Old Amsterdam – Café Scheltema

The way things used to be? Talking heritage with Rob van der Laase [Link] – the way the past is cleaned up, filtered, extraneous matter removed – that we might more appreciate a clear narrative – that this did indeed happen here. Here – a remarkable untouched remnant of a meeting place, famously associated with…

urban planning – human-centered and historically informed (continued)

Rotterdam, meeting of the International Advisory Board to the Mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb. I have seen my role as a member as one of representing the principles of human-centered design to the processes of urban planning and government. (See also – [link] [Link] [Link]) My emphasis has frequently been upon narrative and story – understanding people’s…

urban planning – human-centered and historically informed (introduction)

My fourth year visiting Rotterdam as a member of the International Advisory Board to the Mayor of this city and port, the largest in Europe, second only globally to Shanghai. New construction – Maasvlakte 2 (and 1) – enormous artificial extensions of the port facilities out into the north sea. Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb with members…

Steampunk in Oakland

Jack London Square, Oakland. Waterfront/docklands development. Steam punk bar furniture in The Chop Bar [Link] Last week the BBC reported a new fund raising campaign to rebuild Babbage’s Analytical Engine – his steam powered programmable computer the size of a house – [BBC Link] – Wikipedia on Babbage – [Link] Model of the never-built Analytical…

VINOVIVM

Update – a revised version now appears at – https://mshanks.com/2011/01/archaeological-research-at-the-edge-of-empire/ We are starting to plan for our excavations next summer of Binchester Roman town in the north of England. Here is a short news item about this last summer, released yesterday. July 2010 was the second archaeological field season for the Binchester Project. We are…