Dec 11, 2022The Bar as Public SpacePeople who know me won’t be surprised by this declaration: I like spending time in bars. In Europe, the definition of a “bar” is more vague than in other places. A bar isn’t just an establishment that will serve you alcohol. …Design9 min readDesign9 min read
Nov 11, 2022Member-onlyThe Beauty of the Ukrainian Collective SpiritSomething has been happening in Ukraine since the beginning of the war that we’re not talking enough about. Something remarkable, powerful and quite beautiful. I witnessed it daily in the six weeks, in total, I’ve spent in the country since the full invasion began: The Collective Spirit of Ukrainians. Citizens…Ukraine12 min readUkraine12 min read
Nov 4, 2022Bikes on Trains for Free Led to a Massive Passenger Increase in CopenhagenSo what exactly happens when you’re a major, European train operator and you suddenly make it free for passengers to take bikes on your trains? …Bicycles5 min readBicycles5 min read
Aug 4, 2022Show Me The Money — Bureaucracy & International ClientsOver the past fifteen years, I have received payments from clients in well over forty countries for urbanism projects and payment for my keynotes at conferences and events. Normally, it simply involves me sending an invoice and receiving a wire transfer. Boom. I have, however, identified a few countries that…Banking4 min readBanking4 min read
May 27, 2022If you like bikes and bike-friendly cities and want to help Ukraine — keep reading!If you like bikes and bike-friendly cities and want to help the people of Ukraine — then I just started a crowdfunding project for you. Donate today on GoFundMe. Bikes4Ukraine. Help give the people of Lviv their cycling freedom. …Ukraine2 min readUkraine2 min read
Apr 7, 2022The Bicycle: A Vital Tool and Symbol in Times of CrisisJust as there are few symbols of human resilience and hope in an hour of need as powerful as the bicycle, there are few inventions that become such vital tools in times of crisis — like we’re seeing in the war in Ukraine. (Be aware that there are graphic photos farther down) For more than a decade and a half I have worked to re-establish the bicycle as transport in scores of cities around the world, spoken at length at keynotes about the spectacular utility and beauty of the invention and documented its humble usage in tens of thousands of photos. …Bicycles13 min readBicycles13 min read
Mar 31, 2022The Highway Projects That Almost Destroyed CopenhagenWhile we are nowhere near the tipping point, there are many cities, especially here in Europe, that are redefining their urban development and scaling back their planning to something more life-sized. …Copenhagen17 min readCopenhagen17 min read
Mar 7, 2022The Architecture of Mariupol — and the legacy of Viktor NielsenBack in 2020 I was a member of an architectural jury for a competition hosted by the City of Mariupol, Ukraine and organised by Canactions. It was an interesting and compelling competition not least because the city is right near the region invaded by Russia in 2014. The entries were…Mariupol8 min readMariupol8 min read
Mar 6, 2022Member-onlyCopenhagen’s Carbon Neutral GreenwashingIt was back in 2012 that Copenhagen started its journey to becoming “the world’s first carbon neutral capital by 2025”. Right off the bat, I’d like you to notice my use of quotation marks. Shortly after it was announced, the hype about this municipal goal gained considerable media purchase. It…Energy11 min readEnergy11 min read
Feb 20, 2022Electric Cars: Where Will the Energy Come From?I originally published this article on the Copenhagenize blog. It’s written by my friend and colleague, Jason Henderson, Professor of Geography & Environment at San Francisco State University. Jason is author of Street Fight: The Politics of Mobility in San Francisco (2013), and co-author of Low Car (bon) Communities: Inspiring…Electric Vehicles6 min readElectric Vehicles6 min read
