Europe
Paris Authorizes Cyclists To Run Red Lights
In most cases, traffic signals are used to stop vehicles succumbing to Newton's law of motion, but a new decree in Paris will change that. Eighteen intersections are now subject to newly relaxed rules that allow cyclists to continue at red lights.
The Telegraph
Using Adaptive Reuse to Scale the Urban Future
Chuck Wolfe uses the urban scale adaptive reuse of the Roman Emperor Diocletian's retirement palace in Split, Croatia to argue for blending the past and future on a broader scale.
The Atlantic Cities
What Has 16 Pedals, 12 Seats, and Goes Up to 10 MPH?
The first bicycle bus for schoolchildren, built by Dutch company Tolkamp Metaalspecials, of course.
Fast Co.Exist
A Campy Song Competition Serves as the Catalyst for Urban Renewal
In Baku, Azerbaijan, the opportunity to host the annual Eurovision song competition in May has served as a catalyst for showing off the city as an untapped luxury tourism hot spot.
The Atlantic Cities
Friday Funny: Take the Kids to Napoleonland
A new theme park dedicated to all things Napoleon has been proposed for the area south of Paris by former French minister and history buff Yves Jégo, and is being touted as a rival to Disneyland, reports Henry Samuel.
The Telegraph
The Newest Subway in the World
The Atlantic Cities has posted a photo essay of the world's newest subway system, which opened on December 1, 2011 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The Atlantic Cities
The German Economic Machine, and Its Implications for America
Frugality, a lack of debt, and a government focused on high production, low inflation and extensive social services are the secrets to providing many Germans with a standard of living higher than Americans making twice as much.
Los Angeles Times
Shedding New Light on Constantinople
The discovery of the harbor town of Bathonea in 2007, after a drought uncovered its water-logged remains, has yielded a treasure trove of relics illuminating Istanbul's rise as a world power.
The New York Times
Too Much Renewable Energy in Denmark?
James Kanter reports on plans by Danish government to generate half the nation’s power from wind within eight years, and whether too much of a good thing, in this case, may lead to failure.
The New York Times
Bicycle Superhighway to be Built
A.K. Streeter provides the scoop on a new four-lane superhighway solely for bicycles planned for the south of Sweden.
Treehugger
California High Speed Rail Could Use Some Spanish Lessons
Tim Sheehan investigates the lessons -- both successes and mistakes -- that can be learned from Spain's 20-year history with high speed trains.
The Fresno Bee
Rewiriting Our Mental Image of the City
Kevin Lynch be damned, a new study by a team of German psychologists reaches some surprising conclusions regarding the ways in which our brains navigate the city.
The Atlantic Cities
Bjarke Ingels' Architectural Response To 'Singularity'
Joerg Haentzschel interviews the young architect Bjarke Ingels. Through offices now established in Copenhagen and New York, Ingels is slowly pushing his 'pragmatic utopian architecture' into the mainstream.
032C
Ownership Presents Ideological Quandry for Christiania
For the famous Danish community of squatters, an offer from the Government to purchase their land proved too good to refuse.
The New York Times
Secret Photos of Destroyed Berlin
Spiegel Online has published rarely seen photos of Berlin just a few months after the end of World War Two, depicting the massive destruction of the city.
Spiegel Online
Planned Restoration of the Colosseum May Cause Irreparable Damage
Laura Allsop chronicles the controversial plans, which have caused consternation amongst heritage workers and restorers.
CNN
European Study: Cycling, Not Electric Cars Are Key To Emissions Reduction
Emissions would be reduced 25% if Europeans adopted the Danish cycling habit, a new study reports. The ECF warns politicians it would be a mistake to invest heavily in technological solutions like electric cars.
The Guardian
Six Trending Urbanist Themes for the New Year
Chuck Wolfe analyzes his 2011 articles which appeared on Planetizen and in other sources, and derives his urbanist trends to watch for in 2012.
myurbanist
Madrid Park Reconnects Once Divided Neighborhoods
Madrid Río, a six-mile long park in the heart of Madrid, replaces the blight left over from a highway that once disconnected neighborhoods and reclaims a neglected waterfront.
The New York Times
Spain's Six-Mile Madrid Rio Park Replaces Freeway
The NYT chief art critic, Michael Kimmelman, reviews Madrid's almost complete six-mile long park, Madrid Rio, that is having a transformative effect on the city. The park was made possible by the under-grounding of the M-30 ring road.
The New York Times





















