Let's talk about Ground Up.
We now face unprecedented social, environmental, and cultural challenges—and opportunities. Good, thoughtful design is a critical component in building a brighter future for our cities. Ground Up partners with mission-driven real estate developers, proptech founders, and municipalities to bring the built environment to life through design, storytelling, activation, and beyond.
I'll normally open this weekly newsletter with a thought-provoking, conversation-starting idea. But this week, I just want to say - welcome!
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M U S T - R E A D S
The rise of the Crypto Mayor // New York Times
A new type of hyper-lightweight structural foam allows green public spaces to pop up everywhere // Fast Company
Central Park opens a lab to study climate change // Bloomberg CityLab
Finally, a desk designed just for working parents // Curbed
A Dutch construction innovation shows it’s possible to quickly retrofit all buildings and meet climate goals // Fast Company
An effort to fight wildfires may lead to an influx of ecologically harvested wood for building materials // Fast Company
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I D E A S P O T L I G H T _ Missing Middle Housing
Missing Middle Housing, a term coined by Dan Parolek of Opticos Design, provides an eye-opening option for sustainable housing growth as we explore opportunities to build more, quickly. These house-scale buildings fit seamlessly into existing residential neighborhoods and support walkability, locally-serving retail, and public transportation options. They also offer a solution of affordability to address the mismatch between the available U.S. housing stock and shifting demographics.
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I N S T A G R A M S P O T L I G H T _ @van_alen
