Tag: Copenhagen

Copenhagen: Rooftops as an extension of the public space

The Danish capital Copenhagen (population 760,000) offers numerous inspiring examples of how to create a sustainable city. Currently it is developing a new waterfront city district, Nordhavn, transforming an industrial port into a modern residential and business district. While still under development, interesting parts of the district are nearing completion, for example the district parking garage, Lüders P-hus.… Read More Copenhagen: Rooftops as an extension of the public space

jenniferlenhart2 Comments

Colorful cities: a little paint, a lot of pride

It’s amazing what a little color can do to warm up a  neighborhood, such as Buenos Aires’s La Boca neighborhood in Argentina, the multicultural Bo-Kaap neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa, or San Francisco’s Haight Street in the US. Or painting a city’s centre as a canvas, such as in Valparaiso, Chile, Venice, Italy, or Guatapé, Colombia (image, left). Urban colors can… Read More Colorful cities: a little paint, a lot of pride

jenniferlenhartLeave a comment

Not your average city bench: street furniture goes funky

Cities are places for not just for work, but also leisure. And designers understand this, offering creative alternatives to the classic city bench in public spaces. For example, how about waterfront hammocks, or swings while you wait for the bus? Or for lazy Parisian summer days, resting on a floating barge floating on The Seine? Or in… Read More Not your average city bench: street furniture goes funky

jenniferlenhartLeave a comment

Paris COP21: Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we act…

In December 2015, I attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) and other ongoing events at the COP, joining almost 40 members of the IISD Reporting Services team in Paris. My team covered the Rio Conventions Pavilion – linking the 3 UN conventions on biodiversity, climate change… Read More Paris COP21: Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we act…

jenniferlenhart2 Comments

Copenhagen Urban Innovations: Smart. Sustainable. Spatially-saavy.

Copenhagen is one of the world’s most sustainable cities. It’s famous for its organic and local food procurement, its cycling culture, its public planning, and its climate change adaptation efforts (see Copenhagen Climate Adaptation Plan). This city is too inspiring for a single blog post, and indeed I’ve written about it several times before. Still,… Read More Copenhagen Urban Innovations: Smart. Sustainable. Spatially-saavy.

jenniferlenhart2 Comments

Amsterdam: Family transport in Dutch minivans, also known as bicycles

After 4.5 years living in Amsterdam, some things continue to fascinate me: dogs on bikes, moving by bike and kids on bikes to name but a few. Sensing a pattern? Indeed, my fascination concentrates on the bicycle lifestyle. No matter how long I live in this cycle city, this is something that I cannot, nor… Read More Amsterdam: Family transport in Dutch minivans, also known as bicycles

jenniferlenhart2 Comments

Green Lifestyles and Cities: Lessons from Scandinavia

Lund University’s International Institute of Industrial and Environmental Economics (or IIIEE, my alma mater in Sweden) was involved in the design and delivery of a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled, “Greening the Economy: Lessons from Scandinavia.” (See also the United Nations Environment Programme’s work on the Green Economy concept.) This (free) online 5-week… Read More Green Lifestyles and Cities: Lessons from Scandinavia

jenniferlenhart2 Comments

The “how to” of becoming an urban cyclist…

Having spent the last 10 years living (or regularly visiting) established or emerging European cycle cities (e.g. Budapest, Basel, Malmö, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Paris) it’s safe to say: bicycling is in my blood. This is not just a European thing. I’ve tested urban cycling infrastructure during visits to Abu Dhabi, Medellín, Seoul and Doha. While a city’s walkability and public transport… Read More The “how to” of becoming an urban cyclist…

jenniferlenhart3 Comments

Copenhagen cycle culture through North American eyes…

Admittedly I’m North American – proudly from Seattle.  However, after 10 years living in Budapest, Malmö, Nairobi & Amsterdam and with a Swedish mother, I’ve become a modge-podge of sorts: European as much as anything, especially in my transportation habits. I haven’t driven in 10 years and anymore I’m scared to get behind the wheel.… Read More Copenhagen cycle culture through North American eyes…

jenniferlenhartLeave a comment