(1) Tokyo’s abandoned homes (Domain)

(2) A quote from The Heart of our Cities by Victor Gruen:

“A healthy city heart attracts and holds creative people–painters, sculptors, musicians, poets, actors and actresses, dancers, philosophers, architects, writers and planners. It is a haven for those who find in its environment not only a source of income, but inspiration, too. It is a preferred place of residence for those who value intimate contact with urban features and for whom, whether they are wealthy, middle-class or poor, the city is a way of life. The healthy city heart is a place of infinite variety whose buildings and structures form, between them, spaces of differing size and character, narrow or broad, serene or dynamic, modest or monumental, contrasting with each other by virtue of varied treatment of pavement, landscaping and lighting. Sprinkled throughout the core are green areas ranging from tiny landscaped spots to good-sized parks. A healthy urban heart pulsates with life day and night, weekday and Sunday, spring, summer, fall and winter.”