Edition 54

Weird, wonderful February. We’re now closer to the Spring Equinox and springing forward an hour on the clocks than we are from last Xmas. The promise of spring is on the horizon, and hopefully soon we can stow away those snow boots and puffy parkas again. As we wander through the remaining weeks of Old Man Winter, we’re taking a look forward and backward at technology, participatory placemaking — with kids, the robot revolution (and yes, it was televised, back in 1984), and new way to walk (that may just save your hindquarters), plus America’s most walkable cities. So please read on for your twice-monthly dose of intriguing reads, and let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to dive into. We’re always open to new ideas and requests for research!

– Your Bright Brothers Team
David Romako / Josh Yeager /  Brandi Walsh

From Rosie the Robot (the endearing mechanical housekeeper from TV’s The Jetsons) to Blade Runner’s murderous Roy Batty — humans have a precarious relationship with automatons. On one hand, robots fulfill the creationist dreams of mankind, and also hold the potential to imperil our very existence. Which way will they go? No one knows right now, but the topic is hot on everyone’s mind with the exponential growth of robotics, generative AI and other technological advancements. In this section today, we’re taking a look at two very interesting sides of the coin. This piece from Fast Company takes a look at five essential types of robots that could make our cities better — within five years, no less! From mechanical task masters like street sweepers, traffic bots and curb coordinators to wildlife monitors and more, these benign buddies could make our lives simpler, easier and better. But how will humans react to them? This past weekend in San Francisco offers a bit of insight — when an autonomous Waymo vehicle was ravaged by angry human counterparts. The driverless car was attacked, graffitied and set ablaze with fireworks. Shocking images of the smoldering shell of the vehicle attest to the volatility and unpredictable nature of what it even means to be human. If there’s precedent in hindsight, the robotaxi incident may bring to mind the Luddites; a 19th century group of English textile workers who exercised their fears and anxiety about industrialization in similar ways to the robotaxi by the Bay. What’s your take, and do you see a near future in your district with robots just a bee-boppin’ along and helping us humans — or are we staring down the precipice of a literal clone drone war today?  Send us your hot take!

Photo by Irina Iriser on Unsplash

We’re admittedly technology nerds here at Bright Brothers, and while “all that’s old is new again” may pertain to many aspects of postmodern life, one undeniable change in our relationship with technology is user experience or UX. Aging in at 40 years, Apple’s Macintosh revolutionized our workplaces, homes and frankly the entire modern existence for those with smartphones. This sweetly nostalgic jaunt down memory lane from Technical.ly outlines how “satisfying and simplified” has irreparably changed the way we do just about everything these days. But the thing we loved the most about this article is Apple’s 1984 (yes, the actual year, not the dystopian, Orwellian classic that seems nearer to reality every day) Super Bowl commercial announcing the launch of the Macintosh computer. If we had to stick in a pin in a moment in time that jettisoned us into modernism, this has got to be it. Directed by Ridley Scott, this monumental piece of film only aired once, during the third quarter of the Super Bowl in 1984 and we’ve never looked back. We ❤ it.

Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash
 

… that you’ve probably been walking the wrong way on icy sidewalks your whole life? With the depths of winter at hand, and another round of snowstorms hitting week after week, winter 2024 is shaping up to be one wild walk! But we can take a cue from our cold climate kindred, the noble penguin. Who knew that aquatic birds, of all things, might be a model for locomotion? With over 800,000 people annually requiring medical attention from slips and falls on ice, HuffPost put out this piece promoting “penguin walking” to center our core of gravity and make better use of perambulation on ice. You may look like a smacked-ass doing it, but if it saves you a trip to the ER, you can thank us later.

Photo by Hubert Neufeld on Unsplash

Never underestimate the power of a child’s creativity. Boundless and unimpeded, children’s’ imaginations hold the power to create magical realms for their minds to inhabit. But what if we put and took stock in some of the ways kids see the world, and help them usher in an era of decision making of their own design? That’s exactly what’s been happening in the northern UK town of Aberdeen, Scotland, where children and youth play a participatory role in reimagining their city center through creative ideation, rooted in public realm enhancements. We’re sharing this heartwarming piece about placemaking from Aberdeen City Council that demonstrates not just flights-of-fancy involving two cartoon seagulls — actualization as a tool for channeling children’s dreams and desires for their own realm. Getting youth involved in placemaking may sound like a folly, but when we see the real-life impacts in terms of greenspace, cycling paths, street infrastructure and other vetted placemaking tactics, it makes our hearts swell with joy. Now let’s just hope that Dave and Sam don’t swoop and … ahem, ruin it for everyone. 

Photo by Karin Hiselius on Unsplash

In place management, we all love to boast about our “vibrant, walkable downtowns” — but some cities are actually far more walkable than others. Utilizing a mix of real estate and rental data, plus factors like proximity to amenities and “social equity”, Smart Growth America recently published its 2023 report ranking the top 35 US metros by their “walkable urbanism”. With some expected cities making the cut, there were also some big surprises and some accolades. Our friends in Ohio came out looking like absolute urban champeens with THREE of their cities making it in the top 25, alone! How well did your fair vale fare? Click to see the full list here or the full report here.

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash