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dorianmoore.bsky.social
Architect and urbanist dedicated to enhancing cities through observation, documentation, and Implementation.
95 posts 102 followers 28 following
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Development grafted onto the exteriors of churches. Something I saw in Brussels, Ghent, and Amsterdam. Further research needed. There’s always some interesting anomalies that one finds when studying cities.That’s part of what makes studying cities so rewarding! #urbanobservations #globalurbanstudy

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

“…But, we’re not (city name)…” We hear it all the time. All cities can learn from each other. Small towns can learn lessons from big city districts, and big city districts can learn lessons from small town main streets. Being open to exploring ideas from one context to another is the key.

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

As I carted the garbage out to the front, instead of the rear, for the first time in 30 years, yesterday, it got me thinking about all the talk just a few years about the potential for our alleys to become much-needed, supplemental public space. Is it still a relevant discussion? #todayspublicspace

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

House simply. House with dignity; whether new construction or existing. Modest detailing and solid materials. At a scale that doesn’t overwhelm the neighbourhood. House thoughtfully. We don’t want to create a crisis of quality also. #mediumscalemediumdensity

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments

Vision before dollars! The city building way.

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Mumford was prophetic, but I think we’ve gone even beyond what he imagined.

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

#mindmaps I’m a fan of #MindMapping as a way of urban design thinking. It keeps one open to possibilities while also keeping a consistent through line of concept thought. Google has entered the fray with an AI assisted mind mapping program. Interesting… www.rdworldonline.com/google-debut...

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

#todaysmap (courtesy of ResearchGate.net) highlighting urban areas and spatial subdivisions, dovetails into this…Is Canada actually the most European non-European country? Interesting question and an interesting read below. A tale of sprawling choices vs city-building… storeys.com/canada-europ...

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments

I’ve been thinking a out these things that dot the horizon again, lately. Are they the scourge of the landscape, a sign of technological progress, beautiful additions to the landscape, or another sign of the selling out/ commercialization of our rural environment?

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Filling out my NCAA bracket based on the universities in the most compelling urban locations. This ought to be interesting. 😬 #disasterinthemaking #marchmadness

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

This little utilities building has always caught my eye.The simplicity of articulation, the materials, as well as the simplicity of form, gives it a sense of presence on the street.The framing of the entrance, along with the inwardly curbing wall at that entrance, puts all the emphasis on one spot.

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

With the right authenticity and atmosphere it can be just as inspiring a place for working and meeting as the cafe. This is one of my fave pubs in Toronto. PJ O’Brien. #happystpatricksday #thirdplaces #cities #pubs

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

With each passing year, this sign becomes more and more prophetic. The real question becomes: Will we take advantage of the new opportunities that zoning changes bring? Time will tell. Soon. #UrbanObservations.

submitted 31 days ago • 0 comments

Bike lane backlash. We know it all too well here in Ontario, but : Cities (politicians) regressing on bike infrastructure. A concerning trend for our #mainstreets. momentummag.com/cities-start...

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

#fontsandthecity Windsor edition. Crisp, clean fonts augmented by their surrounding chunky architectural details. I’d love to see us get back to the point where building inscriptions are a thing again!

submitted 33 days ago • 0 comments

New construction #fourplex on an urban infill site. As our cities continue to evolve, embracing infill development should be a given. The type of infill is important, though. It can be traditional or modern, simple or elaborate. Context matters. #citybuilding #urbaninfill

submitted 35 days ago • 0 comments

New construction, 6–8 unit building(s) in an infill condition. We need to get back to enabling this in many of our mono-zoned ‘hoods. These are the kinds of #mediumscalemediumdensity projects that can enhance our existing neighbourhoods.

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

Now that Spring has technically sprung, instead of taking a Sunday drive to the countryside, to take a drive to the cityside and “knowtice” the decades-spanning settlement patterns in our traditional areas.Time to re-inform, reframe, and reform our thinking about our cities that we’ve lost.

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

Nice game as the #WindsorExpress pull out the victory after a last minute comeback by the Lightning. #events are the life blood of cities. And, sports are one of the few remaining communal experiences that we can all share in with a common focus.

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

I had the pleasure last night to be a speaker in the dialogue regarding ‘Affordable Housing and Homelessness ’ at Emmanuel United Church. Along with colleagues, I discussed the importance of the mentality shift required to reframe the issue to respond to the challenges of the housing needs diaspora.

