City of the Year

The Academy of Urbanism presented its awards last Friday. The 2010 categories were for European City of the Year, as well as for Great Towns, Neighbourhoods, Streets, and Places. And it was infectious to be in a room full of diverse people with a shared enthusiasm for places that quite simply make life better in so many different ways. Whether driven by an architectural legacy, or a passion for ideas – the common message that came across was the importance of key individuals with a relentless commitment to a particular place and its people

The winner of the European City of the Year Award for 2010 was Freiburg 'a model for sustainability across the globe'. In the Academy’s appreciation there are two short sentences which are inspiring in their directness and simplicity:

Freiburg functions well.

Freiburg has much to teach us.

Those would seem to be worthwhile aspirations for all of us when creating everyday places that deserve our everyday plaudits.