Jamie Silverman
@jamie-silverman.bsky.social
Fall 2025 - GEOG 325 student
Agreed! This reminds me of the 'white flight' experienced in Louisville in the mid-1900s, where typically more wealthy, white residents left the city centre, taking with them their tax contributions and leading to further depreciation, as there was less tax money to invest in public infrastructure.
November 7, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Agreed! This reminds me of the 'white flight' experienced in Louisville in the mid-1900s, where typically more wealthy, white residents left the city centre, taking with them their tax contributions and leading to further depreciation, as there was less tax money to invest in public infrastructure.
--As the authors affirm more succinctly, Rawabi appears to be “a city of the future in a place where citizens are desperately trying to figure out how to navigate the present.”
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--As the authors affirm more succinctly, Rawabi appears to be “a city of the future in a place where citizens are desperately trying to figure out how to navigate the present.”
--What resources/expenses can be justified to build these types of #newcities, which do not house a large amount of the population, catering to the middle-class, in a context where millions have been displaced, lacking access to even the most basic needs like food, shelter and water?--
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--What resources/expenses can be justified to build these types of #newcities, which do not house a large amount of the population, catering to the middle-class, in a context where millions have been displaced, lacking access to even the most basic needs like food, shelter and water?--
--In the context of Palestine, but also perhaps countries like Syria, Sudan, and Yemen, amongst others, that have experienced refugee crises over the last few years, what is the balance that must be struck between building for present needs, and for an aspirational future?--
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--In the context of Palestine, but also perhaps countries like Syria, Sudan, and Yemen, amongst others, that have experienced refugee crises over the last few years, what is the balance that must be struck between building for present needs, and for an aspirational future?--
--While not entirely divorced from the political reality of the Palestine-Israel conflict, having repeatedly had electricity withheld, and the city’s water supply cut off by Israel, “quotidian luxury ostensibly divorced from political instability increasingly looks like a billionaire’s fantasy”. --
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--While not entirely divorced from the political reality of the Palestine-Israel conflict, having repeatedly had electricity withheld, and the city’s water supply cut off by Israel, “quotidian luxury ostensibly divorced from political instability increasingly looks like a billionaire’s fantasy”. --
--of Palestinian territories since the Nakba, the authors aptly describe the dichotomy of Rawabi’s inception, stating that “the idea of building a new centre of Palestinian life in the midst of occupation is inspiring but also feels like an act of cognitive dissonance.”--
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--of Palestinian territories since the Nakba, the authors aptly describe the dichotomy of Rawabi’s inception, stating that “the idea of building a new centre of Palestinian life in the midst of occupation is inspiring but also feels like an act of cognitive dissonance.”--
--On the balconies, no telltale potted plants or folding chairs or drying laundry. Everything was perfect, but nothing felt real. […] devoid of endearing chaos” of other Palestinian cities, like Ramallah. In the context of the genocide in Gaza and the ongoing Israeli occupation--
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--On the balconies, no telltale potted plants or folding chairs or drying laundry. Everything was perfect, but nothing felt real. […] devoid of endearing chaos” of other Palestinian cities, like Ramallah. In the context of the genocide in Gaza and the ongoing Israeli occupation--
--2010, and the first residents moved in by 2015. Yet, designed to house 40,000 inhabitants, it seems to have plateaued at around 5,000 people, with many units lying empty. Not exactly a ghost town but not far, the article’s authors describe “heavy window shutters […] tightly drawn on most units.--
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
--2010, and the first residents moved in by 2015. Yet, designed to house 40,000 inhabitants, it seems to have plateaued at around 5,000 people, with many units lying empty. Not exactly a ghost town but not far, the article’s authors describe “heavy window shutters […] tightly drawn on most units.--
--the United Kingdom and Singapore. As such, Putrajaya’s FOI serves as a platform for urban policy mobility, where attendees legitimize and influence each other’s ideas about projects such as Putrajaya itself, eventually returning to their respective countries and designing plans of their own.
November 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
--the United Kingdom and Singapore. As such, Putrajaya’s FOI serves as a platform for urban policy mobility, where attendees legitimize and influence each other’s ideas about projects such as Putrajaya itself, eventually returning to their respective countries and designing plans of their own.
