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March 9, 2007

Seoul, Korea

'10 Most Connected Cities in the World'

The most economically, culturally competitive cities will be the first to transition from an industrial-economy auto-oriented infrastructure to an information-economy digital one. Who's in the lead? According to Daily Wireless' 10 Most Connected Cities in the World:

1. Seoul, South Korea (pictured) - The second most populated metro area in the world (22 million) plus a reputation as the world leader in modern technology helps make Seoul the undisputed leader. With 10mbps broadband (four times faster than in most U.S. households) for $20/mo. in 83% of homes, it's no wonder video games in Seoul is the cultural equivalent of baseball in the U.S.
2. Taipei, Taiwan - With 90% of the 2.6M population has wi-fi access from $4.5-$12/mo., Taipei is #1 in the world when it comes to wireless.
3. Tokyo, Japan - With the most populated metro area in the world, connectivity is a must, and at 100mbps for $50/mo., it's the biggest network in the world for ultra-high-speed networking and VOIP phone usage.
4. Hong Kong, China - At $16/mo. for 10mbps and $34/mo. for 100mbps and ubiquitous on-demand TV, it's the best deal in the world.
5. Singapore - Already at 65% broadband penetration, Singapore's government is arguably the most aggressive in establishing policies to make it a world leader.
6. Stockholm, Sweden - Limited by high costs, Stockholm is the most digitally connected in Europe and one of the most active internet gaming cafe cultures in the world.
7. 'Various Municipal Projects, United States' - St. Cloud FL (free wifi) and Mountain View CA (free wifi) lead the way in the U.S., while San Francisco, Philadelphia and Boston have plans for city-wide wifi as well.
8. Paris, France - Within 5 years the city will have $50mbps at $40/mo., and by then it's world leading cafe culture will take on a whole new meaning.
9. Shoreditch, England - With Shoreditch TV, the entire city is a reality show.
10. Silicon Valley, United States - You'd think the home of the leading tech companies in the world would have something up their sleeves, and they do - free 1Mbps wifi for all 4.2M residents, lead by IBM and Cisco.

Image source: mangonmilk

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March 8, 2007

Condesa, Mexico City

If ever in Mexico City, happen upon Condesa

Words used to describe Condesa, a turn-of-the-century neighborhood in Mexico City: urban, eclectic, diverse, bohemian, chic, indie, cafe culture...

Types of people who characterize Condesa: Movie directors, novelists, soap opera writers, musicians, painters, architects, academics...

Venues you'll find: Outdoor cafes, art galleries, exhibits, hotels w/ ipod-furnished rooms, the largest bookstore in Latin America, innovative restaurants and bars with avant-garde architecture...

Architectural styles you'll experience: Experimental architecture with a number of contemporary "airy, angular, steel, concrete and glass apartment buildings", yet still humanistic, sprinkled among the most Art Deco buildings south of Miami.

For a bohemian guide to what's cool in Condesa, check out Daily Candy's travel brief here.

Typical quotes from Condesa residents:
"There are people who never leave Condesa. There's everything. There are restaurants, there are bars, there are places to dance."
"The one thing I really like is the mix of people."
"Here, it's easy to make friends. It's a community with much conviviality."
"I wouldn't know where else to live."

Image source: Matisse

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March 7, 2007

Watertown Lofts, Denver

A little imagination goes a long way in loft housing

If there's one thing that separates 'cool town' developer vs a conventional one, it's the ability to see an exciting destination where others see an eyesore. How does one acquire this ability? Here are a couple of tips...

1. Look at buildings constructed before 1930, the last era of pedestrian-oriented development before the auto-oriented suburbia was invented. Anything built after that was increasingly affected by the mass production/industrial age's facscination with machines, and the buildings reflected that at the expense of humanistic character.

This warehouse (pictured to the left) was built in 1894, and today is known as the Watertown Lofts (above).

2. Partner with people who do have this vision, typically practitioners that subscribe to the new urbanism, smart growth, historic preservation, and/or creative class movements.

3. Ask the creatives. No one has the vision better than them. Even better, let them participate with entrepreneurs and other creatives as a beta community to help co-design and co-invest in something that leaves no creative stone unturned.

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March 6, 2007

Singapore, Chinatown

So how would you describe the 'cool town' community?

We've gone through a series of very practical, tangible descriptions, profiles and case studies of the creatives, open source communities, and placemaking, but what's missing perhaps is a more philosophic, abstract description of what kinds of communities this all represents.

For that I present the definition of open creative communities by Mark Kuznicki, a researcher, writer and strategy consultant in the areas of creative industries, economic development, innovation and cultural policy. Read his description here, including the definitions of 'creativity', 'innovation', 'community' and 'open'.

One succinct excerpt of what an open creative community provides: "...a future where every individual has the power and ability to discover his or her creative passions, and to resolve their multi-dimensional identities into a coherent whole through their interaction in open community with others."

This is the basis for why we're about to see some of the coolest neighborhoods ever built, or should I say, manifested. The open creative community exists virtually in every region, it just takes the right physical environment to actually see them, and for them to see one another.

Image: Chinatown, Singapore

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March 5, 2007

Softwall

How would you like your home to feel... right now?

Each year 100,000 people attend the annual International Builders Show to get a headstart on homebuying trends. So what did they walk away with this year?

For the first time ever, it's quality over quantity as U.S. homes have finally hit their peak size. 'Not so big' is in, though that's been already covered here.

More homes are going green as costs go down and environmental awareness goes up, but for our readers, that's nothing new either. By 2015, we should have house-wide lights and AC that can be programmed to save energy, even hooked up to your computer to track savings.

The more exciting features to come, not surprisingly, have to do with mass customization, with homes/buildings built off-site in modular sections to reduce home prices, and with flexible room dividers and partial walls to provide configurability and adaptability for different uses, moods.

Image: Softwalls - "an expandable partition with a moody ambient light quality."

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