All articles by barbara speed
barbara speed
Where is the world’s smallest skyscraper?
If there is a standard height definition for a skyscraper, is there really a way to determine the world’s smallest?
What is a paper town?
Much as we like to rely on them, and, in fact, view them as a lone source of stability in a confusing and ever-changing world, maps can be wrong. And not just wrong by accident. Wrong on purpose.
A city of 7,000: Life inside Calais' refugee camp
Back in July, the aid charity Care4Calais circulated a photo of its volunteers holding up signs in a near-empty warehouse. They were asking…
11 rich and famous people who took the Tube (because they're actually just like us)
The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and his son, Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, were…
The UK rail network is rubbish because Churchill’s advisor thought we’d all be commuting by air by now
In 1947, Britain’s rail networks were nationalised. They needed it: the war, and lack of investment afterwards, had taken its…
Where did Pokemon Go get its maps from?
For gamers, Pokémon Go is remarkable thanks to its massive popularity after only a week’s release, and its innovative combination of…
A group of domestic violence activists has occupied a flat in Hackney to protest the demise of council housing
We know – we were practically born knowing – that there isn’t enough housing in London. The Independent found in 2015 that…
LA's new subway safety warnings are all about people being dismembered
In London, the transport system is known for its polite announcements, read by slow, posh voices: “Please stand behind the yellow…
Let the hunger games begin: UberEats, the Uber for food delivery, has launched in London
In my humble opinion, one of the best things about living in a city is that, with a few jabs…
The London Underground is updating its font
The London Underground’s visual identity – its roundels, its colours, its much-loved map – has an almost legendary quality. As such, the…