Observing cities to better understand our times

It is often said that to take the pulse of a society, one must read its newspapers or listen to its music. I believe one should rather look up and observe its buildings. Observing cities means deciphering the era. It means reading, engraved in concrete and glass, the speed at which the heart of our world beats. Modern construction no longer takes its time; it chases after growth at a frenetic pace. Where there were empty spaces or sleepy suburbs, forests of cranes now rise, as in Miami, immediately followed by rows of residential towers and brand-new shopping centers. This is the dizzying speed of urban development.

 <--- United States - New York

Panama City: one of the most impressive skylines in Latin America. Modern, tropical, facing the sea and near the canal.

Recently, during my travels, I was struck by a phenomenon that is almost dizzying: the blazing speed with which our urban landscapes are transforming. As I traveled through the outskirts of Cartagena in Colombia, and then observed the rapidly changing profile of Panama City, one observation became clear. It's no longer just neighborhoods springing up, as in Singapore, Asia; it's entire worlds emerging in just a few months.

But this dizziness is accompanied by another feeling, more diffuse and a little more unsettling: that of standardization.

Is this global resemblance the inevitable price of modernity and comfort for everyone? Or are we sacrificing the soul of our territories on the altar of speed?

The future of cities may depend on our ability to inhabit these new spaces without forgetting where we come from.

Asia - Singapore

United States - Miami

And what do you think?

Do you also have this feeling of "déjà vu" during your travels? Are the surroundings of your favorite cities losing their identity?

Let's discuss it in the comments.