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

#todaysmap Researchers at Sony Computer Science Labs in Rome estimated the time it takes to walk to places for amenities such as education, healthcare, and restaurants: The map shows how close services are if you live in different areas of the city. The map here: whatif.sonycsl.it/15mincity/

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

#MainStreets Whether as active storefronts to sell wares, temporary display space, artistic expression to provide visual interest, or supplementing a blank wall with seating or graphics to give it life, the building wall is key to successful walkable/rollable experiences. #urbanobservations

submitted 42 days ago • 0 comments

It racked up a couple of awards last night, but…can ‘The Brutalist’ teach us about modern cities? Here’s a good read on that very subject. www.planetizen.com/features/134...

submitted 44 days ago • 0 comments

#todaysmap Our bus systems are hampered by the thing that seems to be their strength, route flexibility/ responsiveness. Highly inefficient. Rethink bus systems.Learn lessons from BRTs (directness)and subways (stop frequencies), improving wait times, travel times, and satisfaction.

submitted 47 days ago • 0 comments

#OGmissingmiddle 4-8 units Generally, 2- 2 1/2 stories, house-like in form; scaled to fit into the neighbourhood. #theexamplesareallaroundus #dontworrywecanfigureouttheparkingweputpeopleinspace

submitted 49 days ago • 0 comments

We tend to debate about adding new buildings of different sizes, scales, and textures to the streetscape over time. Yet, historically, it’s been done fairly well. Why? The city is adaptive over time and its different eras can coexist if basic #urbanism is followed. #urbanobservations

submitted 52 days ago • 0 comments

We often think of main streets as just as elements of small town downtowns, but main streets anchor our neighborhoods, specialized districts, and commercial corridors also. #todaysmainstreet comes in different scales and characters, providing the spine for resilient communities. #todayspublicspace

submitted 55 days ago • 0 comments

House simply. House with dignity; whether new construction or existing. Modest detailing and solid materials. At a scale that doesn’t overwhelm the neighbourhood. House thoughtfully. We don’t want to create a crisis of quality also. #mediumscalemediumdensity

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments

Been thinking about the smaller footprint (approx. 900 sf), 1 1/2 story, efficient dwelling that dot many of our older urban areas. Smaller homes, not necessarily tiny houses, an option to address affordable or attainable housing. Realign expectations, embrace the myriad of options in housing.

submitted 61 days ago • 0 comments

Mobility options and proximity to destinations are keys to addressing environmental issues. How much we drive and how we plan our communities are just as, if not more, important than what powers our vehicles. Rethink land use and settlement patterns as part of any comprehensive vision for urbanism.

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

Continuing my uncanny streak of (incorrectly) picking the winner of the Super Bowl based on the city with the most compelling urbanism. I guess I haven’t learned anything from two years ago because…This year’s pick:

submitted 66 days ago • 0 comments

#todaysmap Parking reform is one of the key strategies for potential urban building typologies to help heal our cities’ housing crisis. Cities that have gotten rid of or reduced parking minimums. Courtesy of Parking Reform Network. Find the interactive map here: parkingreform.org/resources/ma...

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

Driver: “Pedestrians need to be aware of their surroundings!” The bottom line is… Pedestrian bumps into stationary car at typical walking speed, not much happens. Car bumps into pedestrian at typical car speed,… well, you get the point… Design Safer Streets!

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

The mapping of any city is always interesting to me. The mapping of Detroit’s diagonal avenues can be particularly illuminating. #todaysmap looks at the urban structure that is the outcome of the Detroit diagonals and the intersecting rectilinear grid. Courtesy of Detroit in 50 Maps by Alex Hill.

submitted 70 days ago • 0 comments

I knew it! #thetruthisoutthere

submitted 75 days ago • 0 comments

Is it time to just reinstate this everywhere? #pedestriansafety #urbanism #streetsfor people #noturnonredEVER

submitted 76 days ago • 1 comment

Typically 6 units, these small res bldgs are the building blocks for physically and economically diverse communities. Archetypes for new infill. The #mediumscalemediumdensity is critical to unlocking the potential of neighborhoods. We need more, new, renovated, or transformed. #citybuilding

submitted 78 days ago • 0 comments

Now that my beloved Leos are out of the picture, it’s back to my annual picking (generally incorrectly) of NFL playoff winners based on the city with the more compelling urbanism. Up today:

submitted 81 days ago • 0 comments

#todaysmap Cities with planned Transit investment for 2025 and the accompanying 2024 summary. Check out the article here: www.thetransportpolitic.com/2025/01/12/t...

submitted 83 days ago • 0 comments

Bogota, Columbia, has been a leader in mobility since the 1980s. Back in December, Bogotá celebrated its weekly tradition of opening 75 miles of streets to 1.5 million bikers, walkers, roller skaters, and more. Prioritizing overall mobility, as opposed to auto mobility. slate.com/business/202...

submitted 85 days ago • 0 comments

In the small, suburban town where I live, we value the trees and nearby trails – and the small shopping center nearby where we can get a lot of what we need. But there’s virtually no pedestrian accommodation to reach those businesses; it’s stressful car-dodging the whole way.

submitted 110 days ago • 1 comment

Deaths by Car 2024. The Governors Highway Safety Association estimated that 7,318 pedestrians died in vehicle crashes last year, a 5.4% decrease from the year before. Roughly 20 pedestrians die per day in the U.S. The # of walkers who died dropped in 29 states, the national total dropped by 419.

submitted 88 days ago • 0 comments

War on Cars? Gimme a break. The war is on pedestrians and cyclists. This courtesy of Marco Te Brommelstroet on L.I.

submitted 94 days ago • 0 comments