--far have been the queen of Malaysia, its prime minister, the ministers of education/higher education of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, representatives from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Africa, as well as scholars from--
November 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
--far have been the queen of Malaysia, its prime minister, the ministers of education/higher education of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, representatives from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Africa, as well as scholars from--
--many other planned or existing #newcities, the city itself functions as a medium in the global exchange of ideas through its architecture, urban policy, and its purported success. The festival expects to attract 500,000 in-person attendees, with almost triple that number online. In attendance so--
November 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
--many other planned or existing #newcities, the city itself functions as a medium in the global exchange of ideas through its architecture, urban policy, and its purported success. The festival expects to attract 500,000 in-person attendees, with almost triple that number online. In attendance so--
--Hosted by Putrajaya, the master planned administrative capital of Malaysia, built from scratch in the 1980s-90s, this festival “reflects Malaysia’s ambition to become a regional reference centre for exchanging ideas across social sciences, technology, arts, culture and music.” However, like--
November 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
--Hosted by Putrajaya, the master planned administrative capital of Malaysia, built from scratch in the 1980s-90s, this festival “reflects Malaysia’s ambition to become a regional reference centre for exchanging ideas across social sciences, technology, arts, culture and music.” However, like--
--What is clear is that this project replicates trends found in other new cities like the global circulation of ideas, foreign actors, private-public sector cooperation, ‘eco’ labelling, and high aspirations that reflect a desire to be ‘worldly’, while at the same time claiming local connectedness.
November 6, 2025 at 4:45 AM
--What is clear is that this project replicates trends found in other new cities like the global circulation of ideas, foreign actors, private-public sector cooperation, ‘eco’ labelling, and high aspirations that reflect a desire to be ‘worldly’, while at the same time claiming local connectedness.
--Other foreign interests, including India and China, seem to be involved, though it is unclear how, and to what end.--
November 6, 2025 at 4:45 AM
--Other foreign interests, including India and China, seem to be involved, though it is unclear how, and to what end.--
--While many #newcities cater to the global elite to stimulate the economy, it is unclear what the Maldives gains in the long-term by attracting foreigners, when the floating city is pitched as a solution to sea level rise for the islanders…--
November 6, 2025 at 4:45 AM
--While many #newcities cater to the global elite to stimulate the economy, it is unclear what the Maldives gains in the long-term by attracting foreigners, when the floating city is pitched as a solution to sea level rise for the islanders…--
--the project is aimed at ‘foreigners’, although the developers say they are also marketing properties to “local fishing families who, for centuries, have called the area home.” How these humble fisherfolk are meant to afford these homes is beyond me, and the developers don’t seem to linger on it.--
November 6, 2025 at 4:45 AM
--the project is aimed at ‘foreigners’, although the developers say they are also marketing properties to “local fishing families who, for centuries, have called the area home.” How these humble fisherfolk are meant to afford these homes is beyond me, and the developers don’t seem to linger on it.--
--to address rising sea levels. The masterplan consists in “a hexagonal grid in the shape of a brain coral that connects to an outer ring of barrier islands.” Projected as eventually housing 20,000 residents in 5,000 homes, starting at an asking price of $250,000 USD,--
November 6, 2025 at 4:45 AM
--to address rising sea levels. The masterplan consists in “a hexagonal grid in the shape of a brain coral that connects to an outer ring of barrier islands.” Projected as eventually housing 20,000 residents in 5,000 homes, starting at an asking price of $250,000 USD,--
--three-platform design leaves no room for the impromptu, informal practices/markets/crafts that shape our daily interactions... On the water, these structures are rigid, in purpose/governance just as materially, through their 'balanced' construction that is impermeable to change.
November 6, 2025 at 2:36 AM
--three-platform design leaves no room for the impromptu, informal practices/markets/crafts that shape our daily interactions... On the water, these structures are rigid, in purpose/governance just as materially, through their 'balanced' construction that is impermeable to change.
The project seems to make no provisions for commerce or any form of economic activity... There may be some jobs in hydroponic agriculture (residential platform), some research/tech positions (research platform), and vague "services for community interaction" (living platform), but this floating--
November 6, 2025 at 2:36 AM
The project seems to make no provisions for commerce or any form of economic activity... There may be some jobs in hydroponic agriculture (residential platform), some research/tech positions (research platform), and vague "services for community interaction" (living platform), but this floating--
--investing in its infrastructure, connectivity, and services". As such, in my opinion, this nominal upgrade from 'town' to 'city' signals new investment into an existing city-adjacent place to attract economic opportunity (e.g. tourism), rather than a new city built from scratch.
November 6, 2025 at 1:38 AM
--investing in its infrastructure, connectivity, and services". As such, in my opinion, this nominal upgrade from 'town' to 'city' signals new investment into an existing city-adjacent place to attract economic opportunity (e.g. tourism), rather than a new city built from scratch.
I'm not sure if this is truly a #newcities project... Black River is a historic town first recorded in the 1670s, and has been the capital of St. Elizabeth Parish since 1773. This designation as a 'city' is part of the government's attempt to "revive the fortunes of the town by strategically--
November 6, 2025 at 1:38 AM
I'm not sure if this is truly a #newcities project... Black River is a historic town first recorded in the 1670s, and has been the capital of St. Elizabeth Parish since 1773. This designation as a 'city' is part of the government's attempt to "revive the fortunes of the town by strategically--
Call me a skeptic but this development, like many other 'eco' #newcities projects, seems to be a blown-up, multi-million dollar greenwashing campaign.
November 4, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Call me a skeptic but this development, like many other 'eco' #newcities projects, seems to be a blown-up, multi-million dollar greenwashing campaign.