I’m Matt, an urban planner and strategist born and raised in Brooklyn

What is this newsletter about?

If you live in a city, you’re an expert on them. But despite our everyday knowledge of cities, we often accept them at face value. The subway is slow and that’s just the way it is. Trash goes on the sidewalk so it can be picked up. I have to move my car so the street sweeper can come by. But why! Why is any of this happening? Where do these daily practices come from… and are there actually better alternatives? A lot of the reasons are complex, and in some cases, purposely opaque! It’s also (at least to me) deeply interesting. Not to sound dramatic… but to me, every street is a theater of life and death shaped by a web of cultural, social, and natural forces. If you’ve ever been interested in why your city is the way it is then this newsletter is for you. My goal is to take the urban experiences we all feel and dig a little deeper.

Why are some cities more fun than others?

Why do people love these weird smokestacks that blow steam all over NYC streets? (also the inspiration behind this newsletter’s name).

Why is this the most photographed street in Brooklyn?

Why are so many towns in the American West basically shaped like squares?

I’m going to dive into questions like these with levity, without jargon, and with an eye towards demystifying urban planning and design. I’ll draw on my life (personally and professionally) in NYC, but will often look at interesting stuff happening around the globe.

You can expect a few posts a month, ranging from more detailed thought pieces pulling in policy and practice to visual investigations to inane observations about city life.