World Cities Day Challenge: My Top 5 (and the winner)

thiscitylife:

Just over a week ago, I participated in the United Nations HABITAT and The Guardian’s World Cities Day Challenge. It was an opportunity to share the best urban ideas that are improving city life around the world. According to The Guardian:

We chose 36 finalists, from Tallinn to Calgary to Bhubaneswar, whose favourite city ideas range from baths floating in the river, to a green zone around the city, to a network of connected cultural rooftops. The only rule was that the ideas had to be implemented, or about to be. The contestants have spent the past month putting the finishing touches – a touch of Photoshop, a ton of glitter – on their show-stopping presentations. They each have 12 minutes in the “hot seat” to show off their city with a joke, a clever photograph and, of course, an amazing urban idea.

I represented Vancouver and submitted the idea of my city’s Green Zone – a designated and preserved green space that helped make the Metro Vancouver region into compact cities in a sea of wilderness.

My idea didn’t win, but  I enjoyed being part of the event and representing my hometown. When I had a chance to review all of the 36 selected projects, I was so impressed with each one’s ingenuity, simplicity and potential. Any one of these projects could be adopted to improve city life around the world.

Here are my top five favourites (in no particular order):

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