Slow Cities

At the heart of deliberations about our cities and towns is an assumption about speed. Whether it’s economists debating the velocity of circulation of money or educationalists the rate of change of technology, the implication is that quicker is better. Ergo we need to plan for places that can move fast.

But speed is not the same as agility. Whether it’s a school corridor or a high street, being aware of one’s surroundings in a thoughful way is a key feature of belonging to a place. Details matter. Moments count. Individuals, rather than systems, loom large.

Successful places are not assembly lines fuelled by high speed empathy. Perhaps we need slower places that build on considered thought rather than blurred impulses.

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Another U-Turn

“I’ve started so I’ll finish . . . “ seems to be the rule when looking at masterplans – or indeed any Gantt chart laden project.

In the context of a project plan this makes a lot of sense. In the context of the real world it can lead to crazy outcomes. So do we cleave to the first idea we all bought into: the one we staked our reputation on. Or do we risk the career destroying headlines (‘Another U Turn from . . . ‘) and change our mind because it’s the right thing to do?

Resilience is not only about adaptable strategies. It is also about a culture where switching strategies is recognised as the grown up response to change.

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Begin Anywhere

We need to change the Place. But that means we need to change the Silos. But that means we need to change the Organisation. But that means we need to change the System. . . . And so it goes.

John Cage famously wrote ‘Begin Anywhere’. In the real world – the one beyond Taylorism and Classicism – that seems like good advice. At least if we are going to make change happen anytime this side of the next new Millennia.

So, whatever the obstacle is that we encounter – that’s the one to change.

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