Author: The Planning Lady
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Multisolving and Equity
In Elizabeth Sawin’s book Multisolving she dedicates an entire chapter to equity, the only element of multisolving that has it’s own chapter highlighting its importance. While we all move through the same systems, we don’t all move through them or experience them the same way. It challenges the way we think about systems in order…
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Key to the City
Book Review Wrapping up the 2024 season of Booked on Planning was an episode with Sara Bronin, author of “Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World.” Sara offers a nuanced perspective on the role of zoning in city planning, advocating for strategic improvements rather than complete abolition. She discusses how zoning, when applied…
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Multisolving: In Action
By Chapter 9 of Multisolving by Elizabeth Sawin readers have learned all the major concepts of multisolving and the connection to systems with this approach. When put into action there are numerous considerations and many expected results. The process can become cyclical, with much of the work happening behind the scenes or below the surface.…
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Killed by a Traffic Engineer
Book Review Traffic engineering as a field has a somewhat false image that it has been around forever and all the manuals and guidance are steeped in centuries of research and practice, when in fact, the field has barely reached one hundred years and much of its foundation is questionable research. Killed by a Traffic…
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Multisolving: Steering Systems
Elizabeth Sawin in her book Multisolving acknowledges that systems cannot easily be created or destroyed, but that there are ways to steer systems in a better direction. Chapter 8 of her book is devoted to the strategies for steering systems and ends with how to steer systems with multisolving in mind. I would agree that…
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Multisolving: Complex Systems
Chapter seven of Multisolving by Elizabeth Sawin acknowledges the fact that systems are complex and the behavior of complex systems often leads to people giving up any efforts to try to assert influence. The systems stance is discussed which is comprised of a series of elements: Elizabeth’s first question for reflection is to analyze which…
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Turf War
Book Review The fight to protect urban neighborhoods from overwhelming development is a topic that resonates widely, especially in dense metropolitan areas. In an episode of Booked On Planning, we cover the fight recounted in Steven Robinson’s book “Turf War: How a Band of Activists Saved New York from Donald Trump’s Masterpiece.” The narrative recounts…
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How to Remake the World, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Book Review In a 2024 Booked on Planning podcast episode, we explore the impact of caring relationships on transforming communities and addressing systemic issues with Mack McCarter, author of “How to Remake the World, Neighborhood by Neighborhood.” Mack’s book discusses the power of genuine connections and their ability to create resilient communities, drawing inspiration from…
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Multisolving: Behavior of the System
In Chapter six of Mutlisolving by Elizabeth Sawin she pulls together all the elements of the previous chapters to discuss whole system behavior. She reinforces just how complex and interconnected systems really are and starts to show how they can be influenced. For reflection, she asks readers to think of a time we took action…
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Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation
Book Review In a 2024 Booked on Planning podcast episode, we dive deep into a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of urban planning—building climate resilience for aging populations. Our special guest, Danielle Arigoni, author of “Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation,” shares her invaluable insights on this pressing issue. Her book underscores the importance of…
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