Reflections on Beauty and Ugliness in Old and New Architecture
The difference between ornate old buildings and modern apartment blocks may not be aesthetic decline, but civilization moving from serving the few to serving the many.
Cities
The Hidden Rules Behind Japan’s Urban Order and Taiwan’s Urban Friction
Walk through a Tokyo neighborhood and you will see barber shops, homes, cafes, and clinics standing side by side. Even at very high density, the streets remain clean and legible. In Taipei, similar scenes often feel crowded and chaotic. The difference is not just about development stage, but about institutions, culture, and economic logic.