The growth in hybrid car sales is a welcome sign that a major change in the automobile industry is afoot. The shift to transport infrastructure that is not based on the archaic complexity of an internal combustion engine, with its hundreds of moving parts and compressed fuel explosions, has been long put off by an automobile industry, happy with status quo, partnered with oil cartels with the power to price their product as if it were in endless supply. But with smack-in-the-face-reality fuel prices last summer, the collapse of the so-called “Big Three” over the winter, and the simultaneous heralding assertion of alternative energy technologies (Daimler AG bought a 10% stake in Tesla Motors last month!), the fallout of western economic near-collapse has changed everything we’ve known to be sacrosanct; Leonard Lopate even waxed nostalgic about the “Death of the Car Song” yesterday on National Public Radio’s local station, WNYC.
Copenhagen
Lessons From the World's Great Biking Cities
Christine Grant was fortunate enough to win a fellowship that allowed her to spend six months in the world's most bike-friendly cities. In this article she shares with us the 10 essential lessons she learned along the way.
Grist
Bjarke Ingels' Architectural Response To 'Singularity'
Joerg Haentzschel interviews the young architect Bjarke Ingels. Through offices now established in Copenhagen and New York, Ingels is slowly pushing his 'pragmatic utopian architecture' into the mainstream.
032C
Ownership Presents Ideological Quandry for Christiania
For the famous Danish community of squatters, an offer from the Government to purchase their land proved too good to refuse.
The New York Times
Bike Congestion Problems in Copenhagen
When the rest of the world is campaigning relentlessly for people to even consider using bicycles, the model city that started the movement is facing a unique problem of its own. Too many bikes during rush hour renders the activity dangerous to some.
The Guardian
Bicycling Towards Recovery
Bike lanes and bike commuters are fueling a significant segment of the economy in Copenhagen. In Portland, a high amount of bike lanes could mean similar economic impacts.
The Oregonian
Seattle Plays a Zero-Sum Emissions Game
Aspiring to become carbon-neutral by 2050, the Emerald City commits to an ambitious plan that relies on a 10% purchase of carbon offsets.
GOOD Magazine
Cities Ready for Climate Change
This top 10 list from Grist highlights the global cities best prepared to handle climate change.
Grist
The Most Walkable Cities In U.S., And Why
Cities of all population sizes were ranked by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Key to top-rated Seattle was its management of parking. 19 cities were cited from throughout the country.
The Atlantic Magazine
Wayfinding Symbols Across the World
Metro stations, train stations and streetcar systems have distinct ways of showing how to get from one area to another. TheCityFix's Jonna McKone looks at mass transit systems from Mexico City to Paris and the visual representations used in each one.
TheCityFix
Copenhagen's Bikes on Rails
Jonna McKone of TheCityFix looks at Copenhagen's recently added rail cars that are specifically for bicyclists and other passengers with special needs.
TheCityFix
Dispatch From Denmark
Executive director of the SF Bike Coalition, Leah Shahum on sabbatical in Europe, reports on a bicycle conference that she attended in Copenhagen as well as her impressions of bicycle culture in the Denmark capital in her first Streetsblog dispatch.
SF Streetsblog
Jan Gehl's Ten Principals For Liveability
Kaid Benfield introduces Jan Gehl and Walter Hook's principals to promote "environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation worldwide."
Sustainable Cities Colletive
Danish Government Pushes Electric Cars With Envious Perks
But will they be enough to entice Danes to buy them? It may hinge on the availability of charging points and battery switching stations promised by "Better Place" of Palo Alto, CA and the Danish utility, Dong Energy.
The New York Times - Energy & Environment
Broken Windows Theory Busted?
The Broken Windows theory suggests that a high concentration of small, petty crimes leads to a higher incidence of bigger, nastier crimes. Some European cities run counter to that premise, according to this piece from Next American City.
Next American City
A Unique Condo for a Difficult Site
In Copenhagen, architect David Zahle faced with a problem site. They needed to build 215,000 sq. ft. of parking and 108,000 sq. ft. of housing on one lot. The solution was a sort of artificial mountain.
Dwell
Architect Hopes To Spread 'Pedestrianizaton'
The transformation of Copenhagen from a car-choked thoroughfare to a lively, pedestrian center began in 1962 with the closing of the Strøget, and folks walked and biked in record numbers. Now architect Jan Gehl hopes to spread this new urban culture.
The Globe and Mail
What Copenhagen's Parks Can Learn From New York
Park planners from Denmark recently toured some of New York's parks and found much to be jealous of.
The New York Times
Planetizen picks
Contribute
- The Benefits of Creating Hybrid Zoning Codes
- The Appeal of In-Town Big Box
- The Growing Appeal of Drinking From the Toilet
- How and Why Does an Architect Become Famous?
- Could Good Design Have Prevented the Housing Crisis?
- NY Times Defends the Port Authority
- Expanding the Hong Kong Subway, One Blast at a Time
- Can An Electric Bike Replace A Car?
- The Growing Popularity of Women-Only Mass Transit
- Putting the Bloom Back on the Rose Bowl
Information Sources in Planning: Principles -- Michael Dudley
Optimal Transport Policy For An Uncertain Future -- Todd Litman
Faculty Using Web 2.0 to Show Images -- Ann Forsyth
Information Sources in Planning: Introduction -- Michael Dudley
Liveblog: ULI Rose Center Kansas City Study Visit -- Jess Zimbabwe
Volunteerism Plays Critical Role in Reaching World’s Millennium Development Goals
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University
Feb 10, 2012
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