Tag Archive for ‘New Urbanism’
Quickly Construct Concrete Pad Footings with FASTBAG
At a recent seminar I attended I was introduced to the Fab-Form product called FASTBAG. This product is brilliantly simple….a textile bag you can fill with concrete and reinforcing bars to take the place of the wood formwork traditionally utilized to construct pad footings. The bags come in multiple sizes designed to replace standard pad [...]
2009 Code Update: Live / Work Units
Typically, structures built for commercial use must conform to the International Building Code (IBC). Residential structures (single family homes, duplexes and townhomes) must conform to a similar, but separate set of standards, the International Residential Code (IRC). Prior to the 2009 I-codes, using a residential structure as business such as the hair salon pictured was [...]
Sustainable Communities Should Consider Car Sharing
It’s not a new idea, but it’s an idea whose time has come. In our urban environments, it is getting increasingly more difficult, not to mention expensive, to own a car. In cities such as New York and Boston, people have left their vehicles long ago for the advantage of public transportation. But what options [...]
Potential LEED-ND Candidates in Colorado
In a partnership with the Colorado chapters of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), I recently identified developed neighborhoods that may qualify for LEED-Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND). LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design with multiple rating systems including the most popular New [...]
Spring Creek – A Neo-Traditional Neighborhood in Colorado Springs
The City of Colorado Springs includes three neo-traditional neighborhood developments (TND’s) to date: Spring Creek; Lowell; and Gold Hill Mesa. A driving factor in incorporating new urbanism in Colorado Springs was the creation of Colorado Springs’ TND zoning overlay (Part 1; Part 2), which is guided by a document of standards, policies and guidelines. The [...]
Sustainability Bike Tour in Colorado Springs: An Article from The Colorado Urbanist
The following article on a Colorado Springs Sustainability Tour was written for the Colorado Urbanist Journal from CNU Colorado, an organization advocating new urbanism and smart growth principles in Colorado. EVstudio’s Sean O’Hara serves as the Vice Chair for CNU Colorado and EVstudio’s John Olson serves as the Treasurer.
The Neighborhood Unit: How Does Perry’s Concept Apply to Modern Day Planning?
False interpretations of Perry’s concept have conceived segregation of land uses, further validating the modern-day road classification system and unfortunately created an auto-centric society in today’s first ring and outward suburban communities.
Repowering Southern Colorado Expo at Colorado State University Pueblo
John Olson, Landscape Architect at EVstudio, will be representing the Congress for the New Urbanism Colorado Chapter at the Repowering Southern Colorado Expo and Virtual Solar Tour this Saturday (8/14). The event will be held at Colorado State University’s Pueblo campus from 9 am – 4 pm. It is sponsored by SECRES (South Eastern Colorado Renewable Energy [...]
Low-Impact Development Tool in South Main, a Southern Colorado TND
At South Main, the image to the right shows a light imprint tool that provides a hard surface path from the street to the sidewalk. By using stone ,rather than concrete, rainwater can replenish the ground water instead of becoming stormwater. Stone pathways achieve the greatest level of sustainability when local stone is used. This [...]
Landscape Urbanism: A Critique from a CNU Cardholder and Landscape Architect
Landscape Urbanism sounds like a great name that really meshes together a lot of what I believe in and do as a professional. Landscape Urbanism is rapidly growing in popularity and I suspect this will continue as the CNU (Congress for the New Urbanism) is now getting involved. Not surprisingly, the “landscape urbanists” have a [...]
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