WEEKEND READING: January 5-11, 2008

While you were proposing the tackiest building ever designed, Detroit, one of these articles was having the BEST WEEK EVER!!

ITEM ONE: Some interesting speculative fiction on the politically autonomous future of North American citystates over at All About Cities.

ITEM TWO: AHI's 2008 list 'o predictions, hot off the presses!

ITEM THREE: A funky video from GOOD Magazine that explores the etymology of conflict-prone caital cities around the world.

ITEM FOUR: Built Chicago points to a provacative new book about the drug trade in the Robert Taylor Homes here in Chicago. (Also: Apartment Therapy Chicago on Cabrini Green, and TNAC on the last season of The Wire).

ITEM FIVE: Colorful photogasm of Dharavi's "13 Compound" neighborhood.

ITEM SIX: Baltimore sues Wells Fargo for predatory lending. This is going to be interesting...

ITEM SEVEN: A guide to web tools for eating locally for all of you New Years Resolutionists. (Via Very Spatial)

Adios, compadres. Hope you have the best weekend ever. ;-) Don't forget to sound off on the Conscious Urbanism Game, if you get the chance.

(Photo from Flickr user ChicagoEye. The original full-color version can be viewed by clicking the photo.)

WEEKEND READING: December 29th, 2007-January 4th, 2008

It's been a crazy week for this blogger offline, but regular posting should resume next week. I have a ton of stuff backed up from the holiday season, so Where might get busy soon. As for Weekend Reading, we're starting off 2008 with some great material!

ITEM ONE: Sick of suburban sprawl? So are the people behind Project Outrage.

ITEM TWO: Der Spiegel profiles Albert Speer, Jr., son of the devil's architect.

ITEM THREE: Deputydog features a short but visually impressive post on one of my all-time favorite buildings (now, sadly, demolished), Diller + Scofidio's brilliant Blur pavillion. (photo credit)

ITEM FOUR: WorldChanging rounds up the top city-related stories from its 2007 archives.

ITEM FIVE: Social Practice points to this site, Encounters, which "[explores] informal education, lifelong learning, and social action."

ITEM SIX: Collapse author Jared Diamond's much-ballyhooed article on scales of consumption in the NY Times.

ITEM SEVEN: Do cities have color schemes? Brand Avenue takes a look.


Enjoy your weekend. It's 27 degrees in Chicago right now...feels like summer!!