Andy Yan is an urban planner and the director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University. A former research director at Bing Thom Architects, he gained plaudits from social activists and notoriety among some developers and realtors for researching and reporting the harsh impact of foreign investment in the Vancouver housing market.
CA: As a society, what?s our most urgent need right now in urban design"
Yan: To handle the convergence of a world while dealing with climate change, income inequality, migration and technology. We used to think of cities as population basins receiving largely one-way migration, but now we are entering an era of cities as ?spaces of flow? as opposed to cities as ?basins of populations,? a unique change from previous eras of urbanism. So we have to manage, leverage and adapt to the flows of people, capital and ideas between city regions?not just of the wealthy and privileged but a spectrum of demographic and cultural groups. That?s a really big challenge. But we have no choice: Canada can?t fail. CA: What is our biggest ?missed opportunity? in this realm"
Yan: Not looking at the connections between land use, transportation, public health and design. We have to create a system that acknowledges and rewards their interrelationships. Architecture and urban design can have a tremendous effect on health and well-being in a way that?s not always apparent. For example, one of the most powerful drugs for physical and mental health is walking...