Mike Lydon discusses "tactical urbanism," a DIY approach to planning that is sweeping the nation, and explains how communities are making lasting impacts at the grassroots level.
Brandon Klayko sat down for an interview with Mike Lydon, the author of Tactical Urbanism, Volume 2, and one of the champions of the movement that's bringing planning to the people.
Lydon explains how he first became interested in tactical urbanism in 2010, claiming that he "began noticing a lot of little things happening that were, in a lot of ways, self-funded or self-organized but having a big, longer-term impact." These grassroots approaches to urban planning, he quickly realized, were happening all over the country. Dallas' Build a Better Block holds weekend events where they perform street reclamation mock-ups, while New York's overnight public plazas became an instant success.
"What's difficult about the traditional planning process is that it's behind closed doors. It can be intimidating for people to get involved, but if you're experimenting with change in real time on the street, on your block, or on your sidewalk, people get a real understanding of what that means," states Lydon. This understanding has lead to an open dialogue which has quickly moved online, where blogs and other online resources are abounding that describe the various approaches communities all over the country are employing to reshape their streets and neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: Talking Tactical Urbanism
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
Fair Housing Cannot Take a Back Seat to ‘Build, Baby, Build’
If we overlook fair housing principles in the plan to build US housing back better, we risk ending up right back where we started.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
Austin’s Proposed EV Charging Rules Regulate Station Locations, Size
City planners say the new rules would ensure an efficient distribution of charging infrastructure across the city and prevent an overconcentration in residential areas.
Making California State Parks More Climate-Resilient
A recently released report offers recommendations for keeping state parks healthy and robust, including acquiring additional land for conservation and recreation.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.