The national association of engineers sponsors a "Future City Competition' in which junior high school students design a city, based on the premise that toxic chemicals have rendered the planet uninhabitable.
"Toxic chemicals have rendered the planet uninhabitable. How will mankind survive?... The competition in Phoenix started 10 years ago to encourage students to consider careers in engineering at a time when the nation is facing a severe shortage of engineers that is only expected to get worse.
'It shows kids that engineering is a fun occupation,' said Michael Andrews, an electrical engineer and the competition's coordinator. Working in teams of three or four, students spend several months designing a city of the future and building a scale model, preferably using as many recycled objects as possible."
FULL STORY: Today's kids engineer cities of tomorrow
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
