Brandon Donnelly — Daily insights for city builders. Published since 2013 by Toronto-based real estate developer Brandon Donnelly. — Page 237

Today we rented a car so that we could go and explore other parts of Mallorca. We went to three different beaches and coves on the southeast coast, and they were some of the most beautiful public spaces I have ever seen.

Along the way, we stopped at an Aldi to grab picnic supplies. I love Aldi. It's amazing how much less expensive everything is here compared to back in Toronto, even once you do the EUR to CAD conversion.

As soon as we pulled in, the first thing I noticed is that every single parking space had permeable pavers. Here are two photos. The second photo is to also show you their EV charging spaces and one of the two cats that seems to live at the store.

Permeable pavers are, of course, useful because they help to reduce surface runoff. Meaning, they allow some amount of water to filter into the ground, which is not the case with impermeable surfaces.

Considering that Toronto has already had two major flood events this summer alone , I think it behooves us to take note. When is the last time you've seen permeable pavers used in a public parking lot in Canada or the US? Serious question. I can't think of an example.

Having a store cat could also be a good idea.

Traveling is one of life's greatest experiences. Pack a carry-on (so you bring only what you really need). Strip yourself of your regular surroundings. And explore the world with new eyes -- maybe with a camera in your hand.

Camera: Fujifilm X-T3 (23mm lens)

It's hard to think of Barcelona and not think of its famed street, La Rambla. But this same street design (and name) also appears in other cities throughout Spain. The above two streets are in Palma. The first is also called La Rambla (which is supposedly derived from an old Arabic word meaning sandy riverbed) and the second is called the Paseo del Borne. Both follow the exact same urban design principles. They're broad tree-lined streets with a large center median dedicated to only pedestrians. All car traffic is relegated to the sides. What's great about this design is the following. One, it reallocates public space according to who uses it the most (i.e. pedestrians). Two, it consolidates the main pedestrian realm (in lieu of just having larger sidewalks on either side of the street). And three, it establishes a clear hierarchy for the street. Pedestrians are most important here, and that's why they get the center position. It's surprising that more cities don't adopt this same design.