Real Insights by Naama Blonder
Naama Blonder
Naama is an architect, urban planner and urban designer. She has a bold vision: to change what good development can and should look like; with that in mind, she co-founded Smart Density.
Urbanity Fair
The Battle For Toronto's Bathurst Street
Do we want Bathurst to keep functioning like an arterial road, or do we want it to become the kind of urban avenue this city needs: reliable, walkable, and worth sticking around for?
Urbanity Fair
The Real Lesson From Paris' Urban Transformation Is Less About Planning And More About Leadership
With new bike lanes, reclaimed riverbanks, and a growing network of pedestrian-only streets, Paris has become the poster child for urban transformation — and the city's also a case study in how to steer complex change through public scrutiny and skepticism.
Urbanity Fair
Is Canada Really "The Most European Of Non-European Countries"? A Critical Look At Our Urban Planning
Canada has the potential to build cities that are truly people-focused — more “European,” if you will. But as of today, our urban planning is far from it.
Urbanity Fair
Developers Benefited from Bike Lanes, Now They Should Fight To Keep Them
If bike lanes disappear, so do the economic advantages that come with them, and so do the advantages that have made high-density development projects more viable.
Urbanity Fair
5 Housing and Urban Initiatives From 2024 To Watch For In 2025
The key policies introduced this year — ranging from new zoning laws to federal housing initiatives — show promise in addressing Toronto's housing crisis and improving its transit options.
Urbanity Fair
My Condolences, Toronto: Your Downtown is Dead
Downtown Toronto is becoming less vibrant, less livable, and less economically significant. And Toronto, the city that prides itself on being world-class, can’t afford that.
Urbanity Fair
I Watched ‘Ada - My Mother The Architect,’ As A Mother And An Architect
Ada’s story is a powerful reminder of the compromises women once made for recognition in architecture, and also leaves us with questions about how we balance our dedication to architecture with the evolving expectations of family and self.
Urbanity Fair
Digging In The Wrong Direction: How Ford’s 55 km Tunnel Misses The Mark For Ontario’s Future
Premier Doug Ford's proposal to build a 55 km-long underground highway tunnel raises serious concerns about the future of transportation and urban planning in Ontario, according to Urban Planner Naama Blonder.
Urbanity Fair
Unlike Europe, Toronto Won't Flourish With Mid-Rise Buildings (And That's Okay)
To move forward, we need to embrace and celebrate Toronto’s reality and unique urbanization path, and focus on learning a more fundamental lesson from European cities
Urbanity Fair
Public Transit, Now Is Your Moment To Shine... And Reshape Mobility Habits
Picture this: what if our public transit system were more extensive and convenient, capable of taking all of us out of our cars and freeing up hours wasted in traffic? Imagine the difference that would make in our lives.
Urbanity Fair
Happy Newcomer Day? What It’s Like To Search For Housing As A Newcomer Family In 2024
Architect and urban planner Naama Blonder paints a picture of everything a newcomer faces when landing in Toronto, including limited access to affordable housing.
Urbanity Fair
‘Major Streets’ is a Major Turning Point for Toronto
A proposed change presented to Planning and Housing Committee members this week would allow a broader range of housing typologies on Major Streets within Toronto 'Neighbourhoods'.
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