Planning
End Powerpoint Abuse
We’ve all been subject to them – the endless powerpoint presentations that extol the worst aspects of animated text and mind-numbing bullet points. While Edward Tufte has written about the horrors of powerpoint, I see it as just a tool and like any tool it can be used wisely or poorly. After all, David Byrne, the former Talking Heads front man, makes art with powerpoint so it can’t be all bad. But one thing struck me at the American Planning Association’s (APA) conference two weeks ago: some sessions would have been much better if the powerpoint presentation (or abuse thereof) didn’t get in the way. In actuality, some of the best presentations I attended didn’t use powerpoint at all.
An Interview With The New Dean Of Harvard's Design School
Planning students today care as much about the social aspects of cities as they do of their physical design, says Mohsen Mostafavi, the new dean at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.
New York Regional Plan Association Advocates 'America 2050' Plan
According to RPA Executive Director Robert Yaro, global competition requires that the United States focus on regions for future infrastructure investment.
Green Buildings Need Green Cities
While cities are focused on promoting green 'buildings', planners and landscape architects need to advocate more green city planning.
When Professionals Plan Their Own Neighborhood
In Somerville, Massachusetts, a group of community residents -- many of them professional architects and planners -- have organized themselves to help the city address problems in their neighborhood.
Salt Lake City Takes Steps To Fix Dysfunctional Planning Department
After a recent audit revealed that long-time problems that have plagued the city's planning division, local leaders are taking action to remedy the situation.
City Hires Developer To Lead Planning Department
Winnipeg, Manitoba has selected a local developer to fill the city's top planning job, with some left wondering what direction the city's growth will take under the new director.
Questioning New York City's Sustinability Plan
With Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan defeated, can the city's vision for long-term sustainability be achieved?
Creating A New Vision For The Nation's Transportation System
With Americans driving less for the first time ever, its time to create a new comprehensive plan for transportation in the United States.
A Holistic Approach To Planning For Traffic Impacts
Instead of requiring developers to complete traffic studies for individual projects, one Northern California city has commissioned a comprehensive traffic study, and asked developers to help foot the bill.
Transplanting The Vancouver Model To The Middle East
The man largely responsible for planning modern day Vancouver has found his next challenge in the Middle Eastern capital of Abu Dhabi.
Can Los Angeles Plan Its Way To Mobility?
With a growing population, a sprawling urban landscape, and uncertain public funding, Los Angeles seems to be hoping for a miracle with its latest transportation planning effort.
DIY Urbanism
I think many planners, in principle, agree that public involvement and grass-roots approaches to planning are necessary. The emphasis on the sheer numbers of people a plan "includes" is only one recent example of our profession’s emphasis on public involvement. But I think deep down, many colleagues see a distinctive split between involving the public and empowering them to implement. Involving is necessary and important to get any plan endorsed. But once that plan is complete, the public (residents, business owners, local stakeholders) is many times not regarded as an implementation partner except perhaps in roles of advocacy.
Celebrate (Transportation) Diversity!
Every person is unique. Every day is unique. Every trip is unique. As a result, an efficient and equitable transportation system must be diverse, so people can choose the best option for each trip. For example, today you might prefer to walk or bicycle, but tomorrow find it best to use public transit or drive.
