How Jane Jacobs Transformed the Way We Plan Cities

The subject of Google’s latest doodle may be unfamiliar to most, but anyone who’s living in a big city has undoubtedly been affected by her life’s work. Jane Jacobs—an urban planning activist and author of the 1961 book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” who just turned 100—spoke up against the government and powerful developers who sought to clear out small neighborhoods to …

How Local Life-Hacks Inform Design in Africa

In Zimbabwe, African architect Maxwell Mutanda is tapping into the resourcefulness of local businesses and street vendors to improve their working conditions. Instead of introducing new designs to their already set-up rigs, he gauges their needs and offers adaptable infrastructure that they can take and customize—including flooring, shelving, composting toilets and rain-catching umbrellas. This ideology goes beyond just Mutanda, though, as companies like Urban Think …

Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Creating a healthier coffee, "kissing garlic," a tattoo-inspired restaurant interior and more

1. 360-Degree Photos of Chernobyl 30 Years Later 30 years ago, the worst nuclear accident in history occurred. Reactor number four at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power plant in Russia (then the Soviet Union) exploded, killing workers and many in the surrounding area. Though the area is still contaminated by radiation, this hasn’t prevented vines, trees, shrubs and animals from taking over the facilities through its …