When a coffee shop replaces a vacant betting store, it’s usually regarded as good for a neighbourhood – but this ‘retail gentrification’ can alienate communities. Canvas8 spoke to Phil Hubbard, a professor of urban studies, about how brands can hit the high street without treading on toes.

1000 Dean is the epitome of cool Brooklyn, combining office spaces with an artisanal food and beer hall. But with real estate investors playing a vital role, this hipster hub isn’t another product of community-led gentrification. Can a cool neighbourhood really be created in a matter of months?

Major apps are being redesigned to create a unified mobile experience – and a similar process is taking place in the physical world too. In the second of a two-part report, Canvas8 looks at how the Airspace aesthetic is blending work, home and leisure environments from Sydney to Silicon Valley.

Between busy commutes, noise pollution and a lack of greenery, it’s no wonder that city-dwellers are 21% more likely to experience anxiety than country folk. Happy City is an initiative that advises decision makers on thinking that could lead to better urban planning – and happier urbanites.