I’m finding the Mercer’s 2009 Quality of Living survey much more useful as it provides a special ranking for hubs with the best infrastructure. Note that Mercer’ survey is meant to be used as a comparison tool to determine compensation packages for companies with personnel abroad. Yet, as usual, it is fun to make a list of the cities where you would want to live next, right?

Here are the Top 5 cities in each region, according to the Mercer survey:

its not really about the Obamas – its about the context of our changing expectations of government

Berliners become an enigma – povo at home, increasingly affluent abroad

Just ignore the noxious skyline as you watch the GDP growth rates, still hovering near 9%

LA’s fashion scene has stagnated, and the city’s hold on entertainment is slipping to diffusion by web 2.0

the principles of kaizen (continuous improvement) are shaping a really cool new Japanese ecovibe

The general attitude down under appears to be one of distant concern

Here, ‘crunch’ is in the quinoa, not in the financial vocabulary

The city is rich enough to sit out the bust, and it can always rely on China’s neighboring Guangdong province to drive the local economy

Hunger breeds innovation, because people actually have to think, plot and [...]]]> As we struggle to find ways to survive the current crisis and look at the leaders of the world to provide guidance, the latest Hub Culture 2009 Zeitgeist Ranking will come in handy as a tour of the cities that are better positioned to sustain an acceptable quality of life while providing plenty of opportunities to rebuild for the future. A zeitgeist reflecting the drama of our times:

1. Washington,DC

its not really about the Obamas – its about the context of our changing expectations of government

2. Berlin

Berliners become an enigma – povo at home, increasingly affluent abroad

3. Beijing

Just ignore the noxious skyline as you watch the GDP growth rates, still hovering near 9%

4. Los Angeles

LA’s fashion scene has stagnated, and the city’s hold on entertainment is slipping to diffusion by web 2.0

5. Tokyo

the principles of kaizen (continuous improvement) are shaping a really cool new Japanese ecovibe

6. Sydney

The general attitude down under appears to be one of distant concern

7. Saö Paulo

Here, ‘crunch’ is in the quinoa, not in the financial vocabulary

8. Hong Kong

The city is rich enough to sit out the bust, and it can always rely on China’s neighboring Guangdong province to drive the local economy

9. New York

Hunger breeds innovation, because people actually have to think, plot and scheme to make a difference, and are more likely to do it on a shoestring budget.

10. London

With large infrastructure projects on the horizon for the Olympics, nimble currency moves and a general stiff upper lip, the mantra now is survival and sobriety

11. Shanghai

China is one of the last places in the world still experiencing growth, and that means that the party is still in progress here on the Huangphu River

12. Mumbai

Clearly the November attacks had a large impact on the mood of the city, but they can’t dent the can-do spirit of average Mumbaikars

13. Singapore

Private wealth and trading (two of the city’s biggest focuses) are giving ground to medical tourism, biotech and other homegrown industries taking root with support from the government

14. Buenos Aires

international markets and visitors that provide an international feel to the city began to dry up

15. Dubai

Dubai’s taste for showcases, whether luxury, architecture or design, make the remaining grand opportunities here very interesting

16. Paris

The current mood is about refocusing on priorities, living life more simply and thinking deep thoughts. Where better than Paris?

17. Toronto

Canadian globe trotters are heading back home to Canada’s most influential business city as they check out of their stints abroad.

18. Istanbul

Looking ahead, the story of Istanbul is about youthful opportunity.

19. México, D.F.

a young population works in Mexico City’s favour, creating optimism and opportunity for the future, generated by an increasingly well educated and global population.

20. Copenhagen

the Danish way of life, from design to food, with a focus on streamlined simplicity, makes more sense than ever.

