The turn of each New Year is often a good time for reflection, and commitment to new goals. What are your goals for your community in the coming year? Are your wells of creativity running dry? I’ve got some resources for you to consider during the coming cold months.
Lest you think that spending time watching Youtube videos is nothing but a waste of time, let me try to dissuade you. Lately, I’ve been watching quite a few videos, and I’m not learning how to apply makeup, or how to fix a lawnmower. Youtube has developed quite a network of videos talking about new perspectives in community development, and I’m finding that one can explore how communities in other countries do it quite a bit better than we do here in the States. I’m sure you’ll enjoy watching these, because why else would you be reading this blog if you aren’t already interested in the subject of community development? A couple of examples of thought-provoking Youtube channels:
Strong Towns
Charles Marohn is a civic engineer based in Minnesota who advocates for restoring the inherent strength of communities that have suffered at the hands of auto-centric redevelopment and the scourges of bad highway design. https://www.youtube.com/c/StrongtownsOrg/featured
Not Just Bikes
Jason Slaughter is a Canadian from Ontario who now lives in Amsterdam. His channel focuses on how life in the Netherlands is made better thanks to a national redevelopment policy that prioritizes travel by bicycle, trains and trams, and pedestrian foot traffic, essentially placing car travel at the bottom of the priority list. He talks about the impact of these transportation design decisions on the quality of life in Dutch communities. https://www.youtube.com/c/NotJustBikes
Active Towns
John Simmerman is an Austin-based vlogger who promotes community development that encourages physical activity, and thus the health of residents. He approaches community design from a public health perspective. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Active+towns
Jeff Speck
Jeff Speck has several Youtube presentation ons The Walkable City, Lessons from the US. The Boston-based lecturer has several TED Talks and some international presentations on urban design for walkability.
James Kunstler : How Bad Architecture Wrecked Cities
James Howard Kunstler is a Saratoga based who roasts bad design in our downtowns. His goal is to get design to work to improve the sense of community. This video is his TED Talk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ZeXnmDZMQ
Architecure W/ Stewart
Stewart Hicks is an architecture professor from Chicago. His Youtube channel focuses on building design and its ability to remain relevant over the long term. https://www.youtube.com/user/stewarthicks
Streetfilms
Interesting videos including one on Letting Citizens Redesign Their Streets.
The Architectural League
What’s new and exciting in architectural design, including affordable housing. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdTPS2QzPNy8gzKDcGYiYgA
Congress for the New Urbanism
This channel covers a variety of community development topics, including climate change, urban housing, restoring urban vitality, and more. https://www.youtube.com/user/Congress4NewUrbanism/videos
The winter months are a great time to immerse yourself in the theory of community development, and explore new visions for your city, your town, your village. Curl up with your tablet and a nice cup of tea and become inspired to make your hometown better.