This is a REALLY interesting Ted talk by a Syrian architect who remained in the city of Homs during the last six years of war.

“Even simple things like shaded places or fruit plants or drinking water inside the city can make a difference in how people feel towards the place, and whether they consider it a generous place that gives, a place that’s worth keeping, contributing to, or whether they see it as an alienating place, full of seeds of anger. In order for a place to give, its architecture should be giving, too.”   -Marwa Al-Sabouni

Listen to the Ted Talk and let us know what you think!

New Orleans is making waves with its new initiatives that allow us to live WITH our stormwater (instead of in spite of it). We’re now subsiding at the rate of 1/4″ per year. Living with our water is the ONLY solution that’s going to prevent us from losing our ground (and our minds) to subsidence and flooding.

This article talks about the exciting new projects that will be installed soon in New Orleans. Let us know what YOU think!

In New Orleans our surface roads are getting higher and higher. This is because roads are not being DEpaved before they’re being repaved. This tactic, which we can only presume is financially driven, is causing an inordinate amount of stormwater runoff to flood the yards of homes and businesses. Didn’t we already have enough problems with stormwater? Why are we making this harder on ourselves?

Check out this article and see if you think it’s an appropriate solution for New Orleans. Let us know what you think!

Apparently Miami’s proposed solution to their stormwater problems is more traditional infrastructure (system of valves, pumps, and raised roadways) to decrease the impact of flooding, with developers footing the bill. But is that the right solution? I prefer New Orleans’ embrace of green infrastructure which allows us to live WITH our stormwater, instead of sending it into the catch basins.

Read the article and let us know what YOU think.