Urban Development
Mexico City: A Century of Sinking due to Mismanaged Water Resources
Mexico City, built on a subsiding lakebed, has experienced significant land subsidence exacerbated by historical poor water management. Initial efforts to drain the basin to prevent flooding were followed by extensive groundwater pumping to support rapid urbanization and population growth. This over…
Indigenous Sovereignty Accelerates Urban Housing Development
The Squamish Nation, leveraging its sovereign status, is rapidly developing a 10.5-acre site in Vancouver into a high-density residential and commercial complex. This project, known as Sen̓áḵw, demonstrates how bypassing conventional zoning laws and permitting processes can significantly expedite co…
San Francisco confronts complex challenges in urban waste management
San Francisco's efforts to manage urban litter reveal that simply adding more trash cans does not reduce street litter. Behavioral factors, illegal dumping, and unique urban challenges like a high unhoused population significantly complicate waste management. The city's lengthy and costly process fo…