The final go ahead for the Olympic Cable Car has been given. It will be able to carry 2,500 people per hour the equivalent of 30 buses. Passengers will see impressive views along the river to the centre of London from a 50m height.
Mayor Boris Johnson said, "It will be a truly exhilarating way for Londoners and visitors to explore our great city whilst providing a much-needed river crossing to support the once-in-a-lifetime regeneration of this easterly quarter of the capital." Find out more on the TfL website - click here for link
Rolling bridge - Thomas Heatherwick bridge at Paddington basin
Thomas Heatherwick was commissioned by the Paddington Basin Development Ltd to design a pedestrian bridge to span an inlet of the Grand Union Canal. Improving pedestrian links for greater circulation and recreation opportunities.
The innovative design solution allows access for boats too. The innovative rolling bridge gradually uncurls 8 segments into a footway level bridge. It opens every Friday at midday.
The trial for the Department for Transport found that creating avenues of trees and hedges made drivers cut their speeds because peripheral vision is reduced.
The trail found that average speeds fell by 1.5% with a 20% fall in the number of motorists driving at 40-60mph.
Trials schemes were based in villages Martham, Coltishall and Mundesley were also appreciated by the Parish councils as trees softened the landscape and enhance the village character, unlike the visually obtrusive yellow speed cameras. Support also grows.
Mike Penning, road safety minister, ‘I hope that other councils consider whether they might be able to use similar programmes to reduce road casualties on their rural roads.’
Andrew Howard, AA’s head of road safety, said drivers slowed when they could see less of the road ahead. ‘If visibility is too good, cars are more likely to overtake when it is not safe to do so.’
Artist, Horst Gläsker's colourful steps in Wuppertal, Germany "Holsteiner Treppe".
The stairs feature German words describing the relationship between human beings: terror + love, prosecution + trust, despair + hope, revenge + kiss.
For more of the artists colourful work click here: Horst Gläsker's
The best of Rob Cowen's cartoon's on planning and urban design have now been collated and published.
Town planners, highway engineers, urban designers, lawyers and many other urban professionals will see many these delightly insightful cartoons ring true.
Reducing speed of traffic in rural roads is an international issue. Small town of Speed, 250m north of Melbourne is hoping to change its name to Speedkills to encourage drivers to reduce their speeds.
The idea has been developed by the state's Transport Accident Commisson (TAC) with support from the towns population of 45. The town will be called Speedkills for the month of March to promte safe driving.
The Museum of London, London Street Photography exhibition is a fantastic look at people and the public realm with all its dynamic and dramatic appeal.
This major new exhibition at the Museum of London showcases an extraordinary collection of London street photography with over 200 candid images of everyday life in the street. From 1860's sepia-toned scenes of horse-drawn cabs modern day life.
Public realm and people seen through the lense of a photograher have an amzing energy. Link: London Street Photography
Open: 18th Feb 2011 until 4th Sept 2011
TRASH: anycoloryoulike is a public art project for urban beautification and environmental awareness. The project consists of select city blocks in which new artist-created trash bags transform standard piles of trash into vivid sculptures of color through the participation of local business owners and residents. The project was developed by artist Adrian Kondratowicz
Public Art brings colour to the streets - yellow lines, red, green, blue purple white lines
Artist Gene Davis putting finishing touches on his 414-ft-long ptg. Franklin's Footpath, painted on street in front of Philadelphia Museum of Art. (1972)
Tractor sign post - Colorado sign with rural feel
Santa crossing sign
Highways deparments are getting festive with a seasonal signage to assist Santa on is way.
Traffic sheep - a novel approach to traffic calming
When is a barrier not a barrier? - When it's a sheep!
Commissioned by the Municipality of Gland, Switzerland the Traffic sheep is a temporary and novel solution to traffic calming problems. Designed by Christophe Machet the concrete sheep can flock in a street narrowing the carriageway and forcing drivers to slow down.
They can also be used as bench, signs holder, flowerpot and etc.
Dimensions: length 800mm, height 440mm, width 320mm Materials: rotational-molded polyethylene or concrete Colours: plain concrete, RAL 1023, RAL 2009 and more
Link
to designer Christophe Machet Is this a signal for the design of the standard highway plastic barrier could be improved?
Form is following function but with the added element of fun these temporary eye sores could a movable public art too.
Breath taking urban lighting for streets and buildings
Light art is the latest way of cheering up the streets and buildings of the UK.
Light shows relate to the form of building through architectural projection mapping. They have an amazing affect in the night which has to be seen to be believed. They can use the real structure and form of the architecture and then play with it to create a dynaic show.
