Will Smart Electric Bicycles Change our Cities?

Urban planners talk endlessly about transforming our cities and inner urban areas with higher density and people friendly environments.  

But despite the rhetoric, the dominance of the motor car remains the primary factor dictating our city landscapes by requiring large road access, parking and safety measures.  Whilst public mass transport is solution it will not address personal mobility needs and desires and cycling does not suit everyone for health and comfort reasons.

But, maybe electric bicycles will do this as this interesting review of the new Smart electric bike by Joe Peach demonstrates.  Joe describes his experience of using the bike for work in Berlin over a few days.

And here's short video from Smart about the bicycle (if you understand German).



Imagine if even just 10% of the people using motor cars for short trips used one of these bicycles instead?

It makes we want one.  Plus, it's way less nerdy than a Segway.


Francesco ...

Creating Cities with Pen & Paper

Most cities are built brick by brick, building by building and block by block so it's a slow process that we don't notice around us.

But you could do it a lot faster with pen and paper. 

This great time-lapse video of London artist and illustrator Patrick Vale drawing an architectual view of the lower Manhattan skyline from the perspective of the Empire State Building is a great way to see how it has transformed things in that city.

Empire State of Pen from BigAnimal on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

Francesco ....

Wanna Buy a Slightly Used Strata Apartment?

Next Saturday (24 November) in Sydney, the Owners Corporation Network is holding a seminar about buying strata apartments in older buildings with presenters sharing knowledge and experiences about the benefits and pitfalls of older strata apartments.

It's a worthwhile topic and many strata apartment buyers could certainly benefit from more knowledge.

But, it also made me think about the idea of 'new' and 'used' apartments and why people don't (and shouldn't) think about them like cars or other products.

After all when you decide to buy a car one of the first things you decide is between buying new or second hand.  That will usually depend on price and what you can afford since older cars are usually worth less.  But sometimes you're after a specific model that no longer exists or has become a collectors item.  Next you'll have colour, trim and specification preferences.  And, then you want to check the condition (usually getting an auto service inspection).

But it's not quite the same for strata apartments.

Older apartments aren't cheaper than new (and in some case the opposite occurs as developers offer incentives to sell in slow markets and discounts for pre-construction sales). And, people don't tend to think of apartments as used.  The apartment features do make a difference to buyers but, surprisingly, the levels of pre-purchase inspection (building and strata records) are much lower than for cars.

Despite strata apartments being a manufactured product (bricks, timber, steel, glass and finishes) with a finite life - they are marketed and perceived to be like land by most stakeholders.  To me it's an interesting outcome that does not match the reality of strata ownership.  

So, wanna buy a slightly used strata apartment - only occupied by a little old lady on Sundays?


Francesco ...