Italy

Horrific Head-On Train Crash in Southern Italy Leaves 25 Dead

Two commuter trains traveling toward each other on a single track crashed in the Puglia region of southern Italy on Tuesday morning. Human error is suspected. The trains and track lacked automatic train control and automatic braking.

July 13, 2016 - The New York Times

Air Pollution Forces Italian Cities to Enact Serious Driving Restrictions

Unusually mild and dry weather in much of Italy has worsened air quality so much that city governments are acting to reduce emissions from one of the chief sources of air pollution by enacting odd-even license restrictions on driving.

December 29, 2015 - The New York Times - Europe

Kid on Bus

Public Transit May Boost Mental Health

A new study based on an analysis of the residents of Turin, Italy, a city of over 900,000, reveals that walkable access to public transit and urban services benefits mental health, particularly for women and seniors.

December 4, 2015 - CityLab

Sicily Village

The Ultimate Revitalization Scheme: Free Homes

Though it's as picturesque as a place can be, the central Sicilian town of Gangi is a shell of its former self. To attract new residents, the town is offering homes for free on the condition that they be restored to their former glory.

July 3, 2015 - New York Times

French Suburb

Renzo Piano on the Potential of Suburbs

In an interview, architect Renzo Piano says European suburbs are not desolate. He argues they shouldn't be treated as such in the quest for cohesive cities.

March 12, 2015 - WNYC

The Importance of Inter-Urban Walkability

In his third "place-decoding" essay from France, Chuck Wolfe recalls all that we can learn from walking between settled places.

September 25, 2014 - The Huffington Post

Tourism's Negative Effects in Italian Art Cities

With about 353 tourists per resident in the historic city center of Venice, many residents are fleeing the crowds and moving onto the mainland, making the city a "monument-attraction," rather than a viable living space.

August 16, 2014 - Global Site Plans

Colosseo in Rome as seen from Via dei Fori Imperiali on a Sunday when traffic is cut off.

What Could Philadelphia Teach Rome About Reducing Traffic?

Rome's new mayor spent two decades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and he's bringing lessons learned while living car-free in the United States to help solve Rome's traffic problems.

December 17, 2013 - philly.com

Bikes Beat Cars As Europeans Vote With Their Wallets

In 25 of the 27 European Union members for which data is available, bikes are outselling new cars, research conducted by National Public Radio has found. Though many European cities are known for their bikeability, the buying pattern is a new trend.

October 30, 2013 - NPR

For Insight Into Italy's Multiethnic Future, Follow Your Taste Buds

In a country still struggling with how to integrate its fast growing immigrant population, the vibrant public market located in Rome's Piazza Vittorio Emanuele provides a taste of its recent ethnic changes.

August 13, 2013 - The New York Times

With Pedestrianization Plan, the Eternal City Looks to Ban a Modern Scourge

Mayor Ignazio Marino of Rome has banned private vehicles from Via dei Fori Imperiali, built by Benito Mussolini to link his palace in Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum. Initially open to buses and taxis, it will eventually be completely pedestrianized.

August 6, 2013 - The New York Times - Europe

UNESCO World Heritage List Welcomes New Destinations

Japan's Mt. Fuji, Italy's Medici Villas and Gardens, and a historical port town in Fiji are among the 19 new additions to UNESCO's vaunted World Heritage List; bringing to 981 the number of cultural, natural, and mixed sites comprising the list.

June 29, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Discovery of 'Lost Recipe' for Ancient Concrete Provides Foundation for Future Cities

Portland cement doesn't come close to matching the resiliency of the concrete created by ancient Romans. After years of research, scientists believe they've unraveled the ingredients and production techniques that made Roman concrete so superior.

June 17, 2013 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Tourists on walkways over flood waters in Venice

Record Floods Submerge Venice

New York isn't the only famous city suffering from the effects of record high water levels. Seventy percent of Venice is submerged. The Daily Mail has stunning images of tourists swimming in St. Mark's Square and wading through waist-high water.

November 12, 2012 - Daily Mail

Solving Sweden's Trash Deficit

You read that right, Sweden's trash problem is that it doesn't have enough of it. Due to a spectacularly successful rate of recycling, the country doesn't have enough garbage to power its waste-to-energy program. It's solution: import trash.

October 24, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Democratic Design Arrives at Venice Biennale

One of the highlights of the global architectural calendar, the Biennale is a place to share and discuss the big ideas impacting the field. For this year's U.S. Pavilion, curators are going small by showcasing 124 projects by self-empowered citizens.

August 24, 2012 - Art Info

Milan's Congestion Charge Halted By Court Action

Milan's six-month-old congestion charge, indirectly authorized by public referendum and by all measures successful in reducing traffic, crashes, and pollution, has been brought to an abrupt end by the successful appeal of a parking garage owner.

August 13, 2012 - The New York Times - Europe

Billboards on Versailles, the Colosseum, or Venice Canals?

As the European financial crisis drags on, money for the continent's numerous architectural and historical resources remains limited. As a result, cities are looking for new revenue streams, including billboards and image rights.

July 13, 2012 - The Washington Post

Long-Awaited Pompeii Preservation Plan Unveiled

Elisabetta Povoledo reports on a long-term plan unveiled last week to protect Pompeii from the impact of nature, tourists, and organized crime.

April 9, 2012 - The New York Times

Planned Restoration of the Colosseum May Cause Irreparable Damage

Laura Allsop chronicles the controversial plans, which have caused consternation amongst heritage workers and restorers.

January 12, 2012 - CNN

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.