Charles Montgomery
@charlesincities.bsky.social
Author, Happy City.
Founder, Happy Cities. But speaking only here for myself!
Design + social trust.
🧠🏙️🌈🏔️
Founder, Happy Cities. But speaking only here for myself!
Design + social trust.
🧠🏙️🌈🏔️
Pinned
Hey Bluesky!
Here for evidence-based solutions on design + human wellbeing. 🌇
I'm the author of Happy City and co-founder of the interdisciplinary team at Happy Cities.
My next book digs into ways we can design the world to rebuild social trust. I'm excited to learn from you all.🌱🌃🌈
Here for evidence-based solutions on design + human wellbeing. 🌇
I'm the author of Happy City and co-founder of the interdisciplinary team at Happy Cities.
My next book digs into ways we can design the world to rebuild social trust. I'm excited to learn from you all.🌱🌃🌈
Heyyyyyy, so excited to dive into Life After Cars by the team at @thewaroncars.bsky.social !
Car dependence is not inevitable. We built this hell and, together, we can fix it.
Congratulations @sarahgoldhagen.bsky.social @douggordon.bsky.social @naparstek.bsky.social
Car dependence is not inevitable. We built this hell and, together, we can fix it.
Congratulations @sarahgoldhagen.bsky.social @douggordon.bsky.social @naparstek.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Heyyyyyy, so excited to dive into Life After Cars by the team at @thewaroncars.bsky.social !
Car dependence is not inevitable. We built this hell and, together, we can fix it.
Congratulations @sarahgoldhagen.bsky.social @douggordon.bsky.social @naparstek.bsky.social
Car dependence is not inevitable. We built this hell and, together, we can fix it.
Congratulations @sarahgoldhagen.bsky.social @douggordon.bsky.social @naparstek.bsky.social
What a Mamdani-Style Agenda Could Look Like in Metro Vancouver.
I devoured this insightful read from @khelsilem.bsky.social
Lots for urbanists to debate here.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
I devoured this insightful read from @khelsilem.bsky.social
Lots for urbanists to debate here.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
What a Mamdani-Style Agenda Could Look Like in Metro Vancouver
What it would take—financially, politically, and institutionally—for Metro Vancouver to match New York’s new progressive vision
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:34 PM
What a Mamdani-Style Agenda Could Look Like in Metro Vancouver.
I devoured this insightful read from @khelsilem.bsky.social
Lots for urbanists to debate here.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
I devoured this insightful read from @khelsilem.bsky.social
Lots for urbanists to debate here.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
Britain's best new building is a machine for building social relationships.
This project reflects so much of our work on social wellbeing in housing. Help people connect with neighbours AND the wider community
Bravo!
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
This project reflects so much of our work on social wellbeing in housing. Help people connect with neighbours AND the wider community
Bravo!
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
A Housing Complex Designed to Tackle Loneliness Wins Britain’s Best Building
The Royal Institute of British Architects’ Stirling Prize goes to a London senior housing project that uses social space to tackle isolation among older adults.
www.bloomberg.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Britain's best new building is a machine for building social relationships.
This project reflects so much of our work on social wellbeing in housing. Help people connect with neighbours AND the wider community
Bravo!
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
This project reflects so much of our work on social wellbeing in housing. Help people connect with neighbours AND the wider community
Bravo!
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Happy news from what is arguably becoming Metro Vancouver’s best City: an ocean swimming platform!
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Oceanfront swimming platform coming to North Vancouver in 2027 | CBC News
The City of North Vancouver is set to build a floating swimming platform along its waterfront that will feature a salt water pool, swimming lanes and lounging areas by 2027.
www.cbc.ca
November 3, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Happy news from what is arguably becoming Metro Vancouver’s best City: an ocean swimming platform!
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
Mariahilferstrasse Vienna. Now the highest grossing street in Austria
November 2, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Mariahilferstrasse Vienna. Now the highest grossing street in Austria
Just a lovely, thoughtful essay about Arcosanti and its desert legacies:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
What a 1970s Commune in Arizona Got Right About Desert Urbanism
Architect Paolo Soleri’s experimental city, Arcosanti, was planned for 5,000 people; 50 years later, it holds just a fraction of that figure. But it still has lessons for living in extreme heat.
www.bloomberg.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Just a lovely, thoughtful essay about Arcosanti and its desert legacies:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Imagine what this happy city hero could achieve at the national level.🥳
It’s official: I’m running for Congress to represent San Francisco!
I’ll fight for our city – against Trump’s takeover, for our values, & for real progress. I’ve delivered on housing, healthcare, clean energy, & civil rights – & I’ll do it again.
Let’s build the future our city & country deserve.
I’ll fight for our city – against Trump’s takeover, for our values, & for real progress. I’ve delivered on housing, healthcare, clean energy, & civil rights – & I’ll do it again.
Let’s build the future our city & country deserve.
