[Reader-list] Hub Culture Ahoy!

[Patrice Riemens]

The brouhaha about creative/ global cities and their ever changing ranking
goes on... This site tops it all (fttb)!:

http://www.hubculture.com/

Hub Culture is a place where the world's progressive urban people
integrate to elevate.
The Center of the Universe (no less! -PR!)

It's 2007, and the look and feel of the decade is in full swing. The idea
behind the hub zeitgeist ranking is that at certain times in certain
places, there is a veritable "center of the universe" a place where
innovation, change and vibe combine to create the place of the moment.
Earlier we looked at this from a historical perspective as we prepared our
first ranking of hubs and their impact on hub culture.   Yes, its
arbitrary, and no its not scientific, but it does reflect a combination of
influences on a global basis. It does not reflect ultimate power or
coolness, but some combination that reflects "right now" better than
anywhere. Presenting the 2007 Hub Zeitgeist List:



Hub Culture's 2007 Zeitgeist Ranking



1. Los Angeles

A controversial choice? Sure it's big, but LA is finally hitting on all
cylinders: fashion, tech, entertainment, and overall groove.  American
Apparel is changing fashion with vertically integrated manufacturing. LA's
skull and bones indie rock fashion dominates globally.  Myspace culture is
taken for granted, everywhere. New walking areas and urban regeneration
projects, from downtown to Malibu to Hollywood, make the city much more
palatable than before, despite the endless crush of traffic.  Entourage
and other shows, from the OC (while over, which started it) to Laguna
Beach, have moved the collective consciousness west.  All in this and more
help make LA the city of the moment: the energy is positive, its power is
on the rise, and people everywhere have LA on their mind.


2. Berlin

As contemporary art begins to dominate the mainstream, Berlin has emerged
as the identity for a fun young Europe.  With Merkel putting Germany on
the mend and the World Cup of 2006 having shone the spotlight on the city,
Berlin has spiffed up - a lot.  Real estate is booming, but there is still
an undercurrent of gritty, rough urban experimentalism that resembles
London during its moment.  It's rough, but richer. So hot its nearly
establishment, but not quite yet, which makes it a serious contender for
the top spot.

3. Mumbai

The center of global attention seems to have shifted off China and onto
India, and Mumbai (or as we should say outside, Bombay) is the hot spot in
India.  Its mix of Bollywood and technology lend well to the Youtube era,
and the rich, infectious Indian attitude is becoming a global cultural
force.  The clubbing in Mumbai continues to improve, but its the people
who make it - the sense of optimism here dominates.

4. Istanbul

Somehow Istanbul has managed to balance its location with style and grace.
Those in the know swear by the city, with its speedy speed boats on the
Bosphorous, continually improving scene tempered by an ingrained respect
for Islamic tradition. Istanbul is about the only place where Christian
and Muslim seem to blend to create a sum greater than their parts - it is
evocative of the world we want, and a symbol of where a truly global world
can co-exist.

5. London

London is about to overtake New York in some areas of the financial world.
On constant alert, it remains confident and open, unlike the American
attitude. One of the most expensive cities in the world, it has come to
dominate the international cultural life, and remains a center of the
world in wide areas of business.  London can feel a bit stale at times but
its power is omnipresent, like New York before 911.

6. Buenos Aires

So hot! The Argentinian financial crisis has faded, but the incredible
value of Argentina as a destination remains.  This is fueling a buying
boom in urban real estate as Europeans and North Americans establish
summer homes and secondary residences here.  Business remains slow, but BA
is the hot spot of Latin America.  Panama and Sao Paolo have heat, but BA
sizzles.  It's the hottest "second city" in the world.

7. Beijing

Beijing's big Olympic moment is not until next year, so the city feels
like it is totally under construction. But its a wonderful moment for
creative development and business risk taking in China's capital.  Beijing
always had a stronger underground feel than neighbor Shanghai, which has
soaked up much of China's glory lately, but Beijing is very interesting -
it is a cultural crucible in a darker, more definite way than Shanghai,
and while quieter, its architectural projects, from the new CCTV tower to
the Olympic bird nest stadium, are teeing up the city for its big moment
to come.

8. Dubai

Sure, it's a giant construction zone. Sure, the Palm is sinking and
traffic is a nightmare.  But Dubai is finally attracting the international
professional elite in a serious way, and that's a very recent development.
 The city feels a bit like Hong Kong 20 years ago - where opportunity
calls for young people hungry for a hit.  One & Only, Jumeriah, and even
the W are transforming the city into a sleek holiday party town, and
despite the alcohol restrictions, it offers a different, more positive
vision of the Middle East than is commonly accepted.  It may be crass, but
this city of the future is evocative.

9. New York

The big apple has its stride back, but it has been so sanitized that the
cultural revival of the city feels as if it has been outsourced to
Brooklyn.  But Brooklyn is still part of New York, and New York still
dominates in advertising, finance and international business.  This hub of
hubs seems to be following the leader - in architecture, in culture, and
in innovation, but it is still completely critical for processing other
advances into the mainstream, and as the city moves farther from its 911
nightmare, sprouts of change are seen... from the revival of the speakeasy
to a sudden interest in poetry and drama to the new dominance of the Lower
East Side over Meatpacking. One hopes that NYC can survive its own
mallification.

10. Geneva

Geneva is an odd selection but here for a very real reason.  Much of what
people in hub culture have been talking about lately involves a search for
authenticity - this rebellion against mass consumer culture and
cookie-cutter cities.  Quiet, laid back Geneva is just what it claims to
be, and it is not trying to be much else.  It's authentic and original, a
city that refuses to go with the global grain.  Somehow Geneva is
evocative of this sense of authenticity, and deserves recognition. It is
very in, without trying to be.  Perhaps it is the fact that wealth is
always in, and Geneva is certainly wealthy, but in an era of shouting from
everywhere, Geneva's quiet reserve stands it in good stead.

So, that's the top 10... and following are the rest of the top 20 - cities
that for various reasons stand out - from Shanghai's frenetic pace to
Seoul's growing confidence and tech leadership (Cyworld cometh!), San
Francisco's new role in Energy, Tokyo's rising yen, Hong Kong's outlying
growth, Sydney's easy pace, Seattle's growing philanthropic leadership,
Mexico D.F - so big and so crazy, and Rome - strangely hot after years of
neglect.

11. Shanghai

12. Seoul

13. San Francisco

14. Tokyo

15. Hong Kong

16. Sydney

17. Seattle

18. Moscow

19. Rome

20. Mexico City



Aaaaah! Kolkata is still missing out!!! -PR
;-)