If Urville, the ultimate example of urban fantasy lives up to the architectural standards of most modern metropolis but is completely devoid of character, can a truly urban experience be architected without the need for a massive agglomeration of buildings? Understanding of these two extreme exercises may lead to better ideas on how to design the cities of the future. Certainly it would seem this exercise is important as we are making important mistakes in building current cities:

…we have perfected the art of the anti-city—that we have made up anything but truly urban environments. Dubai, for instance, is famously difficult to navigate on foot, requiring a ten minute car ride down six-lane motorways, complete with frequently lethal U-turns, simply to get to the hotel [...]]]> Via the BLDGBLOG I’m learning that the Liverpool Biennial is running an international exhibition entitled MADE UP, celebrating the power of artistic imagination. As part of its catalog Geoff Manaugh wrote an essay on the notion of made-up cities, challenging the assumption that everyone who lives in a city knows what it is like to be urban. His post is a brilliant collection of arguments about what constitutes a city.

If Urville, the ultimate example of urban fantasy lives up to the architectural standards of most modern metropolis but is completely devoid of character, can a truly urban experience be architected without the need for a massive agglomeration of buildings? Understanding of these two extreme exercises may lead to better ideas on how to design the cities of the future. Certainly it would seem this exercise is important as we are making important mistakes in building current cities:

…we have perfected the art of the anti-city—that we have made up anything but truly urban environments. Dubai, for instance, is famously difficult to navigate on foot, requiring a ten minute car ride down six-lane motorways, complete with frequently lethal U-turns, simply to get to the hotel across the street. The city has a sum total of eleven pedestrian bridges—and twenty-five percent of the world’s cranes.

Perhaps Ciudad Gálvez, born from the imagination of photographer Oscar Guzmán is obsessed with transportation because it desperately tries to create ways for people to find it. We must conclude that architecture without content can’t be urban.

In my post slums of hope I suggested that slums (as another form of urban organization) had their own virtues:

the new urban paradigm may very well be based on the high-density of these slums. Places where humanity takes precedence over the material world, where luxury has nothing to do with the riches of the world, but with the knowledge on how to live a good life.

The argument presented by the BLDGBLOG depicts these slums as radically unplanned spaces with far too much content, in opposition to Dubai where the lack of content is masked with perfectly planned spaces. Other examples of perfectly planned cities may not look like cities at all:

many of the largest cities in the United States today are simply hypertrophied suburbs—they are boomburbs. [...] What these boomburbs have, in lieu of historic centrality and international name-recognition, is a flexible legal and financial infrastructure. They have water rights boards and waste disposal networks, even local schools and sales tax—and though they don’t necessarily have mayors (though some do), they have “landscape management” committees and homeowners associations. These are cities made up less by buildings than by tax codes and the law.

The quintessential American suburb may not look at all like Urville, which has embraced architectural landmarks as an important symbol of urbanism; but it’s eery how both spaces are devoid of the busy sidewalks that urban planners recognize as a healthy characteristic of authentic urban spaces.

In some ways, the doom and gloom LA has experienced recently has presaged the general red alerts now being felt elsewhere – from environmental crisis to economic lapse, LA seems to have arrived in the shits just before everyone else.

As the cutting edge vibe in London wanes, Berlin continues to draw the young and the restless, and its ties to a resurgent East (i.e. Moscow, Warsaw) are really showing dividends.

Even as Mumbai gridlock threatens to become a 24/7 state of affairs, India in general and Mumbai in particular continue their assault on the global consciousness. It’s hard to argue against Mumbai, especially with so many [...]]]> Every year Stan Stalnaker and his team of global citizens gather their experiences around the world and summarize in this, their now famous Hub Culture’s Zeitgeist Ranking, the cities that for a variety of reasons seem to be at the center of the Universe. An elusive classification that doesn’t get impressed with economic power, flawless life-styles or centuries-old traditions, is mostly based on heuristics that related to the needs and desires of global citizens hoping from hub to hub networking their way into urban authorities. This is their veredict:

1. Los Angeles, United States

In some ways, the doom and gloom LA has experienced recently has presaged the general red alerts now being felt elsewhere – from environmental crisis to economic lapse, LA seems to have arrived in the shits just before everyone else.

2. Berlin, Germany

As the cutting edge vibe in London wanes, Berlin continues to draw the young and the restless, and its ties to a resurgent East (i.e. Moscow, Warsaw) are really showing dividends.

