How do you navigate a city with no street names? This is the question Amanda Erickson sets out to answer in an article on photographer Regina Mamou, who spent a year studying how the people of Amman get around.
Hand-drawn maps, navigation by landmarks, calling from rooftops -- these are just some of the navigational devices utilized by residents of Amman, Jordan, a city that until only two years ago had unlabeled streets and unnumbered buildings.
"'It's totally normal to be lost and confused,' says photographer Regina Mamou...Little has changed even though many houses now have numbers. Mail is
still delivered to P.O. boxes; even Fed Ex officials call and ask for an 'interpretation' as to where a spot is located."
"This form of urban living has meant that people form very personal
relationships with their neighborhoods. But it also means Jordanians may
be less likely to explore a city as a whole. 'Living in the Middle
East, there's a lot of different ways in which the subjectivity of the
landscape is present. As a woman, there are places you will go or won't
go,' Mamou says. 'It also depends on where you are in the economic scale
as well.'"
FULL STORY: How Do You Navigate a City With No Street Names?
BRT On the Way to Jordan
A new bus rapid transit project has begun construction in Amman, Jordan -- a first for the country.
Sidewalks Emerge in Jordan's Capital
Seemingly simple, the Jordanian city of Amman has finally managed to build walkable sidewalks.
The World's Highest Rates of Coronavirus Infections and Deaths
Brazil and the U.S. lead the world in daily COVID-19 cases and deaths. Western Europe is undergoing a third wave of infections, resulting in a new round of lockdowns, yet most of these nations are not among the 12 hotspots shown on a global tracker.
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.
San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.
Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.
German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie