Paris

Paris Develops for the 21st Century, Along its Periphery

After more than a decade of planning, the ambitious Clichy Batignolles project is rising in northwest Paris. The development is an attempt to stay competitive in the global marketplace, without compromising the city's world-renowned charms.

May 23, 2013 - The New York Times

Banlieues Now Seen as Bastions of Innovation

After years of neglect, periodic riots, and unfulfilled promises from the state, Paris's low-income suburbs are finally doing for themselves what had long been promised to them - creating opportunities for economic development and social integration.

May 15, 2013 - The New York Times

Urban Camouflage: Using Buildings to Disguise Infrastructure

The infrastructure necessary to keep a city's systems running can frankly get kind of ugly. See what some cities have done to help disguise unsightly infrastructure.

May 4, 2013 - WebUrbanist

Paris's Ring Road Turns 40, Is There Any Reason to Celebrate?

Paris's Boulevard Peripherique is one of the most clogged roadways in Europe, it delivers dangerous pollution to 100,000 people in its vicinity, and this year it turned 40. Lara Marlowe looks at the future for one of Paris's little loved landscapes.

May 3, 2013 - The Irish Times

How to Win at the 'Planning Game'

Julia Vitullo-Martin reviews Alexander Garvin's new book, "The Planning Game," which examines four case studies for lessons on how shrewd investments in the public realm can revitalize a city.

April 15, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Urban Explorers

Place Hackers Explore Urban Space to Reclaim It

Matthew Power profiles Bradley L. Garrett, Ph.D. and his "research subjects," who are active participants in the urban explorer movement, which aims to "rediscover, reappropriate, and reimagine the urban landscape."

March 11, 2013 - GQ

Hollande Embraces Greater Paris Plan

To the surprise of many, a change in governments has failed to derail former president Nicolas Sarkozy's ambitious "Greater Paris" plan for an expanded transit network linking the French capital to its suburbs.

March 9, 2013 - The Guardian

Sustainability Over Tradition as Paris Turns Out the Lights

France's Environment Ministry has decreed that as of July, all shops and offices in the country will be required to shut off their lights at night in order to save energy and “reduce the print of artificial lighting on the nocturnal environment.”

January 31, 2013 - The New York Times

Heating Buildings with Human Warmth

No, the title of this post is not an analogy. Diane Ackerman takes a looks at the very literal ways in which cities around the world are harnessing body heat to warm up residential and office buildings.

January 3, 2013 - The New York Times

Plenty of Reasons Not to Raise the Roofline in D.C.

Drawing inspiration from Paris and Barcelona, Kaid Benfield offers his take on the recent controversy surrounding height limits in the nation's capital, enumerated point-by-point against arguments over capacity, density, affordability, and beyond.

November 21, 2012 - NRDC Switchboard

Airbnb Draws Tourists Off the Beaten Path

Airbnb connects travelers from around the world to unique rentable spaces. With the recent launch of a "Neighborhoods" feature, Airbnb has the potential to redirect tourist spending to often overlooked areas.

November 15, 2012 - Fast Co.Exist

New Parisian Bridge Will Have Pedestrians Flirting With a Plunge

A new pedestrian bridge planned for Paris plays with the idea of stability by inducing a "perilous flirt with the Seine," reports Mark Wilson.

November 13, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Design

Beneath Paris, Sights to Rival Those Found Above

Will Hunt explores Paris beneath the surface during a 14-mile trek underground with a group of urban explorers, and finds subterranean sights to rival those found on the famous streets above.

November 11, 2012 - Intelligent Life

America's Cultural Invasion of the Champs-Elysees

When the next iteration of the oldest military parade in the world celebrates the French Republic by marching down the Champs-Elysees, as it invariably does every Bastille Day, it will pass through what is increasingly becoming an American mall.

September 16, 2012 - The New York Times

Paris to the People

Angelique Chrisafis delivers the fantastic news that, after more than four decades of auto dominance, Paris is returning its riverfront to its people in a "pedestrian 'reconquest' of the banks of the Seine."

August 3, 2012 - The Guardian

Facebook's New Infographic: Where Are We 'Checking In'?

Tyler Falk reports on new data released by Facebook, mapping the top 5 "social landmarks" in 25 cities from Seoul to São Paulo.

June 25, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

App Reveals More of Paris's Treasures: Parks and Gardens

CityGardens is an award winning mobile app that can help tourists and residents find hidden parks and gardens in the middle of Paris.

June 14, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Bus Stop of the Future Unveiled in Paris

On his Human Transit blog, transit planner Jarrett Walker brings us images and a description of a "bus stop of the future" for the streets of Paris, designed by Marc Aurel.

May 22, 2012 - Human Transit

The Empty Playgrounds of the Stateless Super-Rich

Tanya Powley and Lucy Warwick-Ching examine the growing market in super-prime homes for the global "super-rich", and its negative impact on local communities.

May 1, 2012 - The Financial Times

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