Innovation

Eleven of the Best Urban Design Ideas in the World

From a penthouse dwelling above an air-raid bunker to an "inside-out" building where plants grow on the walls through rainwater irrigation, Wendy Goodman and Justin Davidson have asked design experts to compile their favorite urban ideas.

October 12, 2011 - New York Magazine

Europe's Architecture Trendsetters

In interviews with key figures at four of the most influential European architecture firms, the constant theme was that architecture philosophy needs to recognize that eco-friendly design is the future of design innovation.

August 16, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Top 10 States With Highest Growth Potential

Citing data from the Chamber of Commerce, The Atlantic releases its top picks based on their capacity for growth and innovation. Alaska, North Dakota, and Wyoming come out on top.

June 25, 2011 - The Atlantic

Creating Smart Cities and Replicating Silicon Valley

Google CEO Eric Schmidt discusses what makes a city smart and successful in this interview with Foreign Policy.

August 21, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Power Balace to Shift From Nations to Cities

The rise of megacities and innovation hubs is leading to a balance shift that will make cities, not nations, the most powerful drivers in the world economy, according to Parag Khanna.

August 19, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Government Turns to Prize-Sourcing

The Federal government spends almost $137 billion a year on research. A new paper suggests that Federal, state, and local govs would encourage significantly more innovation by holding contests with a cash prize.

April 19, 2010 - Governing Magazine

Looking for an Economic Niche in St. Louis

This piece from The St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at how the city is trying to coerce itself into the new idea- and innovation-based economy.

March 30, 2010 - The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ideas to Transform India's Cities

Scholars from the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad discuss how to remake the country's urban areas into sources of economic prosperity.

March 30, 2010 - The Wall Street Journal

Turning Cities into Innovation Centers

Saul Kaplan says cities should be transformed into innovation centers to stay competitive and become the venue of a "new economic conversation".

March 8, 2010 - Business Week

Kindling Planning

Downloading my newest addition to my Kindle library—the digital book service provided by Amazon.com—I remembered the gentle criticism of a planner on a list serve not too long ago. The thread was on sustainability and global warming. I had made the point that market economies were innovative economies, and too much of the planning discussion on sustainability focused on reduced consumption without seriously discussing the ways technology fundamentally changed our choice sets. The planner chastised me for my faith in markets, saying, in a nutshell, we need to focus on what we know we can influence and not hedge are bets on the past. The implication was that markets were too ephemeral and undependable to include in long-term planning.

January 4, 2010 - Samuel Staley

Back-To-Nature Plans Stall Innovation

According to this op-ed, allowing cities to de-densify undermines the importance of the city's role in society at large--namely, as a breeding ground for technological and cultural innovation.

June 23, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

The Future of Research Parks and Technology-led Economic Development

The American economy has long relied upon technological innovation to drive its economy. Today,basic investment in science and technology is once again taking center stage,as a cure for both our economic and environmental ills.

April 3, 2009 - Anthony Townsend

A Train That Never Stops

A Taiwanese inventor is proposing a rail system that never stops for passengers, virtually eliminating delays. Follow the full story link to see the video.

June 19, 2008 - boingboing.net

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Top Books

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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.