Architect Magazine editor Ned Crammer, who writes the Dialogue column – and is, in the blog form of the column, subject to some rather staunch opposition – muses on what it would be like if we in the United States had gas prices equivalent to those in Europe. There gas easily hits the equivalent of ten USD per gallon. What could be done if, instead of allowing the gas price to fall, we raised the tax? According to Crammer, tax on gasoline varies by state, but as of this summer was hovering around 49.4 cents per gallon in most states. What could be done if a higher tax was levied? Could the United States become as walkable as Europe? Could public transportation infrastructure be improved in US cities? Crammer rightly says that “[w]here transportation goes, development follows”. Much food for thought here, as to what role designers and architects can play in the “greening” of our country.

As one reader points out, Europe has had much more time to develop its cities and a very different development pattern than the United States. European cities, have indeed, modernized very differently than their American counterparts – and cities and towns on this side of the Atlantic will have to develop their own strategies to become more energy efficient.

There is a myth that the United States is “too young” or too spread out to develop solid public transportation links. I would suggest that any one seriously interested in the topic investigate the post-war development of Japan, and Tokyo in particular to see just how quickly this infrastructure can be developed – if the money is invested. While Tokyo already had a dense population before the war (approximately 7 million in 1940), that number had increased to 35, 327,000 by 2005 (Greater Tokyo Area). I would also suggest that the reader investigate other burgeoning Asian cities and their approaches to public transportation infrastructure, such as Shanghai, Beijing, or Seoul – all old cities which have been completely redeveloped – including public transportation networks – in the last few decades.

Recently, China announced via the State-run news service, that the country is preparing to invest 292 billion USD in constructing new railways and is considering spending 730 billion in roads and port development. This is to help boost an economy that is slowing as the global demand from its manufacturing sector diminishes with the latest ebb of the global economy. Crammer has similar ideas for the United States:

As difficult as the current situation may seem, rising fuel prices do come with a bright side. They’re reinforcing significant trends such as a growing preference for urban living and, in suburban areas, for higher-density development and pro-density zoning reform. Transit ridership is up, despite the fare hikes. The United States transformed itself into a suburban, automobile-based society in the decade or so following World War II, and we can just as easily undo the damage. A higher fuel tax is one way of reinforcing these positive trends, and in turn it could subsidize the expansion of our nation’s railroads and public transportation systems and help to jump-start the economy.

I applaud Crammer’s willingness to speak out on the matter, despite the naysayers, and only wish more constructive debate could take place – we desperately need it to happen. Despite the fact that gas prices have sunk dramatically, the recent fuel crisis has certainly brought to light long-festering problems with how Americans travel to and fro.

There is no grand theory behind their work, or even a major star. They’re not master-planning new “cities of the future,” creating utopian housing prototypes, or designing “revolutionary” building forms. Instead, these architects have set out to improve conditions in their own communities and elsewhere in the world through a series of independent, small-scale efforts.

The showcased architects’ notebooks are all from folks who are building their communities through greener, cheaper designs. Featured are Bryan Bell, of Design Corps; Teddy Cruz, of Estudio Teddy Cruz; and Sergio Palleroni, of BaSiC Intiative.

I might, however, suggest that Metropolis is more than a little rosy about going green. While the above-mentioned architects all deserve accolades for their work, don’t we need a little more than a pat on the back?

We are facing unprecedented times. Not only ecologically, but economically. Any one informed on the matter would admit that ecology is bound to effect the economy anyway, but that aside, architects might consider these hard times without so many clients lining up at the door a chance to do a bit of work for the community. After all, you still have to pay your staff and utility bills right? Why not take advantage of these slow times? Apparently 98% of us don’t have an architect anyway, and that’s a lot of folks that could use some greener, cleaner and cheaper design.

Bravo, that a leading publication is encouraging designers and architects to do more. However, I would like to see a publication with such stature doing a little investigation into not only the speculation that caused, in part, our current financial crisis (and what architects have to say about financiers gambling with one of our basic necessities), but also the hard costs of going green. For the “field guide” that Metropolis Magazine claims to have put together, I would’ve liked to see some analysis on the benefits and pitfalls when getting the community involved in design, and issues such as fuel costs and efficiencies, and design for climate change. Perhaps this has been covered in previous issues and I’ve just been out of the country and away from the newsstand for too long? I hope so.

– Zach

First, I know now what I want for Christmas. Its summed up by the acronym OLPC. I won’t go into details on the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program, if the reader wants to learn about it, I encourage them to investigate the program on their own at www.laptop.org.

Second, while I usually am not favorable to hi-tech, expensive solutions (and yes, despite its relatively low price tag, OLPC still qualifies as both hi-tech and expensive) to problems in the developing world, I am quite impressed by the goals of this project. I agree with former Peace Corps volunteer and writer, Paul Theroux, that “more money” solutions aren’t better solutions; while they may make you feel better, such ideas aren’t going to solve the worlds problems.