3. Mumbai, India

Even as Mumbai gridlock threatens to become a 24/7 state of affairs, India in general and Mumbai in particular continue their assault on the global consciousness. It’s hard to argue against Mumbai, especially with so many new innovations popping up here. That includes the arrival of the TATA Nano, which will soon change the economics of transport across the developing world. Add in booming hotels, real estate and a stronger rupee, and Mumbai holds the course.

4. Beijing, China

2008 is Beijing’s year, and not just because of the Olympics. The financial meltdown occurring in other capitals has cast Beijing in a new light as the Chinese continue to show fiscal reserve while strengthening their own position.

5. Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is steaming! A combination of low prices, an awakening in the real estate sector, smart yen plays and new innovation in the music scene have breathed new life into Asia’s sleeping Godzilla.

6. London, United Kingdom

Overpriced by any measure and past the crest in nightlife, London seems to have dulled in line with the smaller bonuses being handed out in the City.

7. Buenos Aires, Argentina

BA has problems, but Argentina’s cheap prices are attracting legions of globalized people, especially financial types looking to make investments in everything from wine to hotels.

8. Dubai, U.A.E.

Global investment capability and a city awash in cash and construction make Dubai one of the world’s few economic bright spots in 2008.

9. New York, United States

While not great for the locals, that makes for a wonderful hub moment in the city: a bargain for visitors and a place more remarkably open and international than it has been for a long time.

10. Hong Kong, China

The scene remains predictable, but predictably fun, and Hong Kong’s leadership in fashion and Asian pop culture is steady – even if everyone is increasingly obsessed with Korean daytime TV.

11. Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul has dropped from last year – not because it is any less hot, just because other locations are now taking up more mind space. As the Islam threat feels like its cooling Istanbul continues to set the leadership example for the region while integrating ever closer to Europe.

12. San Francisco, United States

San Francisco continues to punch above its population weight, mostly because it continues to reinvent itself. From the technology space it is now leading the global green charge, spearheading investments and opportunity in the sector.

13. Sao Paolo, Brasil

Brazil’s macro success is manifesting in booming design, nightlife, and real estate in South America’s largest city with a young, increasingly educated, party population.

14. Shanghai, China

The city has recently blossomed and is now genuinely a fun place to live, filled with interesting people, a cosmo scene and true cultural innovation.

15. Moscow, Russia

Putin was named TIME’s Man of the Year for a reason: Moscow continues to grow its sphere of global influence, and instead of saber rattling the new vogue is suitcase rattling: as in suitcases of cash.

16. Madrid, Spain

Sunny Madrid is benefiting from stability and language. As South America continues to do well, Madrid benefits back in Europe, and a continuing influx of Northern Europeans adds to the cultural mix. Add in some of the best nightlfe in Europe, a hot art scene and lower living prices than other regional hubs, and Madrid looks ever more enticing.

17. Singapore, Singapore

Whether stepping up to the financial plate globally or announcing another outlandish designer building project, the tiny city state continues innovation at the macro level, providing economic security and iced whipped chai for its people in an ever more turbulent world.

18. Sydney, Australia

Sydney is the terrycloth towel of urban hubs – rich, beautiful and soft enough to feel comfortable. In a land aloft in buoyant commodity prices and closer ties with the economic engines of Asia, some would argue Sydney never had it so good.

19. Mexico City, Mexico

The worlds largest city remains a study in contrasts, but times are so good that Mexican immigrants are even returning from California to seek opportunity in Mexico City. The city elite are still preoccupied with gringonomics to the north, but local growth and development auger well. Add in the city’s super young vibe, and one gets the feeling anything is possible.

20. Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver gets this year’s wild card, in the spirit of No. 10 Geneva last year. A combination of factors are benefiting this coastal hub, ranging from preparations for the 2010 Winter Games in nearby Whistler to an avalanche of business in the film industry on the heels of LA woes. Clean and pristine, Vancouver sums up the new environmental feel, and that strong Canadian dollar has Vancouver strutting its stuff in a newly confident way, from Seattle all the way to Shanghai.

A year is a long time and many cities have fought battles for the attention of this elite crowd. Take a look at the now obsolete 2007 ranking.