Fire Escapes Are Evocative, But Mostly Useless
In the 19th century, fire escapes saved tenement dwellers from peril. Today they are more likely to cause harm than to prevent it.
Metropolis Now
METROPOLIS NOW
Technology is transforming city life, for better and worse
The City That Remembers Everything
The smart city is moving beyond cameras and microphones to stranger surveillance tools.
The Rise of Virtual Citizenship
In Cyprus, Estonia, the United Arab Emirates, and elsewhere, passports can now be bought and sold.
City Noise Might Be Making You Sick
For a century, urban commotion has been treated as a moral failing of individuals. Fixing it will require systemic changes to environmental noise.
When Malls Saved the Suburbs From Despair
Like it or not, the middle class became global citizens through consumerism—and they did so at the mall.
People Will Always Get Lost
GPS-equipped smartphones were supposed to put an end to going off course. They didn't, and they never will.
China's Dystopian Tech Could Be Contagious
The PRC’s “social credit” scheme might have consequences for life in cities everywhere.
Google’s Guinea-Pig City
Will Toronto turn its residents into Alphabet’s experiment? The answer has implications for cities everywhere.
Stop Saying 'Smart Cities'
Digital stardust won’t magically make future cities more affordable or resilient.
How Humans Sank New Orleans
Engineering put the Crescent City below sea level. Now, its future is at risk.