Critical commentary about current urban trends
A couple of interesting articles by Joel Kotkin questioning the sustainability of current "urban revival" trends. Though I'm not sure I totally agree with Kotkin, there are some good points about cities becoming centers of entertainment and experience; in essence shopping malls rather than traditional centers of commerce and industry.
Link: The Ephemeral City
What we are seeing is more like a subtle shift in the role of cities: from the commanding centers of global civilization to (at least in the advanced countries) a more peripheral function. In many ways, this follows the prediction made a century ago by H.G. Wells, who said that cities would evolve from the unquestioned center of economic life into a "bazaar, a great gallery of shops and places of concourse and rendezvous."Link: Trying to be hip won't save cities
Link: The Ephemeral City