In 2009 the Battle of Branchage projection for the Branchage film festival lit up the Jersey sky.
Tel Aviv port public space - waterfront regeneration project wins Rosa Barba prize
Tel Aviv port public space scheme has won the Rosa Barba prize for landscape architecture in Europe. The project regenerates the port area, improving the connection of the town to the water front.
The scheme is by Mayslits Kassif Architects working with Galila Yavin. The area is now a prominent landmark enjoyed by the community.
The unusual undulating surface, inspired by sand dunes, creates a flexible surface for walking, cycling and various public, political, artistic and social events creating a vibrant public space. Areas have been treated differently to help define the space which include low cost painting of a bold yellow and white design on black top.
Brighten
up your bollards - Whitchurch bollard project
The Whitchurch Bollards Project -
a Community Art scheme designed to enhance the small Town of
Whitchurch, Hampshire. It's currently transforming the traditional
black and un-looked after bollards around town with bright eye
catching designs.
Project designer, John Buckley has championed
the project from the start.
'I wish to thank all who have given their support to this idea,
after submitting it two years ago as a community-wide project
to add colour and vibrancy to our little town.'
The project is funded by the South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA). The first were completed in June
with the next phase in September. More are wanted, so there’s
an opportunity for all to get more artistic. What a lovely way
to involve all the community in art and street scene. Link
to Whitchurch Bollards, Hampshire
The 'adopt-a-bollard' message is a positive
and low cost solution suitable for many towns at a time when
maintenance budgets are being cut.
Count
down traffic signals - 18 month trial in London
Transport
for London is trialling pedestrian countdown traffic signals
for 18 months at 8 sites. The
most useful is at the innovative Oxford Circus crossing, where
they particularly reassure diagonally crossing pedestrians
over the wide diagonal span.
While at more simple straight across crossings, such as The
Cut, they may not be quite so necessary. With the government
aim for reducing clutter while balancing the needs for pedestrian
safety and comfort, permenant installations need to be judged
on a site by site basis.
An integrated design for traffic signals is yet to be developed.
They still rely on the 'bolt-on' technology, adding another
square black box. A simpler more resolved design is would
be the next step. Will the traffic signal manufactures and
engineers be able to develop a system that is visually appealing
too?
Find them at:
Blackfriars Road, at the junction with the The Cut, outside
Southwark station
Balham High Road, outside Balham Station, at the junction
with Chestnut Grove and Balham Station Road
A306 Roehampton Lane, at the junction with the Queen Mary's
Hospital access road
Oxford Circus, at the junction of Oxford Street and Regent
Street
High Holborn, at the junction with Kingsway and Southampton
Row, outside Holborn Station
The junction of Finsbury Square, Finsbury Pavement and Chiswell
Street
Tower Bridge Road at the junction with Tooley Street, near
City Hall
Site visits are always a struggle
when you get caught in an unexpected rain shower. This site gives
real time radar of the weather.
So now you know if you will need
rain gear or not.
Never be caught out again.
Updates are also
available for iphones etc.
Streetsfilm.org report from Velo-city 2010, in
Copenhagen.
Cycling has been made a realistic alternative with
cycling routes on most streets. All cyclists are encouraged with
raised cycle lanes with enough width for many users. Cargo bikes
carrying children can go slower. Street cycle counters show how
many bikes have passed sections of the route proving for all
the popularity of cycle transport.
Jan
Gehl - Cities for People - out 6th October 2010
"First life, then spaces, then buildings--the
other way around never works." - Jan Gehl
Jan Gehl's latest work is released on 6th October 2010. Continuing
his research on how people live in cities and how to design the
best urban environments for people. He
clearly explains the methods and tools he uses to reconfigure
unworkable cityscapes into the landscapes he believes they should
be: cities for people. Cities for People: ISBN - 159726573X
Always worth a re-visit is,
Life Between Buildings
ISBN - 8774073605
CABE
new reports on the importance of good quality public space
CABE space launches two publications
on the central importance of good quality urban green space.
Community
green reports examines the impact of the quality
of local green spaces on the health and wellbeing of people
living in six deprived areas. It makes the connections between
green space, ethnicity and inequality.
Decent
homes need decent spacesCabe, working with the
National Housing Federation, has produced anaction
plan to improve open spaces in social housing areas. Social
landlords can provide more opportunities for residents of all
ages to enjoy the space on their doorsteps, whether they want
to grow vegetables, compete in sport or simply chat with their
neighbours in a safe and pleasant environment. Creating a physical
environment which will allow communities to thrive.
