A More Enjoyable Commute

 

In "Introduction to Ecological Urbanism," Mohsen Mostafavi explores the concept of ecological urbanism, emphasizing the need for cities to adopt sustainable practices that consider ecological principles. He discusses the interconnectedness of urban and natural systems, advocating for a holistic approach to urban design that integrates environmental, social, and economic factors. Mostafavi emphasizes the importance of collaboration between disciplines and communities to address the challenges of urbanization while promoting biodiversity, resilience, and sustainability. Overall, the introduction serves as a primer for understanding the principles and goals of ecological urbanism as a framework for shaping future cities.

The city of Barcelona has an interesting way of managing/limiting car traffic and thus pollution and noise on city streets. The city’s grid-like infrastructure is separated into 3 block by 3 block “superblocks,” within which the speed limits greatly decrease. The streets within these superblocks are not gone, one could still use them to access businesses within, but casual usage is discouraged by the low speed limits. This creates much healthier and more enjoyable streetscape at a human scale due to decreased noise and air pollution and more sustainable at a global scale through overall lower usage of cars.