What we need — yes “we,” because believe it or not America, we’re in this together — are pragmatic, hardworking solutions. I think Negroponte’s “Learning learning” idea is a stellar working solution. This is a concept that empowers a vulnerable population in vulnerable places — namely, children in the developing world. It provides a valuable learning tool and encourages voices to develop in their own environment — I cannot think of any thing more worthwhile. For even more intel, visit the Wiki.

– Zach

Beijing, CHINA — Walking down any street on any given day, lessons find us. Perhaps that is why I spend so much time out on the streets of this city, my adopted city of so many years. True its streets are older than many in the West, and at the same time, newer — as is so oft commented upon by visitors from my country. So, perhaps lessons are just easier to find in the mix of venerable history and glaring modernity.

This last week I spent numerous hours walking up and down one of what seems to be one of Beijing’s mighty symbols of the late Deng Xiaoping’s over-quoted (by people in my country) utterance, “To get rich is glorious.” I am talking about Wangfujing Avenue, where huge shopping malls dominate and conspicuous consumption is the rule. Beijingers come here to shop at flagship boutiques of numerous Western brand name stores. I shudder to think what Mao and Deng, pragmatic as they so arguably were, would think of this aspect of the so-called “new” China. We of the West though, love to talk about materialism in Communist countries. It makes us feel good.

I suppose what concerns me most are the numerous specters that haunt that avenue, and the response of their fellow Chinese. For on this street I regularly talk to the homeless and whores who ply their trades of begging for money in one way or another. Like me, they wander the streets long into the night; unlike me, they have no choice, and they need something far more essential than the proverbial perfect picture.

These outcasts are ignored by their fellow Chinese and the foreign tourists alike. The old, the crippled and the insane are not included, not welcome at this great turning point in Chinese history. And it pains me.

Every night Wangfujing Avenue echos with a homeless woman chattering to herself, her hair unwashed and matted. Here wanders a homeless madwoman, schizophrenic and desperately in need of professional treatment. I know, I see her every time I walk that street. Where are the social services that could help her? To the best of my knowledge there are none.

Be patient, my Chinese friends tell me. China is still developing. Well, my friends, standing on Wangfujing, China looks pretty fucking developed to me. Don’t make excuses — I’ve heard all the cleverest ones. The truth is, and China has long known it, that wealth begets wealth — and no one stands to profit from helping the madwoman. Not even here, in the broken heart of Socialism.

What about a simpler case, one that needs no improved infrastructure. No expensive psychiatric medicines or capable physicians, though China certainly has these. What about the boy I met the other night? Just the other night, I encountered a boy, maybe 10 or 11 years old, who went round the tables in the MacDonald’s there, which is open 24 hours a day, begging for scraps. He sat across from one young woman for a moment and asked, “Auntie, do you have any food?” “None,” responded the woman. He went away with his face contorted in a look of agony. Why did no one buy the boy a cheeseburger at the very least? The state orphanages in most provinces would be no better place for the boy. I have it from a reliable source, who works with those institutions in a central province, that there are indeed “famines” in those facilities where the children go hungry. But, we are not talking about orphanages, we are talking about a street kid who is hungry and who sits before those who are arguably the most wealthy in this city — and no one moves to help him.

There are of course, like in all cities of the East, professional beggars. They constitute a whole pseudo-class of people here. Some of them train gangs of children to steal and pickpocket. Some of them have great and believable lies. But don’t make excuses. I am not talking about those folk. I am talking about those who can come by a meal no other way — those that are mentally ill, those that are crippled, those that too old to work the construction sites of this boom town. There is no socialist safety net for these disenfranchised people. No shelter…

And then there are the prostitutes, who come offering sex for money, and when all else fails, ask me to buy them something to eat. What, are pimps to poor to feed their workers? “Hey, hello?” The women come begging. They wear nice shoes. They are young and attractive, their pimps spare no expense when it comes to dressing them. They are wasted by trafficking, disease and all forms of abuse. They smile because, well, who wants to fuck a women wearing a frown?

I walk the streets of Beijing every night now, looking for these specters. And they are not difficult to find… I talk about learning lessons when in reality I am left only with questions.

Still, all is not lost — some among those I know are moved into action. They are not many, but then many are not needed. They call on the homes of the poorest of this city’s residents, to talk and learn what can be done. They donate money to their home villages, which are far, far poorer than we in the West can really fathom. They volunteer their time to teach computer skills and literacy. There is certainly hope. But so far as I am concerned, hope never fed a single hungry belly. That is why I see these things and I grieve. That is why I am drawn, and will continue to be drawn to those who are not invited to share in this country’s wealth and power.

I have many friends among the Chinese. However, I won’t be quiet though it makes my friends loose face in their country. I am haunted by these specters…