cut a lot out of this video, because it was getting too long for me to edit, but there are a ton of other cool things about Bilbao that I couldn't cover here, so there might be a part 2 coming. Bilbao Ria: www.bilbaor...
High Places Make Great Spaces | In the Mundane
Переглядів 319Рік тому
On every vacation, I visit at least one scenic lookout, but until now I never really stopped to think about how important these high places are to the overall experience of a city (I'm not talking about skyscrapers).
Bring Back the Marketplace | The Market of Many Shops
Переглядів 938Рік тому
Just me missing the weekly town market after I moved back to the US. People want the convenience of having everything they need in one place (supermarkets), but supermarkets are repetitive, bland, and detached. Here's the case for the marketplace. Interesting links for your perusal: www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/public_marketplaces ua-cam.com/video/Q_QPClXo5MU/v-deo.html&ab...
Why Bangkok Has "Good" Public Transportation but Horrible Traffic
Переглядів 4,8 тис.Рік тому
I was on vacation in Bangkok, and I couldn't help but wonder why the traffic was so bad, considering that Bangkok has a pretty decent sky train. Here's me figuring out that a public transportation system doesn't automatically solve all traffic woes.
Why People Steal Trash Bags in Belgium! | Waste Management & Recycling
Переглядів 7542 роки тому
When I moved to Belgium I noticed that people were really good about recycling. I was curious what we can learn from countries like Belgium when it comes to waste management and recycling. And yes, I was also curious why trash bags in Belgium get stolen... Interesting Links: environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/circular-economy-action-plan_en#documents emf.thirdlight.com/link/l3i96x2za3la-8o3wq5/@...
High Density Doesn't Mean Skyscrapers | Jane Jacobs Death & Life of American Cities (4/4)
Переглядів 6 тис.2 роки тому
High Density Doesn't Mean Skyscrapers | Jane Jacobs Death & Life of American Cities (4/4)
The Need for Aged Buildings | Jane Jacobs in Death and Life of Great American Cities (3/4)
Переглядів 5 тис.2 роки тому
The Need for Aged Buildings | Jane Jacobs in Death and Life of Great American Cities (3/4)
City Block Sizes | Jane Jacobs in Death and Life of Great American Cities (2/4)
Переглядів 11 тис.2 роки тому
City Block Sizes | Jane Jacobs in Death and Life of Great American Cities (2/4)
What Makes a Street Safe? | Jane Jacobs in Death and Life of Great American Cities (1/4)
Переглядів 10 тис.2 роки тому
What Makes a Street Safe? | Jane Jacobs in Death and Life of Great American Cities (1/4)
Contemporary Vernacular Architecture | Is Tradition the Future?
Переглядів 3,7 тис.2 роки тому
Contemporary Vernacular Architecture | Is Tradition the Future?
This is very underrated. In depth explanation.
Honestly, I always feel that the Portland block is a bit too small, a lot of Spanish Latin America has blocks that are about 120m x 120m (which are about 390 x 390 ft) and those seem to be better, as they create more diverse areas within a block. A LOT of the Portland blocks end up with just one land use on the block, while Latin American blocks have multiple uses in a single block, which would increase how "nice" an area feels.
Thankyou so much....😊😊
This is such a great channel. Please reach out to not just bikes to advertise this channel!
Good video!
I don't really agree a city can become urban and suburban at all and it's almost a matter of oil doesn't mix with water, Humans should be willing and more than ready to sacrifice not breathing a stinky emissions filled for a good TRUE walkable human-centric city
Great video. I honestly can't imagine how beautiful it must've been in Spain.. i mean just a two minutes walks to an ice cream shop in a beautiful sunday morning and the city is beaming with life and city is filled with humans not a monstrous loud 4 wheeler, i really hate cars or the way it became from a machine to get you from A to B faster to the priority to every city designers
Ask Walmart they took it
Well, that and we made it illegal to build this way. And created perverse incentives in the lending market to make it much harder to finance this. And incentivized car dependant transportation which makes big box stores viable at all. Walmart is kinda like diabetes. Yeah, the diabetes is what kills you, but you only have it from a lifetime of bad decisions (at least, in this example, not to shame folks for whom diabetes was out of their control). There's a reason Walmart never really took off in other countries.
Those are cobblestone slabs💀 (Minecraft Really rotted my brain)
cobblestone pavement is an ethical matter.
Could you send in text form
I like how water collects in the crevices, and how rain reflects. Even cement can look good in darker shades.
very interesting! do more videos please 😊
But European buildings are Not traditional. Traditional European architecture would be huts also.
