Brandon Donnelly — Daily insights for city builders. Published since 2013 by Toronto-based real estate developer Brandon Donnelly. — Page 1081

On September 2, 2017, a research project by several MIT laboratories – called Gangnam Poop: Underworlds in Seoul – will debut at the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism .

Here’s an excerpt from the exhibition description:

A vast reservoir of information on human health and behavior lies in our sewage, and this resource is untapped. We imagine a future in which sewage is mined for information that can inform policy makers, health practitioners, designers, and researchers alike. Such is the idea behind Underworlds: a cross-disciplinary data platform for monitoring urban health patterns, shaping more inclusive public health strategies, and pushing the boundaries of urban epidemiology.

For this exhibition and “proof of concept”, they analyzed three distinct neighborhoods in Seoul, using an aptly named sewer robot called Luigi. 

Gangnam-gu (shown above) is an upper-class high-rise residential area. Mapo-gu is an emerging artist and designer enclave. And Seongbuk-bu is a hillside village with detached houses and an older demographic.

In each case, they mapped out the bacterial populations found beneath each neighborhood. Interestingly enough, the different areas revealed different bacterial occurrences. You can see those diagrams  here .

I often think of healthcare as being very reactive. A future like the one this exhibition is imagining would be far more proactive. And that would be a very good thing.

Image and project by MIT Senseable City Lab . Gangnam Poop: Underworlds in Seoul. Commissioned by Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism

Opposition to new development is nothing new in this city. In fact, it’s the norm in almost all cities, regardless of how big or small the project might be.

But the battle happening right now in Toronto with respect to the proposed 8 storey condominium project at 321 Davenport Road is certainly taking things to the next level. All over 16 units.

Some of the most recognized names in this city have their hat in the ring and virtually every media outlet has covered the topic. See here , here , here , and here , for a small taste.

Just this evening I saw that Shawn Micallef (yes camp) had sent a copy of his recent book to Margaret Atwood (no camp) in the hopes that she would read it and better appreciate why it behooves our neighborhoods to move past this “ village mentality .”

If you haven’t yet read it, it’s called Frontier City: Toronto on the Verge of Greatness . I’ve just moved it to the top of my reading pile. I hope more folks do the same.

What’s happening in Houston right now is devastating. Ian Bogost of The Atlantic is calling the flood a “ disaster of biblical proportions .” Harvey has unloaded 9 trillion gallons of water .

It is once again reminding us of the importance of resiliency when it comes to our cities.

One emerging argument is that  this is an almost inevitable outcome  for Houston, brought on by the multiplicative effects of climate change, unfettered urban sprawl, and poor design decisions.

The barriers to development are famously low in Houston, which allows the city to quickly add housing and people. There are many benefits to this. 

But it also means that there has been, among other things, a dramatic increase in the amount of impervious surface.

This matters because impervious surface creates runoff.

According to The Texas Tribune , impervious surface in Harris County (third most populous county in the U.S.) increased by 25% between 1996 and 2011. 

And it replaced things like the below prairie grass (switchgrass), which are highly absorbent as a result of their deep root system. 

But much like climate change, not everyone believes this is to be blamed. 

For more on this, check out The Texas Tribune’s full interactive piece. It’s called “ Boomtown, Flood Town ” and it’s worth a read.

Image from The Texas Tribune