All articles by barbara speed
barbara speed
What this pop art map of the world can teach us about cartography
The artist Roy Lichtenstein probably hasn’t inspired too many maps over the years: map designers tend to mostly be inspired…
Seattle is planning to replace parking spots with bus passes
It seems a little nuts that, at a time when we should ideally be cutting back on car use, many…
You thought London was bad? Rents in the commuter belt are soaring, too
In Harlow, Essex, there are nine flathunters for every spare room going. Demand has risen by 350 per cent over…
General Election 2015: Labour pledges to change the definition of "affordable" rents and put a stop to developers' "smoke and mirrors"
Back in 2011, something happened that would dramatically change social housing in London. Buried in a document called the “Affordable…
“Shared spaces”: a clever trick for safer roads or a step backwards into chaos?
We all know how roads work. Different types of traffic are marshalled across junction in turn. There are timed traffic lights,…
Violent protests grip Baltimore following the funeral of Freddie Gray, a black man who died in police custody
On reading the news this morning, you could be forgiven for blearily wondering if they’d accidentally reprinted one of those…
Why are so many grown adults whizzing around on electric unicycles?
Last Friday morning, I saw a tall, important-looking man in a black suit perched on a single, foot-high wheel, buzzing…
How measuring brainwaves could improve cities
Here’s a deceptively difficult question to answer: “Why do we go where we go?” Until now, the tools we use…
Sorry, but this rotating apartment block isn't the solution to segregated cities
When space is at a premium, it becomes a premium product. You can see this effect at work in cities…
Ankara's mayor is being sued for building a giant robot
It’s tough, being a mayor. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try to please your citizens,…