Another TEDx talk regarding design.
This guy kind of lays out the model for what we are doing here at Noodles&NewUrbanism: create a website and people will come.
By designing a website, he created a hub for other interested parties to attache themselves too and pretty soon they had an entire movement!
An objects design affects how we interact with it. Duh. So can these principles be applied to urban design?
As Pilloton says a $5,000 bamboo coffee table isn’t sustainable. In the same way a lot of quality designed neighborhoods are unsustainable because of their price point.
Take this new development in Santa Monica California.
The building sounds great, but rents are $2,000 – $5,000/month? We’ve got to do this without it costing an arm and a leg.
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/02/pricey_new_samo_apartments_hoping_residents_go_carless.php
2012 was the first full year of operation for our group Noodles and New Urbanism. So we thought we’d take a moment to highlight some of the things we’ve been doing.
– We got this blog and facebook page and domain. An online presence is crucial is solidifying us as an active advocacy community, not just a book group.
– Pastry Walk! We held our first open community event. Bringing together local business, community groups, and random people for an event promoting walkable neighborhoods!
– We were invited to give a presentation and lead a discussion at a local church group. Seeing new urbanism from a faith based perspective was refreshing for people on both sides.
– We attended the Fresno new urbanism film festival. Met the mayor and many advocates for community building and development. Very inspirational and educational event. Our blogs about the development there generated online comments and discussion that even included the general planner.
Hopes for 2013:
– Another Pastry Walk! Some people loved the idea but couldn’t make it and others couldn’t wrap their heads around walking and eating pastries. We got a lot of community involvement from the bakery owners and from local bloggers. So we hope to capitalize on that with another walking tour of local bakeries.
– Representing at CNU! We don’t have tickets but we’re going to go anyway and have a little faith that we can sneak into some events or at least the after parties.
– Our own New Urbanist Film Festival in LA? We’re toying with the idea… stay tuned for more info!
– Bike Wash! Like a car wash, but bring your bike! Get out your bike and get it all shiney for summer riding!
-We’re also talking about “chair-bombing” and hosting our own “parking-day” event.
Stay tuned for updates on all these activities. Or join us at Mao’s Kitchen for tasty singapore noodles and invigoration discussion about new urbanism!
Noodles & New Urbanism 