City to City
Cities. They are where more than half the global population lives, where sprawl is not just a verb but a way of life and where structures and pathways obscure the green to become an urban virtue.
Our cities define us.
They also shape our planet, bringing vast numbers of people and ideas together and mobilizing them for the purposes of industry, commerce and creative enterprises.
Archetypal cities like Athens, London, Paris and Rome have taken on mythical status, looming large in the imagination as world centres of innovation, beauty and power.
A comparatively new metropolis like Toronto, on the other hand, typically inspires ideas about the future, being filled with shiny new architecture with a diverse population composed of newcomers from around the globe.
But whether young or old, cities all share one thing in common: they are constantly changing and adapting to meet the needs of their citizens.
How they evolve and remain relevant is the focus of this themed issue, a look at the city in all its multifaceted glory.
Inside, you’ll find articles on the comeback of brutalism, a concrete-clad architecture style that York’s Keele Campus has galore, and on how researchers at York are advancing the argument that wild animals in the city are citizens, not pests, and need to be regarded as such by urban planners.
Also look for stories on urban music, the importance of infrastructure and why city walking strengthens the imagination.
Cities. They are more than steel and glass. They are hearts that beat in concrete. ■