99% Invisible Revisiting The 99% Invisible City
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Sep 9, 2025 Celebrate five years of design exploration with a guided audio tour through downtown Oakland. Discover hidden histories shaping urban life and the intriguing evolution of safety in architecture. Delve into the subtle boundaries of property that often go unnoticed in public spaces. Reflect on how the foundations of architecture can parallel a rich life. Learn about the creative journey from podcast to book, tackling challenges of storytelling and collaboration while commemorating milestones along the way.
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A Field Guide To Everyday Urban Design
- The 99% Invisible City book frames everyday urban design as a field guide to hidden systems.
- Roman Mars and Kurt Kolstad aimed to reveal common design principles across cities.
Anchor Plates Hold Bricks In Place
- Roman points to anchor plates on a neighboring brick building and explains their seismic bracing role.
- He notes shapes vary from squares to ornate S-shapes and all prevent brick collapse.
Fire Escapes Became Hidden Stairs
- Fire escapes evolved from external ladders to integrated, fortified fire stairs in modern buildings.
- Many escape routes now live inside buildings and double as everyday staircases.
