Brandon Donnelly — Daily insights for city builders. Published since 2013 by Toronto-based real estate developer Brandon Donnelly. — Page 920

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that ranks countries based on four key indicators (3 dimensions):

• Life expectancy in years (health)
  

• Expected years of schooling (education)
  

• Mean years of schooling (education)
  

• Gross national income per capita (standard of living)
  

Equal weighting (1/3) is given to each of the above dimensions: (1) health, (2) education, and (3) standard of living.

And the resulting index value is a normalized number between 0 and 1, with the latter number representing the maximum possible value.

Generally speaking, a country is thought to be developed or advanced when it has an HDI greater than 0.8.

The way you calculate each dimension’s index value is by using the minimum and maximum limits set out by the United Nations .

To give you an example, for gross national income per capita (standard of living), the minimum is $100 and the maximum is $75,000. (Logic behind these numbers, here .)

Once you know the boundaries, you then use this formula for each dimension:

Dimension Index = (Actual Value - Minimum Value) / (Maximum Value - Minimum Value)

Each of the individual dimension indices are then aggregated together to create that country’s HDI.

In 2017 , the country with the highest HDI was Norway at 0.953. Brazil , which is what got me started thinking about this, was at 0.759. So not quite developed.

Canada and the US were on top of each other at 0.926 and 0.924, respectively.

Here are two images of the unfinished Museum of Image & Sound in Rio de Janeiro by Diller Scofidio + Renfro .

The building sits across from Copacabana’s famed beach and tiled boardwalk. The street you’re looking at is Avenida Atlântica.

The idea behind the architecture was to create a kind of “vertical boulevard” on the building’s beachside facade. Clever.

It is particularly impactful when you see it within the context of Copacabana’s delightfully formidable streetwall and curving promenade.

But it is unclear when the building will ultimately be finished. Construction started in 2010 and it first stalled in 2012. Too bad.

I just arrived in Rio de Janeiro, which is where I’ll be for the next ten days. Here is a photo looking south from the rooftop of our hotel (more photos to follow on Instagram ):

Today was a fairly relaxed day after many hours of travel. But tomorrow the architecture and design tour begins. 

I am still trying to get a feel for the city. The first thing people tell you after you arrive is to be careful. Don’t go out at night. And take Ubers. 

Uber is a significant advantage in a place like Rio where few people seem to speak English and you may be concerned about somebody taking you for a ride.

Not only was the Uber from GIG about R$80 less expensive than a taxi (I was probably quoted the gringo rate), but you also get perfect information in terms of where you are going.

This emphasis on safety and security is, of course, highly evident as you walk around the city. Lots of gates and lots of cameras.

It’s perhaps a bit ironic to see so many places sealed off from the outside when you consider how great the climate is and how friendly the people are.