Civic Design Projects

An Austrian adaptation of the Barcelona Superblock, Vienna is putting the finishing touches on its first Supergrätzl ("Super neighbourhood") in the tenth district, where through traffic is filtered out to regenerate an intersection into a liveable, climate-adapted, pedestrian-friendly public space. The Supergrätzl is located in one of Vienna’s more densely-built districts of Favoriten, with a healthy mix of uses and heavy traffic flows. It was chosen because modelling suggests intervening in less affluent and more traffic-burdened areas yields stronger benefits for climate, health, and equity. Design features include: the removal of through traffic (diagonal filters at intersections), pedestrian zones (especially outside the adjacent schools), 100 green beds, 60 shade trees, a variety of water features, public benches and other furnishings, and deletion of 30% of on-street parking spaces. While yet to be completed, Vienna’s first Supergrätzl experiment is already attracting interest, as other neighbourhoods line up to request the next. By reclaiming public space that was hiding in plain sight, it is a paradigm-shifting prototype that will hopefully soon scale across the entire city.

Nature as an Air-Conditioner for Cities? In Seoul, an innovative approach called “Urban Wind-Path Forests” is showing how green infrastructure can fight rising urban temperatures. 🌡️ These specially designed forest corridors connect the surrounding mountains to the city center, guiding cool, clean mountain air into densely built areas. Along the way, native trees filter out dust and pollutants—delivering fresher, healthier breezes right where people live and work. Beyond cooling and cleaner air, these green corridors also provide habitats for birds, insects, and small mammals, boosting biodiversity in the heart of the city. It’s a perfect example of ecological planning solving modern climate challenges while making urban life more liveable. As our cities face increasing heat waves, it’s inspiring to see how Seoul is integrating climate action, urban cooling, and biodiversity restoration into one beautiful, functional design. 🌱 #UrbanCooling #GreenInnovation #ClimateAction #Biodiversity #CityPlanning #SustainableCities.

We design cities for cars. Then we prescribe exercise for chronic disease. What if we designed cities that made movement the easy choice? Nature-based solutions make walking and cycling more attractive, not through willpower, but through comfort. → Shaded sidewalks and green walkways make walking comfortable → Green cycle lanes and trails make cycling attractive → Green corridors and links connect destinations → Pedestrian buffers and rest stops improve safety and comfort Shade matters. A tree-lined street is 5-10°C cooler than an exposed one. That's the difference between walking and driving. I created this visual to connect NBS with active transport planning. Part of a series on goal-oriented NBS. For those working on walkability or cycling infrastructure — how are you integrating green elements? World Health Organization European Environment Agency American Planning Association United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) International Society for Urban Health (ISUH) C40 Cities ICLEI WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities ITDP México The World Bank Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo

The modular nature of Dutch streets—the precast bricks, pavers, and curbs—transforms every infrastructural upgrade into an opportunity for a liveability upgrade. In Delft, scheduled sewage pipe replacement on Eliza Dorus- and Anna Beijer-straten allowed for the creation of woonerven ("living streets"). They consist of five features: 1) A clear and distinct entranceway—such as a speed hump—providing a sense of leaving car space. Out-of-scale signage is discouraged, seen as clutter to the streetscape, and replaced with design elements that emphasize the space is for people rather than motor traffic. 2) Shared space between cars and pedestrians: With no clearly defined vertical separation or "travel lane", forced ambiguity between walking, cycling, and driving is critical to slowing drivers and cyclists down, and giving people on foot—especially kids—free reign to move (and linger) in the space. 3) Physical traffic calming measures: These include width reduction, speed humps, raised intersections, chicanes, one-way features, and texture change. Bricks are ubiquitous, as they create noise and vibration inside a car, leading the driver to believe they're speeding and voluntarily slowing down. 4) Limited on-street parking: Availability should be limited and only to local residents. This helps to restore the sightlines and “openness” of the street, inspiring free movement across its entire width for playing and gathering residents, and preventing cars from becoming the predominant element. 5) Outdoor furniture and landscaping: These elements should be used to make the street more attractive; reclaiming it as a space for spending time. This includes trees and gardens, sitting areas, play equipment, and places for communal dining. Visible and secure bike parking should also be provided. Made in Delft and spreading across the globe, the woonerf is a simple solution to many complex problems cities face in the 21st century. Our streets are not set in stone, and from the loneliness epidemic to the climate crisis, changing them must be how we respond to a world rapidly changing around us.

