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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 17h

What does it mean to be an urbanist beyond the projects we design? One aspect that often goes overlooked is civic leadership: involvement in your locality. Boards, committees,groups, institutions. We discuss because,cities are shaped by people who choose to participate. youtube.com/watch?v=KDT8...

youtube.com

Importance of Civic Leadership | City Builders Ep.40

YouTube video by City Builders

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

What can a painter teach us about seeing a city? Georgia O’Keeffe’s architectural paintings remind us that cities aren’t just buildings and streets. They’re experiences of scale, light and abstraction. What might we miss if we look at cities only through the language of urban design?

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Lighting, a crucial component to the public space experience . Lighting can dramatically enhance a building or space that has a great degree of articulation and/ or detail. Lighting can also accentuate the scale and material qualities of buildings and spaces with less articulation or detail.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Icons begone. As we remove iconic (from a local nostalgic viewpoint) buildings and structures from the city, questions arise: Where are the new iconic places? And, who and what will define them? #toronto #honesteds #samtherecordman #worldsbiggestjeansstore

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Colour in architecture. As I’ve seen more and more examples worldwide, I’ve come to the conclusion that, while paint isn’t architecture, colour can play a critical role in accentuating the experience of a building or a place. It can be bold or subtle, dramatic or calming.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#todaysmap courtesy of Marco Te Brömmelstroet the Cycling Professor @fietsproffesor on LI, illustrating the intensity of bike lanes in Europe. Its a few years old now, so it’s probably even more dense at this point. It never ceases to amaze me.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Have small indie bookstores made a comeback? Across cities, I'm noticing a rise in small, curated shops mixing new, used & rare books. While big-box stores push lifestyle goods, indies focus on discovery, curation, attraction, & place. Street-level signals of urban change. #urbanobservations

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Biking can make you happier, healthier, and even smarter?! momentummag.com/cycling-can-...

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Congrats! This is a major move! Much applause. Keep us posted, of course.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Here’s some of the worst bike lanes on the planet! momentummag.com/a-look-at-so...

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The neighborhood pub. Sometimes raucous, sometimes contemplative, sometimes both. From debates to trivia nights, it can be a true third place, just like cafés, offering community beyond home and work. I’ve witnessed this in numerous pubs in the UK. A vital piece of urban life.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Healthy cities. When we talk about health in cities we invariably talk about walking. Another aspect, though, is access to healthy, good tasting, eating. This article looks at some global efforts to combine access to healthy foods with access to public space . www.who.int/europe/news/...

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

For urbanists, books are a source of continuing education, Some books didn’t just teach us about cities, they set our trajectory as city builders. In this City Builders video, Mark and I walk through the texts that shaped our path. youtu.be/glk-pyRjDOc?...

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Design + health. Making healthy places. The dynamics of designing for health have changed and accelerated recently. An important aspect of this is the healing qualities of outdoor spaces. The new edition of this book makes the case. Design is more than aesthetic, it can be therapeutic.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The forecourt (entry court): an oft-forgotten transition from sidewalk to apartment entrance. These spaces shape resident & visitor experience—and work especially well in #mediumscalemediumdensity “U”-shaped buildings. Sometimes building quality is defined by the spaces between it and the street.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Yesterday I spoke to AIA Detroit’s Christopher Kelly Leadership Dev Program on the Future of Cities. I used field studies from London, Shanghai and Baku to illustrate my approach: reading cities through sketches, photos and notes, via 4 lenses: public space, buildings, mobility, connectivity.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The (former) Michigan Gas Building in Detroit, by Minoru Yamasaki. Often criticized for sameness, Yamasaki’s work also has an inherent classical quality, in its organization, texture and proportions. The question: What role does this kind of architecture play in city building?

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Big Dig. Seaport. Kendall Square. Assembly Row. Our #globalurbanstudy in Boston offered a remarkable range of lessons about how cities become adaptive. The integration of new places with old places is the sweet spot of urbanism. And, Boston provides plenty of examples. #theadaptivecity

youtu.be

Can't Believe This Is Boston | City Builders Ep.37

YouTube video by City Builders

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

“With 68% of the population predicted to live in urban areas by 2050, a failure to incorporate health more decisively into urban planning and management will inevitably lead to growing…health and environmental burdens.” Urban Design matters! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

tandfonline.com

Mainstreaming health in urban design and planning: advances in theory and practice

Published in Cities & Health (Vol. 6, No. 5, 2022)

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

PeopleForBikes’ 2026 City Ratings place Detroit in the U.S. top 10 for bike-friendly cities. Archive DS was team urban designer for Detroit’s long-term Non-Motorized Master Plan. More mobility options mean a more accessible city…in every sense. www.travelandleisure.com/most-bike-fr...

