The New York Times
Simulating Mount Rushmore
Experts from heritage group Historic Scotland have developed a technique using lasers to create precise digital representations of enormous sites. Mount Rushmore is the next location to be captured.
The New York Times
An American Piazza
Developer Bart Blatstein reimagined an old brewery in the outskirts of Philadelphia into an adapted Italian piazza. Locals worried it would be be too theme park-y, but community leaders are pleased with the results.
The New York Times
The Gardens of Baghdad
This piece from The New York Times looks at the role of private gardens and public-facing landscaping in the city of Baghdad.
The New York Times
Paris Bike Program's Thousands of Casualties
Paris and JCDecaux promise to forge on with the popular bike program, despite having lost thousands of bikes to recklessness and vandalism.
The New York Times
Sculptures Rise in Iowa, Distract From City's Woes
A Des Moines venture capitalist and his wife have donated a reported $40 million worth of large public sculptures for a sculpture park, part of a significant redevelopment effort by the city.
The New York Times
The Animated History of Midtown Manhattan
This animation from The New York Times examines the history of Midtown Manhattan -- from pristine island environment to bustling metropolis.
The New York Times
Friday Funny: Local Laws Gone Wild
In Huangping, China, schoolchildren are required to salute passing cars in an effort to reduce traffic accidents. This rule is just one of many bizarre local ordinances in China, where the power of local bureaucrats can sometimes get out of hand.
The New York Times
Hurry Up and Wait
NYC's Mayor Bloomberg oversaw the rezoning of thousands of blocks, yet many of the development projects he envisioned as the key to the city's future success are now stalled or in jeopardy.
The New York Times
The End of An Era for Arts Centers
The new Dallas Performing Arts Center marks the end of a boom in the development of arts centers and a moment in American architecture, says Nicolai Ouroussoff.
The New York Times
Factory to Campus Bike-Share
Volunteers set out to bike from the factory to Princeton University, where an employee bike-share program will begin in November.
The New York Times
Residential Construction Declines Sharply in New York City
2009 is expected to turn out as a bad year for residential constructoin in New York City. After five consecutive years with more than 30,000 units constructed, at total of 6,300 are expected this year.
The New York Times
Human Rights Violations in NY's Affordable Housing?
The United Nations has appointed a special envoy to evaluate whether lack of access to affordable housing in New York is so bad it violates basic human rights.
The New York Times
The Challenge of Dividing High Speed Rail Funds
The federal government has dedicated $8 billion to high speed rail projects. But with $50 billion worth of proposals, the challenge lies in how best to divide the funds.
The New York Times
Redeveloping Brooklyn's Waterfront Wasteland?
Developers and NYC's Mayor Bloomberg have hit a speed bump in revitalizing the Gowanus Canal. It may be designated as a Superfund site.
The New York Times
More Americans Living Car-Free
The New York Times Automobiles Section discusses the growing population of Americans living car-free.
The New York Times
Zero-Waste Going Mainstream?
The New York Times examines a handful of places in the US embracing zero-waste policies, how they're doing it, and what challenges lie ahead.
The New York Times
Foreclosed Homeowners Turning to Homeless Shelters
A new report shows a dramatic trend in homelessness: increasing numbers of former homeowners left with nowhere to live after foreclosure are turning to homeless shelters.
The New York Times
A Call for More Docks on the Hudson
Cities along the Hudson River in New York are pushing plans to build more docks along the waterfront.
The New York Times
An Ecotopia in Colombia
A small village founded in Colombia in the 1960s as an experiment in sustainable agriculture is still thriving. Experts like Amory Lovins are paying Gaviotas a visit to learn their secrets.
The New York Times
Japan Seeks to End Wasteful Spending on Projects, Meets Local Opposition
Japan wants to end its spending on wasteful construction projects, which are the cause of the country's massive debt. But for one small town on the verge of losing a dam, the "wasteful" project is the center of the local economy.
The New York Times



















