All articles by barbara speed
barbara speed
Rob Ford’s greatest hits
Late last week came the tragic news that Rob Ford would be dropping out of Toronto’s mayoral race. For anyone…
Maps pouring scorn on everyone, coming soon to a city near you
When it comes to cities, maps don’t really tell you the whole story. Yes, the roads are marked out, yes…
Starbucks is launching different stores depending on how classy your area is
In the UK, there’s a long-running urban myth that the skirts on sale in department store chain Marks & Spencer…
New app detects bikes before you see or hear them
In the war between bikes and cars, cars definitely have the advantage. They’re bigger, they’re more dangerous, and they’re able…
Hamburg and Berlin have released their proposals for the 2024 Olympics – and they're thinking small
The Olympics have long been a chance for cities to show off. Traditionally, they’ve done so by installing brand-new stadiums,…
The two worst US cities for drivers are both in Massachusetts
Massachusetts, besides being the hardest US state to spell, can also boast another dubious honour: it contains both the US’s…
A new grassroots movement is trying to take control of Barcelona's government
This week, an organisation collected its 30,000th signature in support of its bid to take part in Barcelona’s municipal elections…
Which city tweets the most?
Twitter is a pretty useful tool for city-dwellers. You can track transit hiccups. You can follow new bars that don’t…
10 African cities whose economic importance will triple by 2030
Global Economy Watch, a monthly report released by PwC, usually leads with stories on US employment figures or an analysis…
Could floating shipping containers help sort out the world’s slums?
“What if a city was as flexible as a shuffle puzzle?” Koen Olthuis asked in his 2012 TEDx talk. He…