ON THE CONCRETE, LITERALLY AND METAPHORICALLY
I want to be a planner who lives in the real world and is animated by joy, togetherness, self-actualization, and the creation of spaces that allow for communal connection.
“MADE IN CHINA”; The production and circulation of cultural revolution era posters in china and the west
This poster advertising visiting Cuba hung in the living room of my childhood home in California for most of my life. I remember as a little kid thinking that it was a painting of my mother matching the woman in the poster with her dark curly hair, rosy cheeks, and warm smile.
Tracing Glodok, Jakarta’s Chinatown
Almost every city contains at least one Chinatown–an enclave of Chinese immigrants that may have initially grown out of discrimination and segregation, but have since developed into thriving centers celebrating Chinese culture. While Chinatowns in the Western imagination may capture Asian identities more broadly, Chinatowns in Asian cities have roots in a long history of…
Micro-agency
“As I wandered around Paris attempting to find an avenue for agency in a city that I’m still largely foreign to, I found myself walking along the very urban oddity that had pushed me into this field of studies in the first place: a desire path.”
Love, Joy Church in Alabama x Love, Love, Love! in New York City
“Love is all activity. Instead of the object coming to me,
it is I who goes to the object and becomes a part of it.”
Jose Ortega y Gasset
CATS
A city’s cats are their most honest insights. A living index of behaviors. An urban lifestyle embodied by its inhabitants on four legs, their fur and feet speak of a city just as its names.
Life dans la rue in montréal
Montreal’s three-story apartments create vibrant communal spaces, ideal for people-watching and socializing, embodying both architectural charm and neighborhood culture.
Rest in the city
City landscapes are often not just unwelcoming but downright hostile to the need for rest.
Empire’s Enduring Mark on Urban Spaces
Through a blend of economic imperatives, legal frameworks, and cultural narratives, settler colonialism etched inequalities into urban spaces—inequalities that remain evident in today’s cityscapes, housing policies, and social divisions.
Growing Up on the Grid: Lessons in Life and Love from Philadelphia’s Public Transit
I composed out loud a long and twisted patchwork of bus routes to somehow get myself across the city in 30 minutes with $4. The 48 bus could take me up to 27th and Allegheny to switch to the 32 to take me to East Falls to catch the K to pass Go to collect…
New urbanism
Written by Chat GPT Urbanism in 2024 is marked by a dynamic interplay of sustainability, adaptive reuse, and social inclusivity. Cities are reimagining their roles as hubs of not just work but also vibrant community life. Mixed-use districts are increasingly replacing rigid zoning to accommodate a blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, fostering walkability…
Hello World!
The Urban Legend aims to explore the complexities of urban life by uncovering its hidden stories. The platform focuses on historical and modern challenges such as colonialism and gentrification, fostering dialogue on social justice and inclusive city planning. Each article offers fresh perspectives while inspiring awareness and action in urban communities.
The Urban Legend 