October 22, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Imagine what this happy city hero could achieve at the national level.🥳
If we really want safe, vibrant streets, we should focus on design rather than just lower speed limits. neat new work from Carlo Ratti's team: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
There’s a Better Way to Win on Traffic Safety
Backlash has undercut the success of 30km/hour speed limits. New research finds that a less controversial policy can be more effective in slowing cars.
www.bloomberg.com
October 19, 2025 at 8:29 PM
If we really want safe, vibrant streets, we should focus on design rather than just lower speed limits. neat new work from Carlo Ratti's team: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
That feeling when the Governor signs your bill allowing more homes near public transit & you then walk from your 39-unit apartment building to get on the subway.
Housing + transit = perfect combo
Housing + transit = perfect combo
October 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
That feeling when the Governor signs your bill allowing more homes near public transit & you then walk from your 39-unit apartment building to get on the subway.
Housing + transit = perfect combo
Housing + transit = perfect combo
Canada is spending millions on an ambitious affordable housing program.
If we design right, we can solve the affordability crisis and the social disconnection crisis at the same time!
Crucial lessons from @happycities.com for Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social
happycities.com/blog/afforda...
If we design right, we can solve the affordability crisis and the social disconnection crisis at the same time!
Crucial lessons from @happycities.com for Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social
happycities.com/blog/afforda...
How Build Canada Homes can go beyond affordability — Happy Cities
What Canada can learn from non-market housing communities about social connection, health, and belonging.
happycities.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Canada is spending millions on an ambitious affordable housing program.
If we design right, we can solve the affordability crisis and the social disconnection crisis at the same time!
Crucial lessons from @happycities.com for Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social
happycities.com/blog/afforda...
If we design right, we can solve the affordability crisis and the social disconnection crisis at the same time!
Crucial lessons from @happycities.com for Minister @gregorrobertson.bsky.social
happycities.com/blog/afforda...
OK so OpenAI is making "personal deepfakes" a feature of its TikTok competitor.
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
OpenAI’s new social video app will let you deepfake your friends
Make a cameo appearance in someone else’s AI video.
www.theverge.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM
OK so OpenAI is making "personal deepfakes" a feature of its TikTok competitor.
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
Urbanistas ecuatorianos!
Estaré pasando unos días en Quito en diciembre. ¿Hay algún urbanismo transformador o vivienda colectiva que realmente deba ver?
Estaré pasando unos días en Quito en diciembre. ¿Hay algún urbanismo transformador o vivienda colectiva que realmente deba ver?
September 26, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Urbanistas ecuatorianos!
Estaré pasando unos días en Quito en diciembre. ¿Hay algún urbanismo transformador o vivienda colectiva que realmente deba ver?
Estaré pasando unos días en Quito en diciembre. ¿Hay algún urbanismo transformador o vivienda colectiva que realmente deba ver?
Vancouver! Monumental urbanist and Messy Cities co-author @Zahra Ebrahim will speak at the VPL with @fabulavancouver.bsky.social Oct 14. It's going to be a cracker.
vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/68b20...
vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/68b20...
Zahra Ebrahim: Messy Cities
Does everything in a city need to be perfectly planned? Or can spontaneous solutions help cities thrive? Come hear renowned urbanist Zahra Ebrahim discuss her new co-edited book Messy Cities. She wil...
vpl.bibliocommons.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Vancouver! Monumental urbanist and Messy Cities co-author @Zahra Ebrahim will speak at the VPL with @fabulavancouver.bsky.social Oct 14. It's going to be a cracker.
vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/68b20...
vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/68b20...
Neighbors built a protected bike lane between two Atlanta schools for just $10,000. Awesome! youtu.be/vMZ98Dre_Us?... via @YouTube
We built a bike lane!
YouTube video by Hugh Malkin
youtu.be
September 24, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Neighbors built a protected bike lane between two Atlanta schools for just $10,000. Awesome! youtu.be/vMZ98Dre_Us?... via @YouTube
Hey Vancouver urbanists, what do you know about new mayoral candidate Rebecca Bligh?
September 23, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Hey Vancouver urbanists, what do you know about new mayoral candidate Rebecca Bligh?
Imagine turning a detached home into a 6-story micro tower.
I know so many friend groups who dreamed of living this way over the years.
With zoning changes, design accommodations and single staircase rules, they could have it.
I know so many friend groups who dreamed of living this way over the years.
With zoning changes, design accommodations and single staircase rules, they could have it.
Vancouver (Extra) Special
33' lots
4 and 6 storey single-stair buildings.
3Br accessible flats, adjacent to a park.
(sketchup / ai render)
33' lots
4 and 6 storey single-stair buildings.
3Br accessible flats, adjacent to a park.
(sketchup / ai render)
September 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Imagine turning a detached home into a 6-story micro tower.
I know so many friend groups who dreamed of living this way over the years.
With zoning changes, design accommodations and single staircase rules, they could have it.
I know so many friend groups who dreamed of living this way over the years.
With zoning changes, design accommodations and single staircase rules, they could have it.
