Old cities, new shapes

In Europe, more than on any other continent, city dwellers, visitors and urban planners are likely to pass by centuries-old buildings and protected monuments.

In a world of urban transformation and smart technology, European cities are solidly anchored in their past. But it would be a mistake to think that the Old Continent is not fit for the future.

Many urbanists say that there is a "European model of city": old and dense urban areas, smaller than on other continents, where the ...