Google sister company Sidewalk Labs has created a system of urban signage that reveals the technologies it is using to track people in public spaces.
The signs are intended to be a visual representation of the privacy policies the company is developing to go along with its data collection technology.
While the project goes some way to address privacy concerns around data collection, there’s still no way for people to opt out of being tracked in public.
The signage is being trialled in Toronto, Canada, but could be taken up in other cities. To find out more about the signage design, purpose and placement, see the article by Fast Company.
The redesign of the upper levels of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, after the destruction of a major fire in April, is attracting controversial proposals – such as a swimming pool, observation deck and sculpture of golden flames.
French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, announcing an international design competition for the roofline, questioned if it was time to modernise any new additions to the UNESCO world heritage landmark.
“This is obviously a huge challenge, a historic responsibility,” he said, adding that the new design should be “adapted to technologies and challenges of our times.”
Contemporary visions include a roof made of recycled plastic from the oceans (Studio Drift), a roofline and spire of stained glass (Alexandre Fantozz, AJ6 Studio), a rooftop olive garden (Arcas Architects).
Perhaps the most tongue-in-cheek, a multi-storey carpark by Yung Yonge, and Notre-McDame with golden arches and red roof by an anonymous Reddit photoshopper.
Successful products are often followed by copycats. Over the past year we have become aware of an increase in reproductions of the Linea range attempting to create a similar aesthetic at a lower price. This can compromise the overall durability and environmental credentials of projects being delivered, affect ongoing maintenance requirements, and in some instances pose a risk of injury to the public. The design of Linea is deceptively simple while delivering exceptional attention to detail. Details matter not only for beauty, but also for providing durability, and safety, that will last decades. Linea strictly uses the highest quality and sustainable materials, has passed rigorous strength tests, and is designed for longevity, with easily replaceable parts. The product range is the result of hundreds of hours of research and development …
Street Furniture Australia’s entire product range and manufacturing operation has received carbon neutral certification through Climate Active™. Achieving carbon neutral certification marks a significant milestone in our operation and the culmination of a four year long process of detailed measurement and analysis. Climate Active™ is the only Australian government-backed carbon neutral certification programme for businesses to measure, reduce, and offsets their carbon emissions. It is one of the most rigorous carbon-neutral programs in the world. An approved Emissions Reduction Strategy (ERS) is central to achieving certification through Climate Active. Street Furniture Australia has elected to use SBTi validated science-based targets to ensure their ERS is meaningful and aligns with the 2015 Paris Agreement – to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. For those emissions that can’t be …
Our Presentation Specialists bring a fun, interactive and informative workshop about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to your office. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) you will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats in the comfort of your office. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). ‘The presentation content was informative, engaging, interactive and relevant. Genuinely one of the better supplier workshops! It was efficient yet insightful. The interactive nature of it enhanced engagement with the team,’ Sam Westlake, Senior Associate, Hassell, Sydney. ‘Possibly our favourite product presentation to date! Engaging, great content and appreciated the physical samples and prototypes,’ Alexa Ongoco, Senior Landscape Architect, TCL, Brisbane. ‘Thorough presentation with actual product to see and …
Risky playgrounds could be better for kids: Studies show that kids develop greater risk detection, creativity, and self-esteem through riskier playgrounds, says Vox in an episode of By Design. Studies have found that risky outdoor play is a key part of children’s health, promoting social interactions, creativity, problem-solving, and resilience. Some communities are even experimenting with “adventure playgrounds,” a format with origins in World War II Denmark, where bomb sites became impromptu playgrounds. Filled with props like nails, hammers, saws, paint, tires, and wood planks, these spaces look more like junkyards than play spaces – and parents are often kept outside the playground while children are chaperoned by staff. Now, that question of keeping children safe versus keeping children engaged is at the heart of a big debate in playground …
Wanted, A New Public Space for Melbourne: The Future Park International Design Competition invites entrants to propose a new signature space for the city’s centre. The contest is organised by AILA and the University of Melbourne, with up to $20,000 in prize money to be allocated. Participants are challenged to think about how parks shape Melbourne’s urban form, and uncover new possibilities. Restricted to a 10km radius from Melbourne’s city centre, designers are asked to present a rationale for the location of the proposed space and consider how their design responds to challenges facing the city in the 21st century, including climate change, growing population, biodiversity and community. University of Melbourne senior lecturer in Landscape Architecture Jillian Walliss says the competition aims to enhance the role of landscape architecture in …
5 Inspiring Stories of Great Public Places: The Project for Public Spaces has added five more entries to its international Great Public Spaces database. In Moscow, 18 lanes of the capital’s ring road have been reduced to no more than 10 at any point to create the Garden Ring, with 13 new public spaces, 20 crosswalks, generous promenades and 2880 new trees. In Vancouver, Alley Oop (pictured above) transforms an underused laneway into a place for play, with areas marked for basketball and hopscotch, seating and tables for comfort and a dedicated clean team. Strangers are seen playing together. In Bristol, Electric Moon is an artwork and low-cost lighting installation designed to help pedestrians and cyclists see each other at a trouble spot on a dark shared path. Historic Burns Court welcomes visitors …