Russian disinformation gets recycled and spewed out by chatbots.
Expert says: if you want better answers you have to follow up and ask the chatbot for evidence.
How many ppl will do that?
@holden open.substack.com/pub/mikecaul...
Expert says: if you want better answers you have to follow up and ask the chatbot for evidence.
How many ppl will do that?
@holden open.substack.com/pub/mikecaul...
I Am Once Again Asking You To Use A Balanced, Evidence-Focused Follow-Up
Cutting through Russian disinformation with thirteen extra words
open.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Russian disinformation gets recycled and spewed out by chatbots.
Expert says: if you want better answers you have to follow up and ask the chatbot for evidence.
How many ppl will do that?
@holden open.substack.com/pub/mikecaul...
Expert says: if you want better answers you have to follow up and ask the chatbot for evidence.
How many ppl will do that?
@holden open.substack.com/pub/mikecaul...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
if i write another book this probably needs to be the cover (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press)
September 10, 2025 at 5:26 PM
if i write another book this probably needs to be the cover (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press)
Google search is being replaced by AI chat. This means few people will click through to websites that do actual journalism. Google will scoop up ad dollars. Quality will keep sliding.
Me, I pay subscriptions for high quality journalism to avoid AI slop.
aisecret.us/google-com-n...
Me, I pay subscriptions for high quality journalism to avoid AI slop.
aisecret.us/google-com-n...
🛎️ Google.com Nears Sunset
Plus: AI’s “Inbreeding” Problem, Eat the Bottom Tier
aisecret.us
September 8, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Google search is being replaced by AI chat. This means few people will click through to websites that do actual journalism. Google will scoop up ad dollars. Quality will keep sliding.
Me, I pay subscriptions for high quality journalism to avoid AI slop.
aisecret.us/google-com-n...
Me, I pay subscriptions for high quality journalism to avoid AI slop.
aisecret.us/google-com-n...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
While Twitter was once the platform of choice for a majority of science communicators, those same people have since abandoned it in droves. And of the alternatives available, Bluesky seems to be their new platform of choice.
Bluesky now platform of choice for science community
It’s not just you. Survey says: “Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky”…
arstechnica.com
August 27, 2025 at 11:28 PM
While Twitter was once the platform of choice for a majority of science communicators, those same people have since abandoned it in droves. And of the alternatives available, Bluesky seems to be their new platform of choice.
To understand America’s searing class divide, visit Disney World.
This story will break your heart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/o...
This story will break your heart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/o...
Opinion | Disney and the Decline of America’s Middle Class
www.nytimes.com
August 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
To understand America’s searing class divide, visit Disney World.
This story will break your heart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/o...
This story will break your heart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/o...
Why is your city so damn boring, and how can you fix it?
@cobylefco suggests you start with more narrow streets and buildings. Quick read: open.substack.com/pub/building...
@cobylefco suggests you start with more narrow streets and buildings. Quick read: open.substack.com/pub/building...
The One Fix for Every Boring City
Why Your City Is Bad, And How To Make It Better
open.substack.com
August 26, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Why is your city so damn boring, and how can you fix it?
@cobylefco suggests you start with more narrow streets and buildings. Quick read: open.substack.com/pub/building...
@cobylefco suggests you start with more narrow streets and buildings. Quick read: open.substack.com/pub/building...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
'Fossil fuel companies have developed and funded a complicated network of fake public interest groups, politicians and lawyers to oppose wind power by spreading disinformation. Legal firms have also received fossil fuel funding to sue wind projects out of existence.
electrek.co/2025/08/25/s...
electrek.co/2025/08/25/s...
Scientist exposes anti-wind groups as oil-funded. Now they want to silence him.
A report shows how fossil-funded legal groups file bogus lawsuits and spread disinfo about wind - then those lawyers threatened the authors.
electrek.co
August 25, 2025 at 8:29 PM
'Fossil fuel companies have developed and funded a complicated network of fake public interest groups, politicians and lawyers to oppose wind power by spreading disinformation. Legal firms have also received fossil fuel funding to sue wind projects out of existence.
electrek.co/2025/08/25/s...
electrek.co/2025/08/25/s...
It's a good time to remember what actually causes homelessness.
A top cause: lack of affordable housing.
Not a top cause: character flaws among unhoused people.
More analysis in this older Bloomberg story: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
A top cause: lack of affordable housing.
Not a top cause: character flaws among unhoused people.
More analysis in this older Bloomberg story: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
CityLab University: Understanding Homelessness in America
As economic disruption threatens to trigger a spike in housing instability, here’s an essential primer on the causes and consequences of a thorny urban problem.
www.bloomberg.com
August 22, 2025 at 6:42 PM
It's a good time to remember what actually causes homelessness.
A top cause: lack of affordable housing.
Not a top cause: character flaws among unhoused people.
More analysis in this older Bloomberg story: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
A top cause: lack of affordable housing.
Not a top cause: character flaws among unhoused people.
More analysis in this older Bloomberg story: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...