Neil
@neilloewen.bsky.social
Took me sixteen years to hit 1,000 Twitter followers but here I am
Whatever weird building code quirk led to this happening all over this neighbourhood we need to bring it back
July 15, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Whatever weird building code quirk led to this happening all over this neighbourhood we need to bring it back
Neighbourhood infill in Singapore
July 13, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Neighbourhood infill in Singapore
Its patios, its bike parking, its loading space but it still functions as a sidewalk and actually adds a lot of interest and activity in the public realm. New dancers in the sidewalk ballet.
April 30, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Its patios, its bike parking, its loading space but it still functions as a sidewalk and actually adds a lot of interest and activity in the public realm. New dancers in the sidewalk ballet.
Taipei has also built covered pedestrian walkways along major streets into its urban fabric more successfully and consistently than anywhere I’ve ever been. These are everywhere and at a scale that’s large enough to be comfortable and multi-purpose.
April 30, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Taipei has also built covered pedestrian walkways along major streets into its urban fabric more successfully and consistently than anywhere I’ve ever been. These are everywhere and at a scale that’s large enough to be comfortable and multi-purpose.
Taipei got me thinking about how the idea of shared streets like this in North America are seen as dangerous and all-car but in practice they’re a pedestrian and cyclist dreamscape.
April 30, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Taipei got me thinking about how the idea of shared streets like this in North America are seen as dangerous and all-car but in practice they’re a pedestrian and cyclist dreamscape.
Riding Taiwan’s high-speed rail on Canadian election day? A political act.
Get me this at home!
Get me this at home!
April 29, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Riding Taiwan’s high-speed rail on Canadian election day? A political act.
Get me this at home!
Get me this at home!
The highlight every term at TMU SURP is sitting in on the grad planning studio presentations - the profession has a bright future!
April 1, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The highlight every term at TMU SURP is sitting in on the grad planning studio presentations - the profession has a bright future!
These images show the great effort going into a) a direct ped connection from a public housing dev to a public park w/o having to cross a large road and b) a ped underpass from the main level of a shopping centre and transit station directly into a large public park (again avoiding a large avenue).
March 10, 2025 at 6:14 PM
These images show the great effort going into a) a direct ped connection from a public housing dev to a public park w/o having to cross a large road and b) a ped underpass from the main level of a shopping centre and transit station directly into a large public park (again avoiding a large avenue).
Where TO requires parking dug many levels below grade, SG sees the extreme $$, the carbon cost, and the unadaptiveness of that space and instead builds it above grade and generally screened.
March 10, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Where TO requires parking dug many levels below grade, SG sees the extreme $$, the carbon cost, and the unadaptiveness of that space and instead builds it above grade and generally screened.
One of the clear differences in priorities I’ve seen between Singapore and Toronto is that SG has no money for underground parking (structured parking above grade instead) and all kinds of money for pedestrian bridges/tunnels.
March 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM
One of the clear differences in priorities I’ve seen between Singapore and Toronto is that SG has no money for underground parking (structured parking above grade instead) and all kinds of money for pedestrian bridges/tunnels.
3) Pedestrian space
A bus mall in the CBD has been built below-grade so that the street can be pedestrianized, and it was active and vibrant. Multiple car-free bridges. Top notch!
A bus mall in the CBD has been built below-grade so that the street can be pedestrianized, and it was active and vibrant. Multiple car-free bridges. Top notch!
February 20, 2025 at 2:16 AM
3) Pedestrian space
A bus mall in the CBD has been built below-grade so that the street can be pedestrianized, and it was active and vibrant. Multiple car-free bridges. Top notch!
A bus mall in the CBD has been built below-grade so that the street can be pedestrianized, and it was active and vibrant. Multiple car-free bridges. Top notch!
2) Waterfront paths
Continuous, high-quality bike+walk paths built out on piers lining both sides of the river leading into and out of the CBD. Extremely well used for commuting and recreation. Shaded, with seating and water fountains.
Continuous, high-quality bike+walk paths built out on piers lining both sides of the river leading into and out of the CBD. Extremely well used for commuting and recreation. Shaded, with seating and water fountains.
February 20, 2025 at 2:12 AM
2) Waterfront paths
Continuous, high-quality bike+walk paths built out on piers lining both sides of the river leading into and out of the CBD. Extremely well used for commuting and recreation. Shaded, with seating and water fountains.
Continuous, high-quality bike+walk paths built out on piers lining both sides of the river leading into and out of the CBD. Extremely well used for commuting and recreation. Shaded, with seating and water fountains.
High-quality, accessible, and well-located ferry terminals extensively dot the riverbank. Pay by any card (and like all public transit in QLD, fares are capped at 50 cents). It was a dream to get around.
February 20, 2025 at 2:09 AM
High-quality, accessible, and well-located ferry terminals extensively dot the riverbank. Pay by any card (and like all public transit in QLD, fares are capped at 50 cents). It was a dream to get around.
Had a few days exploring future-Olympics-host Brisbane and was impressed with the urban infrastructure. Particularly 1) ferries!
February 20, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Had a few days exploring future-Olympics-host Brisbane and was impressed with the urban infrastructure. Particularly 1) ferries!
This includes most of the waterfront. We shouldn’t feel it’s required to put cars between our waterfront promenades and the f&b that bring them to life.
February 16, 2025 at 10:20 PM
This includes most of the waterfront. We shouldn’t feel it’s required to put cars between our waterfront promenades and the f&b that bring them to life.
Sydney has so many ped-only or ped+tram only streets that make me sigh for Toronto
February 16, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Sydney has so many ped-only or ped+tram only streets that make me sigh for Toronto
Nobody’s doing it like Sydney in the opera house space right now, truly one to watch
February 16, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Nobody’s doing it like Sydney in the opera house space right now, truly one to watch
Saw these BIG Calgary and Vancouver upside-down twins within 12 hours of each other. Which one wins?
January 23, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Saw these BIG Calgary and Vancouver upside-down twins within 12 hours of each other. Which one wins?
Is there a better urban waterfront space in North America than Vancouver’s seawall on a sunny day?
January 23, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Is there a better urban waterfront space in North America than Vancouver’s seawall on a sunny day?
One of the things we kept hearing about the County is that the seasonal nature of employment and shortage of adequate housing makes it hard to attract workers so many places like Wander the Resort provide worker lodgings on-site.
November 30, 2024 at 8:00 PM
One of the things we kept hearing about the County is that the seasonal nature of employment and shortage of adequate housing makes it hard to attract workers so many places like Wander the Resort provide worker lodgings on-site.
Today’s Day 2/2 ULI tour of the County included learning about biz that celebrates PEC at the Royal, Wander the Resort, the Drake Devonshire, and of course Closson Chase Vineyards!
November 29, 2024 at 8:31 PM
Today’s Day 2/2 ULI tour of the County included learning about biz that celebrates PEC at the Royal, Wander the Resort, the Drake Devonshire, and of course Closson Chase Vineyards!
Learning so much about culture-led regeneration, leveraging development pressure, and selling stories+storeys on ULI Toronto’s tour of Prince Edward County.
November 29, 2024 at 3:22 PM
Learning so much about culture-led regeneration, leveraging development pressure, and selling stories+storeys on ULI Toronto’s tour of Prince Edward County.
Nice to meet you BlueSky. Four books to get to know me:
November 19, 2024 at 6:54 PM
Nice to meet you BlueSky. Four books to get to know me: