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Economics Information Technology Trend Watching

Internet in Brazil: IDB report warns about digital divide

Infrastructure problems and lack of familiarity of the users make Brazil a country that goes ‘two-speed’ internet, according to data presented recently by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) […]

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Information Technology Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: app to reports urban problems is voted best in the world

Colab, a Brazilian application that helps report urban problems, was elected on world’s best by the New Cities Foundation at an event in Sao Paulo. Other finalists included traffic BuzzJourney (Israel) and PublicStuff (United States). These apps participated prize App My City, urban award for best application in the world (those of us trying to unlock the big cities). Colab received $ 5000 in cash […]

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Information Technology Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: public management collaboration app nominated for international award

A Brazillian startup took to the social networking approach to collect testimonies from residents about the precariousness of public facilities such as sidewalks and streets, in order to connect people to public management. The buzz generated around the site (which has already caught the attention of the city of Recife, hometown of the creators) led Colab to the final of the second edition of My City App, app award for best city in the world (those of us trying to unlock big cities) […]

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Design Readings

Watch Aris Venetikidis’ “Making sense of maps” talk at TED

Map designer Aris Venetikidis is fascinated by the maps we draw in our minds as we move around a city — less like street maps, more like schematics or wiring diagrams, abstract images of relationships between places. How can we learn from these mental maps to make better real ones? As a test case, he remakes the notorious Dublin bus map

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Design Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Watch Eduardo Paes’ “The 4 commandments of cities” talk at TED

Eduardo Paes is the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, a sprawling, complicated, beautiful city of 6.5 million. He shares four big ideas about leading Rio — and all cities — into the future, including bold (and do-able) infrastructure upgrades and how to make a city “smarter.” […]

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Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

Watch Carolyn Steel’s “How food shapes our cities” talk at TED

Every day, in a city the size of London, 30 million meals are served. But where does all the food come from? Architect Carolyn Steel discusses the daily miracle of feeding a city, and shows how ancient food routes shaped the modern world […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

Architecture & Urban Planning in China: Urbanization to drive growth

China’s urbanization will provide “sustainable investment” and become a key factor in bolstering the country’s growth during the coming five years […]

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China

Living in China: Plenty of GPS potties, to keep Shanghai’s World Expo site clean

Next year’s Shanghai World Expo will feature more than 200 of the world’s most innovative pavilions filled with the most advanced technology and inspiring exhibits about modern urban life. But piles of rubbish, dirty surfaces and lack of potties would make a joke of the theme, “Better City, Better Life.” […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

Architecture & Urban Planning in China: urbanization to create massive infrastructure investment

Some 300 million Chinese now living in rural areas — the equivalent of the entire population of the United States — will move into cities in the coming 15 to 20 years, said a senior Chinese official recently […]

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China Design Economics

Architecture & Urban Planning in China: World Bank injects $200 million for China’s urban environment

World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a loan to China –$200 million to support the Shanghai Urban Environment Project […]