Urbanized (2011)

           The indie film maker Gary Hustwit is best known for his "Design Trilogy" of films — Helvetica (2007), Objectified (2009), and this third one, Urbanized (2011). The movement of peoples to cities is well-known; in another generation, 75% of the world will live in cities. Mumbai, for example, will have more people than London and New York combined. Other cities, like Detroit and New Orleans, have shrunk. This documentary film interviews city planners, mayors, architectural historians, public artists, etc. from all over the world to explore the major trends in urban planning. The mayor of Bogota explains their bicycle network, a community volunteer in Detroit showcases urban agriculture, an energy expert in Brighton talks about what they've done about energy use. From seating and parking, health and hygiene, trees and water, the height of buildings and the depth of street fronts, this is a fascinating film about the challenges and opportunities of cities at the turn of the millennium. I watched Urbanized on Netflix Streaming.