An International Herald Tribune Letter from India, which addresses the need for architects and planners to help manage the effects of rapid urbanization on cities in the developing world. Organizations such as Architects Without Borders and Architecture For Humanity have the potential to address these problems, but a financial commitment on the part of government and the private-sector is essential. I wonder if there is a good way to leverage the creativity of slum residents who have been building their own dwellings for years?

Quoted: The world is racing to the city, and the one group of professionals capable of housing and sheltering the massive human influx to the urban centers – the architects and the planners – freely acknowledge that they are ill-equipped to cope.

In this article on international urbanization in strategy + business magazine, Stewart Brand provides a detailed account of the current growth in urban populations around the world.

Quoted: Get ready for cosmopolitan slums with thriving markets, aging residents, and the most creative economies in history.

Global Cities is an exhibition at the Tate Modern that focuses on the explosive growth of cities around the world. It is on display from June 20 to August 27, 2007. This article on the Global Cities exhibition from the Telegraph includes a slide show of work on display.