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Opening day for football.First it was GRIT, then HEART, then FIGHT! As important for the resiliency of cities as it is for Gridiron Gladiators!. #GoLions Go #Detroit

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

We don’t emphasize enough the interdependency of policy and vision in successfully developing urban areas. It’s almost a chicken and egg type scenario. But, political leadership/community leadership is the crucial component to move it from idea to reality.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Understanding what works and what doesn’t in urbanism means going beyond looking at things, to actually Seeing things. Best example: When you drive through a neighborhood you can “look” at the place, but when you walk it you “see” it, you understand it. Seeing takes time, looking only a glance.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Fall Winter Spring Summer Seasons and the City. How we experience a city can be enhanced by how well it incorporates its inherent physical climate into its identity and use. Mark and I discuss, this week on City Builders. youtube.com/watch?v=Ctjo...

youtube.com

4 Seasons & Cities | City Builders Ep.36

YouTube video by City Builders

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Labour. Something that unites #Windsor and #Detroit. Two cities. Two countries. Two cultures. A shared history built on labour—from migrant workers to auto workers to struggles for freedom. Connected by bridges, a tunnel, water. Connected by labour. #LabourDay #BorderCities

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

A downtown corner turned productive garden where a vacant lot once sat. Proof that “rethinking” urbanism can reshape how a block gets used. Small space, big lesson in adaptive reuse. Field Study: Lafayette Greens, Detroit #todaysurbanspace

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Parking lots in front of buildings. Legacy anti-urban conditions exist in cities big and small. The travesty is when we fail to learn, and repeat the mistakes of the past. Each transgression erodes a bit of a city’s soul. A city can’t out-suburb the suburbs. #urbanobservations

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

“Great bones” sustain Main Street. Durable buildings + open space let commerce and social life adapt. Empty lots become pop-ups and flea markets. Walkable, adaptable, resident-first downtowns; tourism helps, but daily life sustains. Field study: King St, Harrow, Canada #todaysmainstreet

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

As multifamily discourse embraces 6-unit+ sites, remember: #mediumscalemediumdensity homes have been here a century+. Some once housed 2-3x more units. Zoning & parking rules have stifled new versions; that’s slowly changing. Today’s challenge: where and how to deploy them for true #CityBuilding.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

A welcome sign in the face of political machinations.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

A welcome sign in the face of political machinations.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Small, intimate pocket parks can do so much: display art, provide contemplation, connect residential and commercial spaces, and even spill into restaurant seating. Yet, this one remains open and serene. A great example of how small urban spaces can knit a city together. Sculpture Garden, Toronto.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Housing has 4 key concerns: availability, affordability, quality & type. We often reduce “type” to a false choice: SF homes vs. apartment towers. We need more options; scales and typologies that can create different price points. Mark & I discuss this on City Builders. youtube.com/watch?v=AUUs...

youtube.com

Housing: Size Matters | City Builders Ep.35

YouTube video by City Builders

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I like dipping into books from earlier eras of city development. Ian Nairn’s work is a favourite, part scholarly critique, part boots-on-the-ground observation. This look at 1960s America is an instructive, fascinating slice of urbanism.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Smalltown Main Streets offer lessons for towns + cities. Compact, mixed-use bldgs create everyday activity and walkability. As towns grow, the challenge: to build complete downtowns that serve residents first, while preserving what made them special. Field Study: Manitoba St., Bracebridge, Canada

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

As true for City-building as it is for body-building! #todaysurbangraphic

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

It really brings up the fact that we’ve lost touch with regionalism. And, the inherent qualities of a region that would promote walkability and the kinds of environments that are the North American versions of these European environments.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

It was a pleasure to serve as a juror for the Architectural Conservancy Ontario Heritage Awards along with other professional colleagues. Sharpening the lens I bring to studying cities. Looking forward to the celebration in October. Conservation. What’s worth preserving, perseveres.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Understanding the evolving city. This week we engage in a lively conversation with Robert Freedman, former Head of Urban Design for the City of Toronto, about his experiences there during a time of rapid change, + his current perspectives as an independent consultant. youtube.com/watch?v=L4oL...

youtube.com

Talking with Urbanist, Robert Freedman | City Builders Ep.34

YouTube video by City Builders

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The proper scale of urban elements. The optimal sidewalk needs to accommodate the many necessities for treating the street as primary public place: space for walking, space for passing, space for socializing, space for eating, space for sitting, space for stopping and viewing.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

When streets are given back to people, even briefly, cities reveal possibilities. Events remind us that mobility, recreation, business and public life can coexist. The lesson isn’t “pedestrianize now!” It’s test, measure and rethink how we allocate street space. Field Study: Yonge Street, Toronto.

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

I’ve found my next downtime preoccupation! “MapTap is a daily guessing game for geography. You get a location in the world, you mark where you think that location is, and you see how close you are. The closer the guess to the actual location, the higher the score.” MapTap.gg

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Serving as a juror for the Architectural Conservancy Ontario Heritage Awards. Evaluating conservation across Ontario sharpens the same lens I bring to studying cities and the built fabric that frames them: what’s worth preserving as urban form perseveres .

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Street Fairs. The street as public space. Taking over a section of the avenue for an event. People, activities, commerce, and attractors such as food, combine to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Making “Place” from “Space”. Field Study: Chinatown. Toronto. #todayspublicspace

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

“We can’t build them like that anymore.” Or can we? The 3–5 story building is an urbanism building block for corridors & main streets. Fix parking minimums and density math, and #citybuilding opens to smaller developers & nonprofits. #MediumScaleMediumDensity Field Study: Springdale, Arkansas

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

The best TV shows treat the city as a character, not a backdrop. Think Law & Order’s NYC ;remove it, and the story loses its identity. The test: could this show exist elsewhere and stay the same? If no, the city is doing real narrative work. youtu.be/c6ndZKSoJBg?... via @YouTube

youtu.be

CB33 Cities As Television Stars

YouTube video by City Builders

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Dorian Moore, FAIA @dorianmoore.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

The oft-underappreciated #twostorybuilding. These structures have been the building blocks of corridors in cities traditionally, providing the opportunity for #incrementaldevelopment for small and aspiring builders. Encourage this for better, more affordable #citybuilding .

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