In countries like the Netherlands, trash doesn’t just disappear — it goes underground. How is it organized in your city? Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht use underground waste containers and smart collection systems where bins are connected to large subterranean units, keeping streets visually clean, reducing odour, and cutting unnecessary truck movements. But this isn’t just a Dutch story. It’s a global shift powered by technology. 📊 How leading cities are transforming waste management: 🇳🇱 Netherlands • Underground containers reduce surface bin clutter by up to 70–80% in dense neighbourhoods • IoT sensors monitor fill levels, enabling 30–40% fewer collection trips 🇰🇷 Songdo, South Korea • Fully pneumatic waste system • Trash travels through underground vacuum tubes at 70 km/h • Eliminated traditional garbage trucks in residential zones • Reduced waste handling costs by up to 50% 🇳🇴 Bergen, Norway • Pneumatic underground network beneath historic districts • Cut CO₂ emissions from waste collection vehicles by up to 35% • Reduced noise pollution in heritage zones 🇸🇬 Singapore • Smart bins + centralised waste chutes in HDBs • Waste-to-energy plants process over 90% of Singapore’s waste, shrinking landfill dependency • Semakau Landfill projected lifespan extended from 2045 to beyond 2035 through tech & efficiency gains 🚀 Technology making this possible: • IoT sensors for real-time bin monitoring • AI-powered route optimisation reducing fuel use • Pneumatic vacuum tube networks • Automated robotics for waste sorting • Waste-to-energy conversion systems ✅ The impact: • Cleaner cities • Fewer pests and odours • Reduced emissions • Lower operating costs • Better citizen experience The future of urban living isn’t just about shiny skyscrapers — it’s about invisible infrastructure working intelligently beneath our feet. Smart cities aren’t just built. They’re engineered to stay clean. #SmartCities #UrbanInnovation #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #CleanTech

Designing #Sidewalks Along #Busway Corridors in Hot Arid Cities ☀️ In hot desert environments, sidewalks play a vital role in shaping the comfort, safety, and overall experience of pedestrians especially when integrated alongside Busway systems. Drawing from recent scientific research on urban sidewalks in hot arid climates, several key design insights emerge that can guide better practice: 🌡️ 1. #ThermalComfort & #Shading * Use continuous shaded paths with trees or lightweight canopies. * Employ high-reflectance materials to reduce surface temperature. * Integrate cool pavements that lower heat absorption and improve user comfort. 🚶♀️ 2. #Pedestrian Connectivity & Safety * Ensure a minimum clear walking width for high pedestrian flow near Busway stops. *Create buffer zones between sidewalks and traffic lanes to improve safety and comfort. * Include rest zones, seating, and waiting areas that support inclusive mobility. 🌿 3. #Environmental Integration * Combine sidewalks with bioswales or linear planting strips to manage runoff and improve air quality. * Prioritize native drought-tolerant species that offer shade with minimal water demand. * Encourage stormwater reuse for irrigation where possible. 🏙️ 4. #UrbanIdentity & Experience * Use pavement materials and textures that reflect local context and culture. * Incorporate wayfinding elements and smart lighting to enhance usability at all times. * Promote visual continuity with adjacent Busway design for a unified streetscape identity. When designed holistically, sidewalks adjacent to Busways can go beyond movement they become social corridors, cooling networks, and vital connectors in our cities’ sustainable transport systems. #UrbanDesign #Streetscape #Busway #PedestrianDesign #LandscapeArchitecture #UrbanCooling #HotAridCities #PublicTransport #UrbanMobility #SustainableDesign #ClimateResponsiveDesign #StreetDesign #ResilientCities #UrbanInfrastructure #publicrealm #Australia

Most cities struggle to balance growth with affordability. Atlanta found a way to do both. The BeltLine was once nothing more than abandoned rail lines and overgrown lots—a forgotten relic of Atlanta’s industrial past. But a bold vision turned those old tracks into a 22-mile loop of trails, parks, and development that’s now the heartbeat of the city. It’s a story of what happens when developers, city planners, and communities work together—and what the future of urban revitalization could look like. 🚶 It started with walkability and public space. Before the BeltLine became a real estate hot spot, it was an idea to reconnect the city. The first major investment wasn’t luxury condos—it was parks, trails, and green spaces that made Atlanta more livable and accessible for everyone. 🏗️ Developers followed the momentum. Once people saw the potential, private investment poured in. Abandoned warehouses turned into modern lofts, neglected lots became mixed-use developments, and entire districts—like Ponce City Market and Krog Street—were revitalized into thriving community hubs. 💡 The community played a key role in shaping the vision. The BeltLine didn’t just attract developers—it engaged residents, local businesses, and artists. Public art installations, small business grants, and affordable housing incentives ensured that longtime Atlantans could benefit from the transformation. 📈 It boosted property values while prioritizing inclusivity. Real estate near the BeltLine surged in value, bringing in new investment. But city planners worked to ensure affordable housing remained part of the equation, with dedicated funding for mixed-income developments and protections for legacy residents. What cities and developers can learn from the BeltLine: 🌳 Public infrastructure drives private investment. Walkability, parks, and green space increase real estate value and make neighborhoods more desirable. 🏡 Balanced growth is possible. When developers and policymakers collaborate, cities can grow without displacing communities. 📍 Mixed-use is the future. The best developments integrate housing, retail, culture, and public space into one seamless experience. The BeltLine proves that real estate isn’t just about buildings—it’s about creating places where people want to live, work, and connect. When cities and developers think long-term, everyone benefits. — Thank you for reading! More about me: Over the past 6 years, I've worked on dozens of commercial real estate acquisitions, from beginner developer's first deals to institutional portfolio acquisitions of $100M+. If you liked my content on commercial real estate, entrepreneurship, and personal growth, connect with me for more! #RealEstateDevelopment #UrbanRevitalization #AtlantaBeltLine #Placemaking #CommercialRealEstate

