Selected readings for urbanists:

• The Splendor of Cities: David Brooks looks at the strengths specific to city governance and urban politics. (New York Times)

• Walking the Turtle: A look at the idea of the ‘speed’ of the modern metropolis. (landscape+urbanism)

• Creating the Perfect City Is About Illusions: A city planner and an urban designer talk about making American cities more vibrant and livable. (Co.Design)

• How Skyscrapers Can Save the City: Besides making cities more affordable and architecturally interesting, tall buildings are greener than sprawl, and they foster social capital and creativity. (The Atlantic)

• The Plight of Canadian Cities: Formed as a primarily agrarian nation, Canada is now seeing its cities crippled by constitutional arrangements that leaves its cities underfunded and with only minimal support from the federal government, writes John Macfarlane. [ed:The United states is facing similar challenges] (The Walrus)