7:39 In Bangkok, public transport is privatised. Each type of transport as its own "card" that you use. The huge problem with all the public transport in Bangkok is that they're all privatised, so these greedy companies have profit before convenience. The buses are run by different companies and operators. The largest operator is called Thai Smile Bus, which have a fleet of only electric buses, these are great, and you can use HOP cards on their buses, but not on any other buses or public transport. The BTS is run by BTSC, a private company, that the government has virtually no control over, as they signed a contract that will expire in 25 years. You can only use their dedicated RABBIT Card on the BTS and BRT (which is a public bus with bus lanes). The MRT is run by the MRTA, which is state-owned, where you can only use their dedicated "Mangmoom" card. The SRT lines are run by the State Railway of Thailand, which is also state-owned, but you can't use any card on it, only pay in cash for a ticket. Now for Bangkok's public transport, there are 3 BTS lines (Silom, Sukkhumvit, Gold) , 4 MRT lines (Purple, Pink, Yellow, Blue), 1 Airport Rail Link that only connects to one of Bangkok's two airports, 2 SRT lines (Light red, dark red), several Boat services, and electric boat services. The MRT Orange line is a new line, connecting the suburbs of Minburi, and the Bangkok old town (which currently has no urban rail at all). This is 100% complete in terms of constructions, but they haven't ordered a rolling stock/trains, tracks, or signalling systems for them. Most likely it will be open by earliest date of August 2025.
4:24
Great video! I think the most successful parks have some retail component. I think park flooring materials makes a huge difference too
Great point about the flooring materials! Hadn't thought much about that.
Very good video love it! I'd say as a Bangkok resident, the city has some good arterial train route and theee are multiple plans to expand them. But as you mentioned, the "feeder" system to get to the destination (especially in the suburbs) is very lacking. I've seen plans for them, but never saw them in action. But anyway, It's very rare seeing a town planning video on Bangkok, people are slowly realising the problem here. Thanks for the video!
I love my rolling hills here in southern ohio😅
Good content....robot voice could be changed with a pleasant narrator.
Well done, great video of a great place
The problem with the BTS was the short sightedness of the BTS authority. When the BTS first opened, Thai's thought that it was too expensive and so not many people used it. For many years, you could catch the BTS at any station on the Sukhumvit line and typically get a seat. Now every train carriage is jam packed and sometimes you cannot even get on. This is due to the fact that, although they built very long platforms, they did not have many carriages per train. Fujitsu could not supply any new ones as they had so many orders to fill, plus many trains were out of service for repair. Unless it is very early in the day, or heading into evening, I try and avoid the BTS as much as I can. BTW the MRT is not much better.
great series 👷🏼
👍🏼
🌷
Great 😁
I love pavers. They really should be used more in medium to high density residential areas or on local/access streets to encourage slower speeds, plus all the environmental benefits. The upfront cost will be worth it. 🙂
El Retiro park in Madrid is my world's favorite. Large, safe and so many areas to walk around, mix of uses and interests. Marina Bay Gardens in Singapore and all the green surrounding area and ponds are great too. Oklahoma City's Scissortail Park is brand new and well designed for multiple uses, safe and beautiful, it connects to the waterfront. The Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City is small but Beautiful. Huacheng Square park in Guangzhou, China is really cool with green areas, multiple paths, safe, long and multiple uses. Nan Lian Garden in Hong Kong is great and neatly beautiful. KLCC park in Kuala Lumpur is not that good after sunset, very dark. Central Park in New York is obviously great but some areas after hours feel dangerous. La Mexicana Park in Santa Fe, Mexico City, is great. Same for Chapultepec Park in Reforma Street in Mexico City. Both are beautiful. Monceau park, Tullerie Gardens and Luxemburg Gardens in Paris are alright but Montsouris is nicer. There are so many, with so many styles I just wouldnt finnish. Buenos Aires has a really nice one too.
Awesome, you've been to a lot of places! I'll have to check some of these out :)
Fun fact: tons of Philly streets still have their bricks beneath a couple inches of asphalt. You can sometimes see them during repaving operations.
24hr time : D
Is there a best* size for a park? I've been wondering if it is better to have bigger more spread out parks, or smaller more prevalent parks. Those santa barbra ones are like 150m^2 and maybe seem big enough to feel like you could get lost in them (in a good way)
Hmm I suppose at a certain size, they would start to be called gardens or plazas rather than parks. I think it also depends on the population of the city. Big cities with large populations can support a large central park, while smaller cities or towns don't necessarily need a big park. On the other hand, if the city cannot manage multiple little parks then it's probably better to have one nice park than multiple rundown parks, which is happening where I live now....
I like multiple smaller parks. Gives a whole different feel. I'd say you prob want about 1/4 acre on the small side. Up to 1 acre could be a good medium size where you could also have more attractions. That being said, there are some amazing examples of micro parks/gardens that fill that nature/third space need wonderfully.
came here from the video on permeable pavement
I prefer jogging my three mile trail partially enclosed by trees. It's quiet, has a nice variety of trees, not highly trafficed. I feel more comfortable zoning out there than at a public park. I can also do without all the eyes on me as I jog.
Great video, congrats!
I'm from Canada, particularly Quebec where there are a great many small towns or older neighbourhoods that deck their main streets with postcard-perfect holiday cheer worthy of the best Christmas movies, complete with real snow, not fake. But I spent this last Christmas in Florida, oh my. However, we did visit Tarpon Springs, and what a relief to finally see sidewalks and ordinary houses and even shop-lined streets after so much sprawl. Alas, what keeps that town alive is tourism, so there are few shops that the locals use -- instead, they drive to the strip malls just a bit to the east. The same is true for some of the particularly charming towns here, and Old Québec is like a resort town, hardly used by locals. Old Montréal fares better, but it still has few services for its residents. However, they are both beautiful, summer or winter, so there's that.