I’ve spent a significant amount of time in India over the years with many of our partners, including advocating for our efforts in Mathura-Vrindavan – a major pilgrimage centre, where rising population and visitor numbers are placing increasing pressure on already stretched waste management systems. Without intervention, the gap between waste generation and effective management will only widen. In this article, I share how we’ve worked with local authorities and partners such as Recity to establish a more formalised system – one that connects collection, sorting, and material recovery, helping to close a critical gap in the waste value chain. The early impact is encouraging: a facility that can process up to 300 tonnes of municipal waste per day, formal employment opportunities for local workers under safer conditions, and the foundations of a system that improves traceability and accountability across the value chain. It is still early days in India and there is no single model that will work across its diverse contexts. At the Alliance, we are focused on bringing together stakeholders across the ecosystem to build practical, locally grounded systems that make circularity work in real-world conditions.

What if a single space could reflect every season? 🍃 Not just visually but emotionally, communally, ecologically? That was the question I kept returning to during a recent design competition. 📍The site was a neglected stretch along London’s Limehouse Cut Canal. And the brief was to reconnect it with its history, its ecology, and, most importantly, its people. Instead of designing a static public space, I asked: how can this place breathe with the city? So I proposed a space that changes with the seasons. 👉 In spring, we start with healing. Bio-mat planting workshops would invite volunteers to prepare floating mats that clean the water, support aquatic life, and attract pollinators. It's community care, disguised as planting fun. 👉 In summer, we turn up the energy. The canal becomes a hub for small-scale kayaking, paddleboarding, and rowing events - woven into local festivals. 👉 In autumn, we invite people to linger. The “Canal Glow Festival” brings warmth and light with a dynamic, sustainable installation that responds to the night. It’s immersive, informative, and joyful - showcasing stories of ecology, history, and community. For me, this wasn’t about ticking seasonal boxes. It was about designing a space that people feel connected to, all year round. P.S.: How can we make public spaces feel more alive, all year long? 👇 ___ 👋 Hey, I’m Vishakha Tiwari, an urban designer, a visual communication designer and the founder of Form Follows People. If you liked reading this post, make sure to follow me and share your thoughts in the comments below! 💬✨

  The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs must break the glass ceiling—Literally  India’s #cities are becoming sweltering #heat islands, enclosed in #concrete and glass that #trap heat rather than repel it. With over 70 per cent of the buildings expected to exist in 2050 yet to be built, there is a narrow and urgent window to rethink how we design our homes, offices, malls, and urban infrastructure. At the heart of this #rethink must lie a radical revision of India’s #building #codes—one that moves away from uniformity and embraces regional diversity, resilience, and thermal comfort based on the climatic requirements. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (#MoHUA) needs to facilitate this transformation it has to break the glass ceiling of the building code, and the government has to recognise that one size fits all does not work in today’s world. For years, India’s National Building Code (#NBC) has provided a standardised framework applied uniformly across the country, irrespective of whether the building is in the humid heat of #Chennai, the dry plains of #Lucknow, or the sub-zero terrain of #Ladakh. This one-size-fits-all approach overlooks the fundamental truth of climate-responsive architecture: buildings must adapt to their specific location. India, geographically and climatically diverse, requires differentiated codes. I had earlier written about our cities becoming air-conditioned hell, and the MOHUA responded with a proposal to limit the setting of air conditioners to 20°C to 28°C in nudging behavioural change. But it merely treats the symptom. The real cure lies in ensuring that buildings don't require heavy air conditioning in the first place. This can only happen if building design incorporates passive cooling techniques, material innovation, ventilation strategies, and above all, climatic responsiveness. Take, for example, the ubiquitous glass façade that now dominates Indian urban skylines—from commercial towers in Gurugram to residential apartments in Hyderabad. Glass is marketed as a symbol of modernity and openness. Still, in India’s tropical and semi-arid regions, it behaves like a greenhouse, trapping solar heat during the day and increasing reliance on artificial cooling. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed that all-glass buildings consume up to 60 per cent more energy than buildings designed with climate-sensitive principles.India’s cities are becoming sweltering heat islands, enclosed in concrete and glass that trap heat rather than repel it. With over 70 per cent of the buildings expected to exist in 2050 yet to be built, there is a narrow and urgent window to rethink how we design our homes, offices, malls, and urban infrastructure. At the heart of this rethink must lie a radical revision of India’s building codes—one that moves away from uniformity and embraces regional diversity, resilience, and thermal comfort based on the climatic requirements.