Sustainable Cities Collective
Baltimore Water Wheel Takes out the Trash—40 Tons since May
Part innovative urban design solution, part historic and simple design solution, the city of Baltimore's trash-collecting water wheel has been an unmitigated success at mitigating the trash in the Jones Fall River.
Urban Baby Boom Requires Baby-Friendly Planning
Jillian Glover writes of her new perspective on what makes a city welcoming and safe for young families—the newest perspective, in fact. She's a new mother.
Ethiopian Youth Build Community Through Skateboarding
A sixteen-year old teaches skateboarding to low-income youth as a viable means of transportation and for community building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Matching Urban Nature to Community Values
Researcher Chris Ives suggests that rather than relying solely on economic gains to justify urban nature and biodiversity, community values may be more effective in gaining public support.
Friday Funday: Turning a City Street into a Giant Waterslide
Artist Luke Jerram recently installed a 300-foot waterslide on Park Street in Bristol, UK. The "Park and Slide" event was massively attended and wildly popular.
Overcoming the Myths of the Rental Housing Market
A recent study called “America’s Rental Housing: Evolving Markets and Needs” by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard smashes myths about the rental market—of particular importance given the recent rise in rents around the country.
Applying a "Pop-Up" Approach to the Planning Process Itself
Tactical urbanism is transforming cityscapes around the world, but what would it mean to apply a "pop-up" approach to the planning process? A recent project in Santa Monica, CA allowed participants to evaluate public realm improvements in real-time.
What Is Green Infrastructure and Why Does it Matter?
From traditional stormwater management to storm surge abatement and conserving drinking water and watersheds, green infrastructure improves our cities, explains Adrian Benepe of the Trust for Public Land.
In Rethinking Shared Spaces, Sidewalks Take Center Stage
Joe Nickol pens a paean to the often overlooked sidewalk: "our neighborhood's breadwinner, bringing vitality, safety, and economy."
What Can Northern Europe Teach Us About Building Livable Communities?
In narrative and in images, Luis Rodriguez discusses the findings of a recent study tour to Germany and Scandinavia to discover the secrets to creating more livable communities.
Participation Makes for Successful Placemaking
In a compelling entry into the public dialog around placemaking, Project for Public Spaces argues that people, rather than merely places, create vibrancy in a community.
How Much Are Ecosystems Worth?
A Swedish research center has been tasked by the government with valuating the services rendered by ecosystems and educating the public on the importance of biodiversity.
Out-Migration: An Urban Conundrum
High cost of living and lack of jobs are driving urban populations out of cities, and simply increasing density requirements might not be enough to reverse the trend, argues Jim Russell.
Buying Water by the Baggie in Lagos
In a city where urban water infrastructure ranges from "insufficient" to "nonexistent," Lagos entrepreneurs have developed a bustling trade in "sachet water." Is it time to focus more attention on regulating the sachet industry?
Examining Zoning's Origins to Shed Light on Current Critiques
As traditional zoning comes under increasing criticism for its exclusionary practices, strict separation of uses, and controls on density, Daniel Nairn explores its genesis and the arguments of pioneering planner Edward Murray Bassett.
European Cyclist's Federation (ECF) Study on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emmissions
In the fight against climate change, it is still unclear how, according to SustainableCitiesCollective, "the world’s nations will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve limited temperature rise." A recent ECF study sheds light on the topic.
Extensive Cycling Infrastructure Created By Mass Protest
The Netherlands gains the title of 'Safest Place to Cycle,' which is mainly due to their extensive infrastructure. But how did these high quality cycle paths come to exist?
Streetcars are Go in Cincinnati
In Cincinnati, voters have defeated an attempt to block the city's new streetcar, which now will move forward and could be operational as early as 2013. The new streetcar will link downtown and the uptown district around the University.
Grand Rapids Goes Glee
After landed No. 10 on MainStreet.com's "America's Dying Cities" list earlier this year, Grand Rapids, Mich., shows the world that the city is anything but. Its citywide rendition of Don McLean's classic gets almost 4 million hits on YouTube to date.
"No Net Loss" for Third Places?
Amid the dissolution of Borders bookstores in urban centers, Chuck Wolfe urges policymakers and the private market to assure "no let loss" in the spirit of natural resource protection to assure third places remain available in American cities.
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
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