I'm loving your videos! Another example of extremes from Canada: where I live, they re-did one of the main squares in Old Montreal, Place Jacques-Cartier, but the granite stones they used were only 6cm thick and started cracking after the first winter. They had to re-do it with 10cm thick blocks after. And I noticed in Portugal that their blocks are actually tapered spikes and quite a lot deeper than their smallish square size on the surface.
Very informative and a well made video. Interesting note about the power lines
Great video, this makes so much sense! Also, thanks for the great subtitles.
still waiting for 90% of the population here to know that voting actually does something and they can’t just vote to whoever give them the most money (also tbh some of the politicians don’t really have much knowledge on urban planning)
You said depreciate Funny, how boomers single family housing is not built in high enough amounts for housing needs causing an appreciating asset and they fight new housing projects, especially anything thats a duplex or higher, and causing bidding wars. Man, I miss the good old days of America whete you could wLk everywhere and businesses where put on postitage stamps rather than the stroads and asphalt parking lots of strip malls
Knowing how walkable cities are so in demand but are basically unaffordable, I'm surprised there aren't people building their own like back in the days of the old west and advertising their amenities.. like affordable housing. Please walkable city UA-camrs, band together and make this a reality
These are really great videos. Please keep it up, looking forward to the next one!
Great vid! Jeff Shelton from America's west coast has been doing interesting work recently that draws heavily from vernacular southwestern architecture.
The BTS, MRT, and SRT are too expensive if we take into account of the average people's daily wages and costs of living. The overall public transportation isn't THAT far-reaching, mostly sticking to/around main roads or some CBDs. This is especially the case for rail-based transportation. The "city plannings" are essentially non-existent for more than half a century at the very least. In the past before people actually cared about plannings, they let private landowners roam free. There are a lot of "soi"(small streets) that doesn't connect to anywhere, resulting in so many dead ends. Motorcycles are also EVERYWHERE, even on sidewalks. On the number of cars, all previous governments' automobile industry subsidization noticeably contributed to the rising car ownership over the past decades. In addition, a LOT of the cars are from provinces all over the country, or at least the owner isn't from Bangkok. They came to work in the capital and went home to their respective regions during holidays and festivals. During holidays, a lot of BKK's roads and streets are much less crowed. Due to massive vehicle emissions, the air pollution(PM 2.5) can be so awful on some days(when the wind isn't blowing) that the sky is yellowish, you can't see past a few hundred meters, and must wear protective masks outside, otherwise you'll hurt your throat. That being said, too much centralization is also an issue to tackle. It forced millions of people to move to places in and around BKK to work or seek jobs due to lack of oppurtunities elsewhere. Bangkok is known to be one of the most disproportionate primate city in the world, both population and economic wise.
Great insight! And yes, the PM is definitely an unfortunate consequence of all this.
Apologies, NYC block size should say 200' x 900' at 2:04
i like this voice, so watching again
My block size in Edmonton, Canada is 166m (545ft) long and 47m (155ft wide). I find walking in my area easy to do.
Very good points. I wish this realisation was arriving 20 -30 years ago. Now St Pauls Cathedral in London is dwarfed by crowds of what appears to be an example of what you describe. They would have been OK further down the river at Docklands, but they all look like flashy nightclub dressers jostling for attention , while the ancient cathedral sits quietly there behind !
One of the things I noticed in your videos is that it feels like your voice is too quiet compared to the music, but also compared to most other videos. Check to see if your average dB is too low or lower than average. Love the videos! great writing and amazing topic selection. There arent enough women in the urbanism space. See if you can get feedback from other people about how to improve the videos. I can see this channel taking off! Keep up the good work!
Yeah the music is too loud, like for example at 2:03. Also there should probably be a gap between when voiceover ends and the speaker changes to someone in B roll (2:21). I see what you were doing at 2:33 with dialogue fading in and out so that the viewer can understand the emotions felt, but maybe you could use subtitles instead? It feels cluttered. It often feels like there are too many cuts being made, and that they dont align with what is being said. I think other video-essayists tend to mostly cut footage in alignment with the divisions of sentences, paragraphs or gaps in speech, i dont know because typically i dont pay attention to cuts. 2:42 and 2:48 were two places i saw this but there were some other examples earlier in the video too.
There might be something going on with your framerate too, it looks like some of the B roll clips arent in 30fps, and might be 24fps, because when I hit the 1/60th frame step buttons (" , " and " . ") it doesnt always change frame every two hits which i think means that the source might not be the same . I think generally youre supposed to keep all your footage the same framerate because people subconsciously notice it. I havent had any formal education though so like take everything i say with a grain of salt
Thanks for these comments! You are right there are definitely some sound issues and I should probably get better video editing software and skills...
Cobblestone are terrible for wheelchair uses, so they should never use cobblestone on new streets