United States eyes drones as first responders in emergencies

drones

Author | Lucía Burbano On June 6, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at boosting the country’s drone capabilities by accelerating their integration into the National Airspace System, supporting domestic manufacturing, and streamlining regulatory processes. One of the key measures included in the order is the Police Drone as First Responder (DFR) […]

How AI can be harnessed to monitor vegetation loss and foster greener cities

AI

Author | Raquel C. Pico The start of summer has brought record temperatures to Europe. Heat waves have swept through various countries on the continent, forcing residents to face extreme conditions. For those living in cities, parks and green spaces have become sought-after havens, a climate refuge to survive the harsh weather. But do cities […]

Zurich stuns with its innovative bike tunnel

Zurich bike tunnel

Author | Elvira Esparza Zurich has opened an urban tunnel to provide cyclists with safe passage and easy access to the city’s main train station. The goal of the project is to promote cycling as a primary mode of transportation over cars and to boost sustainable mobility. Zurich’s Stadttunnel, which runs beneath the Hauptbahnhof, is […]

Turning trash into treasure: Inside Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum

Dharavi

Author | Raquel C. Pico For many people, everything they know about an informal settlement comes from popular culture, fiction, and media reports. They have never set foot in one, nor do they live near any, so their image of daily life in these places is shaped entirely by what others say about them. Dharavi, […]

Villa Savoye: Le Corbusier’s architectural icon that redefined the modern house

Villa Savoye

Author | Lucía Burbano Though it is nearing its 100th anniversary, Villa Savoye, the work of the renowned and revered Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, remains a cornerstone of modern residential architecture. It perfectly embodies the Swiss architect’s vision, standing as a timeless example of how aesthetics and functionality can coexist. So much so […]

Zero waste in action: what municipalities are doing right

Zero Waste in Action

Author | Raquel C. Pico Every time a trial excavation is conducted in a city, some form of waste is uncovered. For centuries, even millennia, we have been generating waste, much of which has ended up forming the foundations of urban hills or even serving as paving in our cities. Waste has been one of […]

What are stroads, and why do they pose a growing challenge for urbanists?

What are stroads, and why do they pose a growing challenge for urbanists?

Author | Elvira Esparza A stroad is the term used to describe a hybrid of a street and a road, combining elements of both. This combination creates challenges that urbanists and planners are working to solve. The term ‘stroad’ was coined in the United States a decade ago by Charles Marohn, an engineer specializing in […]

What exactly is climate resilience, and why is it such a red-hot topic right now?

What exactly is climate resilience, and why is it such a red-hot topic right now?

Author | Elvira Esparza The term ‘climate change’ refers to long-term shifts in temperature and the Earth’s climate patterns, resulting in major droughts and flooding, polar ice melting, rising sea levels, and other significant impacts. Given the increasing frequency of these events, climate resilience emerges as society’s ability to prepare for, recover from, and adapt […]

Les Espaces d’Abraxas: the unique brutalist housing complex that has inspired Hollywood for over 40 years

housing complex

Author | Lucía Burbano Monumental and imposing, Les Espaces d’Abraxas consists of three postmodern Brutalist buildings rich with historical references forming a large housing complex. Designed to address the specific needs a large population and alleviating residential pressure in Paris, Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill and his Taller de Arquitectura (Architecture Workshop) drew inspiration from the […]

How AI and IoT will transform cities in 2025

IoT

Author | Lucía Burbano This year marks the consolidation of a transformative concept born from the convergence of two of the most powerful technologies in recent times: the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Their integration has given rise to AIoT—the Artificial Intelligence of Things. Joining this powerful duo is a third key […]