The newly proposed design would forego windows or shops at eye-level -- a basic tenant of urban building.
"Never in my most pessimistic imaginings could I have anticipated what we are now being shown: a tower rising above a solid concrete base with no windows,", writes Jeff B. Speck, Design Director at the NEA News. "...Reports claims this 20-story, above-ground base will be clad in a 'shimmering metal curtain that will give the impression of movement and light.' The operative word in that phrase is 'impression.' The first rule of planning for pedestrians is 'eyes on the street': windows and doors connecting inside and out. No one will happily walk past a blank wall, no matter how much it shimmers."
Thanks to Brenda Meyer
Read the full story: The Freedom Tower: 'An Alienating Monument to Surrender'
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Study reveals best places in the U.S. for cycling, walking
New research from Streetlight Data examines bicycle and pedestrian miles per capita in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population.
Developers reveal $10 billion stadium plan as ‘Hail Mary’ to keep Bears in Chicago
The plan would also boast a public park, high- and mid-rise buildings and a youth sports complex.
As Texas embraces carbon storage, a Black community questions the risks
Texas now issues permits for companies to store carbon dioxide underground. East Texas residents fear safety risks, and skeptics doubt the climate benefits.
New BLM proposal would slash public comment periods, environmental protections
The proposed rewrite would also strip legal leverage from Tribal nations and state governments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello