Part II of the conversation with Larry Beasley and Jonathan Barnett.

Why do we even live in cities? There's been a lot of criticism about them during the pandemic which makes this the perfect time to reflect on this very question. Larry and Jonathan discuss this and much more in this second half of the conversation, the first half from two weeks ago.

My two guests today for the part of this series did not have the luxury of doing this in theory. Larry Beasley, former Co-Director of Planning for Vancouver, BC helped bring about a Vancouver that began as a fairly unremarkable place compared to other cities but with a stunning natural backdrop, into a world-leading city consistently ranked in the top 10 most livable cities coexisting with the stunning wilderness that surrounds it.

Jonathan Barnett is the emeritus Professor of Practice in City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania with a heavy focus on practice while being both a professor and advisor to an impressive list of cities on many important livability-enhancing projects.

Both men share a mountain (pun intended!) of wisdom and experience as well as a lot of great stories from their rich and accomplished careers. And they’re not done yet; both have been busy as individuals and co-authors of several significant books including: Ecodesign for Cities and Suburbs, Designing the Megaregion and Vancouverism among many others. These books are highly practical and interesting to think deeply about as you think about your own cities and how things could become more livable and how to get there.

Both are also co-creators of an online course also by the name of Ecodesign for Cities and Suburbs that can be taken by anyone interested in how “ecology can guide urban design to avert environmental disasters and improve people’s lives.” You won’t want to miss the chance to take this course if you’re wondering how properly designed cities really can be a significant part of curbing global climate changes.


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