City Inspired

Episode 20: A program in Albuquerque is aimed at giving people who are homeless the chance to work for a day’s wage. But is it a veiled attack on homelessness and panhandling? James and Alex discuss if there’s a better way than “There’s A Better Way”. Original article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/08/11/this-republican-mayor-has-an-incredibly-simple-idea-to-help-the-homeless-and-it-seems-to-be-working

Episode 19: Big cities are tough to navigate. Hangzhou, China, (pop. 6.7 mil), gets its people moving with one of the best bike share programs in the world. But many American cities, (like Seattle), can’t seem to figure it out. Intern Steven, a native of China, gives a firsthand look at what makes the Hangzhou system a success. Alex and James try to figure out how American cities can catch up.

Episode 18: Politics is tied to emotion—and candidates know it. Alex and James discuss effective political ads and share some of their favorite national and local campaigns.    

Episode 17: Malls suck, and they’re dying. James and Alex discuss how the mall-centric neighborhood of Belmar in Lakewood, CO rose from the dead. Special thanks to our guests, Kitty and John. Original article: http://buildabetterburb.org/a-dead-mall-becomes-a-downtown-for-a-sprawling-suburb/ 

Episode 16: What if a stranger restored your belief in humanity, if only for a moment, by supporting you and allowing you to claim something you need in a material way? James and Alex sit down with Natasha Marin to discuss her new social experiment, Reparations. Original source: www.reparations.me The Shrine of Asshats: https://www.facebook.com/events/1748736778726149/

Episode 15: Alex and James take a look at the Nigerian film industry and its role in creating opportunities for storytelling across Africa. James discusses his film, Clam Watch. Relevant articles: Nigeria’s Booming Film Industry Redefines African Life Sex And ‘An African City’: A Steamy Ghanaian Show You Don’t Want To Miss Life With Nigeria’s Party People You Think Hollywood Is Rough? Welcome to the Chaos, Excitement and Danger of Nollywood Nollywood Can Turn Nigerian Tourism Into a Billion Dollar Industry Nollywood Is a Genre of Nigerian Film & Not the Entire Nigerian Film Industry (Watch Al Jazeera’s New Documentary) Lights, camera, Africa

Episode 14: Barcelona goes on a road diet by creating “superblocks”. We enlist our intern overlord, Nicholas, to visit one of these neighborhoods. James explains “40 acres and a mule” to a millennial. Special thanks to our correspondent, Nicholas Efthimiadis. Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/17/superblocks-rescue-barcelona-spain-plan-give-streets-back-residents  

Episode 13: In a special edition of City Inspired, James and Alex sit down to discuss the incredible Governors Island in New York City with the president and CEO of the Trust for Governers Island, Leslie Koch. Under Leslie’s direction since 2006, Governors Island has been transformed from an abandoned military base into a vibrant public space, attracting hundreds of thousands of seasonal visitors and a diverse array of arts and cultural programs.

Episode 12: James and Alex discuss how cities are turning traditionally neglected urban areas, like highway underpasses, into creative and inspired places to be. Alex gets fired up. Examples mentioned in the show: Miami’s 10 mile park Slovakia’s abandoned bridge amphitheater Lightest forest art project The Wabash Lights Seattle’s I-5 collonade Vancouver chandelier Oregon’s underpass skate park Creative ideas for underpasses

Episode 11: Bolivia uses flying gondolas to overcome geographic challenges. James, the king of cable cars, makes his case for bringing these to Seattle. Original article: http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/feb/10/la-paz-cable-difference-city-subway-sky

Episode 10: Cities around the world are opening up libraries that let you check out a human for the day. Original article: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/human-library-fosters-diversity-by-checking-out-people/

Episode 9: Alex tries to convince James that a food barge in New York City is not just a floating Whole Foods. Original Article: http://www.citylab.com/navigator/2016/04/an-urban-food-forest-takes-to-the-water/478479/

Episode 8: James and Alex talk pigeons. The flying rats shape urban art, safety, and pollution in interesting ways. Inspiration: http://creativetime.org/projects/flybynight/

Episode 7: In a live version of City Inspired, Rex Hohlbein hosted a dinner at The Cloud Room to discuss how empathy builds the groundwork toward facing homelessness. A special thank you to our guest, Rex Hohlbein and his organization, Facing Homelessness, and to The Cloud Room for hosting this week’s episode.

Episode 6: Portland’s Guerrilla Development uses crowdfunding for the unusual Fair-Haired Dumbbell building. Special thanks to our guest, Kevin Cavenaugh. Original article: http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2016/04/84504-oregons-guerrilla-development-completes-reg-a-tier-1-crowdfunding-deal-for-the-unusual-fair-haired-dumbbell-building/ The fair-haired dumbbell at night. Photo by FFA Architecture and Interiors.

Episode 5: By using body cameras, Rialto, CA has made the one of the largest impacts in the country toward better policing. Original article: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/04/california-police-body-cameras-cuts-violence-complaints-rialto

Episode 4: The Theatre of the Oppressed describes theatrical forms that the Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal first elaborated in the 1960s, initially in Brazil and later in Europe. We look at how Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood uses the technique as a community planning tool. Philadelphia’s Just Act and T.O. Philly’s blog. Original article: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/philly-theater-community-planning-tool-community-engaged-design

Episode 3: Sweden is the first country to have its own phone number. We called it. That inspired us to look back at our favorite and least favorite tourism campaigns. Along the way, we discover how tourism begets tolerance. A special thank you to all of the friendly Swedes that answered our calls. Aziz Abu Sarah: For more tolerance, we need more…tourism? Call Sweden: http://theswedishnumber.com/ Say WA: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5353303 Follow Your NOLA: http://www.neworleansonline.com/followyournola/ Dull, Scotland makes Boring, Oregon more interesting: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-28691197 New Mexico Truth: http://www.koat.com/news/new-mexico-truth-campaign-parodies-tourism-ads/37444378 The 10 worst tourism adverts of all time: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelvideo/10849738/The-10-worst-tourism-adverts-of-all-time.html

Episode 2: A fed-up community group gets creative in tackling the problem of public urination by covering building walls with water-repellent paint and letting the “splash-back” do the work. A special thank you to our guest, Johannes Everke. City Inspired post: http://www.cityinspired.com/pee-wars/  Original article: http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/04/st-pauli-pees-back-hamburg-red-light-district-revenge

Episode 1: In the inaugural episode of the City Inspired podcast, we learn how Germany is doing a better job of keeping housing more affordable than just about any other Western government. A special thank you to our guest, Johannes Everke. City Inspired post: http://www.cityinspired.com/germanys-housing-supply-meets-demand-and-keeps-pricing-affordable/  Original article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/eamonnfingleton/2014/02/02/in-worlds-best-run-economy-home-prices-just-keep-falling-because-thats-what-home-prices-are-supposed-to-do/