Influential urban thinker Richard Florida is following mentor Jane Jacobs's footsteps to Toronto and, by example, proving one of his major theories: that multicultural, gay-friendly urban centres will attract the most innovative and creative individuals.
Mr. Florida likely will join the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management this fall, where he will continue to develop his ideas on urban development, economics and cultural and technological innovation.
His relocation to Toronto was confirmed yesterday by a colleague at George Mason University in Virginia. read the rest...
I've been linking to Florida's work - The Creativity Exchange - for the last few months. Was introduced to TED via Richard Florida's blog...also learned about the mega planning area - Torbufchester - in an email correspondence with Florida.
Artspace • BAVPA • Tour d'Neglect - 2007 • Woodlawn Row Houses • faq • my flickr
the creativity exchange • CEOs for Cities
3 comments:
Good for him. Anyone who has a chance to leave Northern Virginia should grab it.
Ahhh, Richard Florida, the self-serving, ivory-tower residing big mouth. He's basically another Duany... someone who's main goal is to "market" an idea so as to make money from said idea. Problem is, Florida's entire theory is one based on more assumptions than cold hard facts and research. And he's certainly not any sort of emissary in the planning, design, and urbanism fields. He's marginal at best.
I think Richard's act is running thin as he mixes metaphors and chases his next big deal. At the end of his “Rise of Creative Class” book he went on about Pittsburgh being his home town and that he wanted to stay there to make it successful - then left for trendy DC. In his "Flight of the Creative Class" book he states he is looking out for the USA and its long-term prospects - now he leaves for Canada.
He made is name in Pittsburgh and at Carnegie Mellon and now has forgotten his roots – and that he is a professor rather than a celebrity.
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