56 Minutes of Richard Florida’s Wisdom

by: Robert Grimm - February 4th, 2010   Filed under: Articles & Ressources

In this engaging and thought-provoking lecture, public intellectual and best-selling author, Richard Florida, explains how creativity is revolutionizing the global economy. Drawing from his research in his popular books The Rise of the Creative Class and, most recently, Who’s Your City? , Florida traces the rise of this new social class and its impact on cities, business, and society at large. Richard Florida is Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and Professor of Business and Creativity at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

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Guest Lecture: Joanne Massey Researching the City

by: Robert Grimm - February 3rd, 2010   Filed under: Guest Lecture

Dr Joanne Massey is an aspiring young researcher who has investigated Manchester’s inner city urban regeneration and social conflict. Dr Massey’s lecture will give us a deep insight into the practical implications of conducting social research in urban spaces.

The lecture will take place in the Righton Building at 9am on the 3rd of February.

Tallest Building Designed by a Woman

by: Robert Grimm - February 3rd, 2010   Filed under: Articles & Ressources

I have been wondering about gender and urban built environments recently.  Cities are often described as male spaces. While there are the obvious arguments (tall buildings represent phallic symbols of power, sports stadiums serve male pastime, streets are public spaces, the domain of women is domestic space etc pp.) Although expressed rather simplistically, these arguments are interesting but not much inspiring. The question remains, what aesthetic characteristics would a gender equal city have, what will it look like? Maybe Aqua—a new, eighty-two-story apartment tower in the center of Chicago designed by Jeanne Gang – is the answer.

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/skyline/2010/02/01/100201crsk_skyline_goldberger

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Guest Lecture: Phil Wood Intercultural City 9th of February 4pm

by: Robert Grimm - January 25th, 2010   Filed under: Guest Lecture

We are pleased to welcome Phil Wood as a guest speaker on the Manchester POLIS programme 2010.

Phil Wood has a huge track record in the field of urban studies. He published extensively on issues of creativity and interculturalism. Phil coauthored  ‘The Intercultural City: Planning for Diverstiy Advantage‘  together with Charles Landry. He is currently principal advisor to the Council of Europe on intercultural urban policies.

Geoffrey Manton Building LT 302

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Guest Lecture: Steven Flower Wednesday 27th of January

by: Robert Grimm - January 25th, 2010   Filed under: Guest Lecture

Steven Flower will contribute to this year’s Manchester POLIS programme.

The lecture will take place on Wednesday the 27th of January at 10am. Manchester Metropolitan University Righton Building 114

Steven has a background in the third sector, working in various organisations and contexts over the past 10 years to enable better use of information technology tools. This has ranged from youth film making projects in Eastern Germany to IT recycling to founding a social enterprise to provide web services to the sector. At Substance Steven leads on the development of projects that aim to get the best use of technology for those delivering social change at all levels. This includes development of our web-based tools, but also local projects that enable organisations to tell stories digitally. Steven has a BA (Hons) in Communication Processes, and an MA in European Urban Cultures.

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POLIS Excursion Salford Quays

by: Robert Grimm - January 21st, 2010   Filed under: Excursions & Visits 2009/10

Today, we visited Salford Quays. Once the thriving transportation hub of Greater Manchester the Salford Quays became derelict in the process of de-industrialisation.  The Quays are one of the earliest urban regeneration schemes in Greater Manchester and apart form various residential developments they are home to the Imperial War Museum, the Lowry Centre and the Media City .

Salford Quays

Salford Quays Residential Development

We also had the pleasure to meet Chris Farrow. His regeneration portfolio has included Director of Operations at London Docklands Development Corporation and Chief Executive at Merseyside Development Corporation. Chris is now the Chief Executive of Central Salford URC and gave us an insightful presentation of Salford’s £4 billion programme of regeneration.

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Copenhagen, a blueprint for sustainable living?

by: Robert Grimm - December 14th, 2009   Filed under: Articles & Ressources

Cycling is one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to travel from A to B. Yet it remains dangerous to velo in Manchester. There are numerous good examples of cycling friendly cities Manchester should learn from.

Voila some interesting facts about Copenhagen:

Nearly 40 percent of Copenhagen’s population cycle to work or school.

When it snows, the bike paths get cleared before car lanes.

During the last three years the municipality invested more than 250 million crowns ($49.42 million) in bicycle lanes and installed 200 miles of bicycle lanes to boost safety for cyclists and pedestrians

Find out why it is good to cycle here

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Dewsbury Challange

by: Robert Grimm - December 10th, 2009   Filed under: Articles & Ressources

Dewsbury regeneration effort together with Kirklees Council

Dewsbury is located in the Leeds city region.  The town was once an important textile-producing centre in the United Kingdom.

The town is set in picturesque Pennine valleys and industrial waterways and has an attractive architectural legacy.  In close vicinity to major metropolitan centres, Dewsbury can boost excellent rail-network links to Manchester, Leeds and Manchester International Airport.

However, Dewsbury has not yet been able to recover from the shock of de-industrialisation that caused a massive decline in manufacturing jobs during the last decades of the 20th century. The town’s population suffers from relative deprivation including low skill levels, unemployment, poverty and high levels of disability and mental health issues.

Recent negative headlines (the Karen Matthews, terrorist links) further blackened the town’s image in the national eye.

The Dewsbury challenge has two aims:

1)      Develop marketing strategies to raise Dewsbury’s image,

2)      Improve the quality of public space to create a platform for intercultural communication.

www.kirklees.gov.uk

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It’s green up north: civil servants get preview of Manchester’s Whitehall

by: Robert Grimm - December 8th, 2009   Filed under: Articles & Ressources

Three eco-friendly towers set in sculpture-lined grounds proposed for 5,000 civil servants moving from London

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/dec/08/manchester-northern-whitehall-plans

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Urban exploration

by: Robert Grimm - December 8th, 2009   Filed under: Articles & Ressources

A student pointed out this wonderful web page about contemporary urban explorations.

www.28dayslater.co.uk

There are excellent pictures of Manchester’s Second World War air raid shelters. They have been part of my urban myth since long but I had never seen picture before.  There are also picture of Mayfield station, a huge derelict railway station right in the centre of Manchester. It must be one of the last spots of undeveloped real estate in the city’s centre. Coincidently I saw news about a major investment scheme For Mayfield station today. Hurry if you wish to see it.

Other threads are also fascinating. I found hospitals particularly intriguing although for morbid reasons. Something nightmarish hangs in these rooms. Their walls, saturated with pain, are slowly releasing the sufferings of former inmates through decomposing material, flaky paint and rotten roofs.

Voila a book by Keith Warrender about Manchester’s underground:

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