Tech Mission
Tech Mission is a ossible design for mid-size cities that either don't have a particular strength in technology or a logical location for a tech company to locate. Modeled after the growth of the Christian church, a technology company such as Google would establish a "mission" in a mid-size city for some period of...
City 70/20/10
This is a riff on Google's agreement with employees to maximize each individual’s effectiveness. "In order to always develop leading edge ideas, Google empowers every one of their employees to think of their time as a whole, or 100 percent. When divided up, they require that each employee concentrate 70 percent...
Show City
The city could be a theater. Every citizen could be a writer, an actor, a director, and a stage-hand. Cities would match up those with experience with those who have more to learn and who could inspire each other. Life in the city would be a perpetual invitation to try and learn. It could be a reality webcast, a...
STAYcation
Cities could organize and provide enough replenishment that citizens stay put. That would include play of all kinds, both alone and collectively; spiritual discovery, meditation, experience, and guidance anytime, anywhere; emotional support such that everyone has someone to lean on and to laugh with; sanctuary...
Slow City
Cities could commit to a slower pace and maximum work hours (like France's 35 hour work weeks) to employ more people, and to make more time for participating in the learning environment. The city would create learning challenges, similar to Chicago’s One Book Program, that engage key stakeholders—including...
Habitual Ritual
Cities could help establish new rituals that are meaningful on a local level, and encourage and support the positive demonstration of the city values. They would turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and make doing the right thing part of a citizen’s routine in a way that feels special and...
Humanity 101 Campaign
Cities could create curricula and coursework on the subject of humanity and make it available at all public institutions and in public spaces—like on billboards, in elevators, in taxis, or on subways. There would be a "humanity handbook" that instructs people about expected routines and rituals for...
Media Reform
City ordinances could require local media to feature and sensationalize a minimum of 30 percent positive stories as opposed to focusing on and aggrandizing pain and violence. Cities would ask them to feature the activism and great work of citizens.
This is part 39 of a continuing brainstorm on the future of...
Preservation ReFARM
Cities could pass laws that require shrinking less densely populated areas, and recognize that not every building needs to be preserved. Sometimes a nice field is better than a strip of old historic, vacant buildings. If a building isn’t saved and revitalized to meet density and activity guidelines within...
Slumlord Redemption Program
Cities should creare a slumlord redemption program to rehabilitate slumlords, and motivate them beyond money to care for their inhabitants and their neighborhoods. Tax incentives could be given for changed behavior, and taxes could be increase based on the likely worth of a building up to code,...
