Landscape Architecture

Close-up from ground level of green lawn with colonial house in background

The Declining Appeal of Lawns

Long held as a symbol of middle-class success and the American Dream, homogenous, monocultural lawns are quickly falling out of favor as people opt for more ecologically friendly gardens that conserve water and increase biodiversity.

August 28, 2022 - The Washington Post

Aurora, Colorado

Aurora Restricts ‘Cool Weather Turf’ For New Development

Drought is reshaping western U.S. landscapes. Las Vegas banned ornamental grass in 2021. Aurora is now the first municipality in Colorado to curb the use of some grasses in new developments.

August 14, 2022 - The Denver Gazette

Rendering of Memorial Park land bridge

ASLA Commits to Profession-Wide Climate Action

The American Society of Landscape Architects has assembled a task force to create an action plan focused on climate change and biodiversity.

August 10, 2022 - ASLA The Dirt

Stay-at-Home Orders

A ‘Public Realm Action Plan’ Charts San Francisco’s Post-Covid Comeback

A nonprofit business group released a plan to trigger the post-pandemic revitalization of Downtown San Francisco by reclaiming public space for human scale activity. But is an improved public realm sufficient to meet the challenge?

July 25, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

Rendering of inclusive Courtney's Playground

The Importance of Inclusive Playgrounds

The first fully inclusive playground in the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County features full, accessible rubber surfacing and activities accessible to children of all abilities.

June 27, 2022 - The Antelope Valley Times

A privately owned public space at 555 Mission Street with large sculptures and benches.

The Return of San Francisco’s Privately Owned Public Spaces

In San Francisco, you can find respite from city life in some unexpected places—if you know where to look.

June 26, 2022 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Green roof in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

How Rotterdam’s Green Rooftops Fight Urban Heat

An elevated park in Rotterdam shows how green roofs can cool cities and create public parks in tight quarters.

June 5, 2022 - Surface Magazine

View of fountain and buildings in Fair Park, Dallas

New Park Coming to Historic Dallas Fairgrounds

A 20-year plan to revitalize a historic Dallas fairground will bring much-needed new green space and multi-use venues to Fair Park.

June 1, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Rittenhouse Square, a park in Philadelphia, framed by large buildings.

Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change

The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.

May 16, 2022 - Trust for Public Land

Rendering of Completing the Loop river plan for Pittsburgh, PA

“Completing the Loop” Plan Wins National Award for Excellence in Sustainability

Riverlife and evolveEA were honored by the American Planning Association (APA) for the plan, which outlines a 10-year vision to connect, enhance, and expand Pittsburgh’s network of riverfront parks, trails, and public green spaces.

May 9, 2022 - evolveEA.com

Flooding at the Whitehall Street station, New York

New York City Plans To Boost Resilience Against Floods

How the city is taking action on green infrastructure and stormwater projects to protect neighborhoods from the rising risk of catastrophic flooding.

April 17, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Rendering of Memorial Park land bridge

First Part of Houston 'Land Bridge' Opens to Public

The land bridge over Memorial Drive will return 100 acres of green space to the area and provide a safe, convenient connection for humans and wildlife between the two sides of Memorial Park.

March 31, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Paris Street

Christopher Alexander, Influential Author of "A Pattern Language," Passes Away at 85

Christopher Alexander died on March 17, leaving behind a towering legacy of influence on the fields of architecture, planning, and urban design.

March 20, 2022 - CNU Public Square

Truckee River

A New Frontier for Urban Revitalization: Creeks

As more cities embrace small waterways for public and private development opportunities, experts caution about the risks of trusting existing resources on environmental risk along variable waterways.

March 4, 2022 - The New York Times

The  Rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux is crowded with pedestrians in a lively European scene.

Where Words Fail: Teach Architects and Urban Designers Like Violinists

Architects and urban designers justify or explain their work with words, and municipalities govern design with jargon-filled regulations. The outcome is often underwhelming.

February 22, 2022 - Tristan Cleveland

A New Orleans streetscape lined with mature Southern Live Oak trees.

Green Infrastructure Thinking for Southern Cities in 2022 and Beyond

Resilience planning requires communities to think of a well planned and maintained tree canopy as a public utility system with multiple benefits.

February 10, 2022 - Gaylan Williams

View of lake at Earvin "Magic" Johnson Park

Magic Johnson Park to Reopen in February

A much-needed park in South Los Angeles will reopen to the public after undergoing major renovations.

February 1, 2022 - MIG

Wildfire

$50 Billion 'Wildfire Risk Strategy' Targets the Wildland-Urban Interface

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January announced an ambitious, and only partially funded, new plan to reduce wildfire risks for communities around the United States.

January 31, 2022 - U.S. Department of Agriculture

Augmented Reality

It's Time to Get Serious About the Metaverse

The metaverse is expected to revolutionize the remote and hybrid workplace. But for cities whose municipal services rely on property and sales taxes, and even urban transit revenue, remote work could spell potentially long-term trouble.

January 20, 2022 - Robert Fischer

Central Park Aerial

Central Park Climate Lab Launches With a Mission to Save Urban Parks

A unique partnership will offer tools and resources for protecting urban parks from the effects of climate change.

January 13, 2022 - Central Park Climate Lab

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.