The Urban Vision

Prev Next

Some Ruminations on Constant Muted Wars in Urban Spaces photo credit: dileeshus Urban planning is a logical initial stride towards an organized development of a city or a commercial...

Featured Stories

1January 5, 2012
Integrated Township Development

With limited land supply along with huge chasm between demand and supply for individual plots, apartments or sites; developers are now cashing on developing integrated townships in the suburban areas....
0January 5, 2012
My big idea for cities in 2012: Cities with Shared Pod Car Systems

Pod Cars are automated driverless vehicles that will operate on traditional roadways creating personal rapid transit systems” * use contributes to carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbon emissions * are expensive and...
0January 4, 2012
My big idea for cities in 2012: Social impact bonds, Outcomes-based permitting, Public Spaces

I have three ideas: . 1. Social impact bonds. Leveraging public dollars with private / nonprofit innovation and accountability. . 2. Outcomes-based permitting. Offering greater flexibility in urban design in order to stimulate private...
0January 3, 2012
My big idea for cities in 2012: Integrated approach to Energy Efficiency.

photo credit: phototouring Cities represent the pinnacle of human achievement, and we are becoming increasingly urban to the extent that we have well crossed the 50% urbanization mark in the...
0December 30, 2011
My big idea for cities in 2012: Applying “doubling factor’ to Urban Planning

photo credit: Ray_from_LA My big idea. Work the doubling factor (Ortiz, et al) into law, engineering and architecture. Stop cities in their tracks and offer unlimited density and therby guarantee...
0December 28, 2011
My big idea for cities in 2012: Making cities Sustainable

photo credit: Barry & PK As an Urban Planner working for the last 5 years in small and big cities I have understood one thing that in order to reclaim...
1December 27, 2011
My Big Idea for cities in 2012: Indian cities as a continuum of a culture and a civilization

photo credit: rickbradley “When you know that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing, when you see that money is flowing to those...
2December 7, 2011
Human Capital, Cities , Economic Growth

I am re-posting...
0August 26, 2011
On Anti-Corruption Movement

Having been associated with the real estate industry earlier on in my career, I had to deal with immense level of corruption first hand. I had to see that bribes...
2August 15, 2011
Interview with John Fregonese

As a regional government, Metro pioneered in very long-term planning in the US at regional level with the formulation of the 2040 Growth Concept regional vision. The plan, formulated as...
0August 9, 2011
Portland’s TravelSmart and SmartTrips

Despite a great public transit network and bicycling/pedestrian infrastructure, a majority of residents in Portland still choose single-occupancy car trips as their primary mode of transport. The two primary reasons...
1August 5, 2011
What Indian Cities can learn from its villages?

photo credit: transillumination Here is a piece that I wrote recently where I argue that Gandhi’s vision of village life can apply to all levels of urban form. Link : http://www.planetizen.com/node/50694
1July 24, 2011
Karachi , Pakistan: A case on the benefits of Federated Government Structure

photo credit: Photogeraphar 0345-3333888 Karachi, Pakistan, with its 14 million inhabitants, is the largest city by population with a federated city government structure. The federated city system was...
1July 24, 2011
Interview with Derek Hofbauer

With its proven track record, Indian cities have the opportunity to learn and adapt individualised marketing techniques to manage a ballooning demand for single-occupancy car travel. In this candid interview,...
4July 10, 2011
Planning the Anointed Metropolis

Many are surprised that the colossal Meenakshi Temple complex in Madurai in south-India began as an anonymous stone lingam (phallic symbol of Shiva) in around 1600 B.C., and evolved through...