Catalonia plans "independence from rainwater" by 2040
It will be achieved through seawater desalination plants
This is city twinning for the 21st century
The older cultural solidarity concept of city twinning has started to take on a much more contemporary form thanks to modern technology. Following in the footsteps of Vilnius and Lublin, now Dublin and New York City have also installed a matching pair of virtual portals allowing their residents to peer into the daily life of the city on the other side of the screen.
The portals are akin to round sculptures featuring a round screen in their centre. They are installed in public places - in the case of Dublin, that’s O’Connell Street and for NYC, that’s Flatiron Plaza in Manhattan – offering real-time unfiltered livestreams 24/7. In essence, they are a window straight into the other city through which passersby can look into what the weather is over there or even communicate with other passers-by on the other side of the screen.
The two portals form part of a public art project aiming to unite citizens via technology on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. The project was launched on 8 May and has proven to be a curiosity for the inhabitants in both cities, even if the technology itself is commonplace these days – after all everyone has a phone equipped with cameras in their pockets.
Yesterday, however, the virtual portal suffered a “technical glitch” and stopped broadcasting the livestream.
The nature of the project, providing a 24/7 livestream, is such that sometimes interruptions will occur due to technical glitches, maintenance or simple software updates,” explained the technical team from Portals.org, as quoted by RTE.
The European cities of Vilnius (Lithuania) and Lublin (Poland) were the first to get connected through a virtual portal in 2021. Recently, it was used in the promotion of the Pink Soup Festival taking place on 1 June in Vilnius.
Edit: Shortly after the publication of this article, news emerged that the portal was to undergo "technical solutions" due to "inappropriate behaviour" on the Dublin side, as per various media reports. It turned out that while on the New York side there was security, the portal sculpture was unattended on the Irish side.
Dublin City Council was keen to emphasise that the majority of interactions at the Portal have been positive, with a successful marriage proposal among the highlights since it began operating six days ago
The same goes for 5G coverage but that complete rate will be achieved already in 2025
Tusk’s administration failed to change the law, but it now promises to “change reality”
The country’s government cites security concerns behind the move
The same goes for 5G coverage but that complete rate will be achieved already in 2025
The tool builds upon the already available web version of the map
It marks the street spots that have recorded the highest number of incidents
Plus, you might have to book a spot in advance to view the famous attraction
This involves the creation of a special traffic control zone on streets leading to the UNESCO-protected Old Town
The German capital reps will head to COP16, in Cali (Colombia), with the aim of inviting other cities to join the cause
Plus, you might have to book a spot in advance to view the famous attraction
For many years, Molenbeek’s reputation was linked to terrorism, but now it wants to show the world that it has turned a new page
Passengers will be shuttled directly to and from the Port of Piraeus, skipping the lines at the airport
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself
An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö
A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital