Conflicts inevitably arise during design discussions and policy talks. A team of architects has created a new way of understanding each side's concerns, mainly by diagramming them into distinct domes.
Urban Omnibus interviews creators Janette Kim and Erik Carver about the Underdomes idea, which uses Buckminster Fuller's and Shoji Sadao's Dome Over Manhattan concept as a guiding metaphor.
"Janette Kim: Sometimes it seems that the role of the architect, when it comes to saving energy, is to source the right product or to calculate LEED points - as though the engineers and the bureaucrats alone can find the right way to minimize our energy usage. Or sometimes we push for design strategies - self-sustaining cities, locavore farms, town center densification - without interrogating some of the assumptions and belief systems behind them.
But when two contending approaches to energy are compared side-by-side, bigger issues emerge. Should we invest in market-based development of efficient products or support direct government investment in new infrastructures? Should we build zero-emissions cities in the desert, or revise the distribution networks of today? Should we buy better or consume less?"
FULL STORY: Underdome
Renewed Efforts to Redevelop Houston's Historic Astrodome
A nonprofit hopes to create a viable plan for the iconic stadium—and find a way to pay for it.
Watch: The Future of Cities After COVID-19
An expert panel convened to discuss the effect of the coronavirus on the foundations of society and contemporary life. The future, both the remaining time dealing with the pandemic and after, is becoming more clear with every passing day and week.
Inside the Plans to Build a Domed City in Dubai
Plans are underway to build the world's first domed city.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie