Exclusives

FEATURE

Starchitecture and Sustainability: Hope, Creativity, and Futility Collide in Contemporary Architecture

Can today's contemporary architects, schooled in modernism and invention, in fact incorporate the sort of green building materials and techniques that make a real difference? And does design really matter? Josh Stephens takes a look.

November 1 - Josh Stephens

BLOG POST

Mixing It Up at RailVolution

BOSTON -- If you've ever studied the bar menu at <a href="http://www.tradervics.com/index.html" target="_blank">Trader Vic's</a> then you know about such wonders as Tropical Passion, Moku Nani, and the Potted Parrot. Each is made of a unique but secret blend of dark rum, light rum, spiced rum, tropical juices, and of course "subtle flavorings." But by the time you'd realize that the only real difference is the glass they come in, you're too probably drunk to notice--or care. Minus the palm fronds, the RailVolution conference is much the same.

October 31 - Josh Stephens

FEATURE

Modernism's Olmsted

October 29 - Tim Halbur

BLOG POST

Finding Planning Schools

Confused about where to study planning? Of course there’s the Planetizen guide but in the United States two free sources of information provide extensive lists of potential schools.

October 27 - Ann Forsyth

BLOG POST

Halloween Costumes for Urban Planners - 2nd Edition

The second edition list of the best urban planning costume ideas.

October 26 - Nate Berg

BLOG POST

Rea Vaya ("We are Moving") In South Africa

To celebrate an important victory a winning team sometimes parades around the arena with their coach on their shoulders as the fans cheer in adulation. Planners sometimes deserve similar treatment! For example, regardless of who wins the <a href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup">2010 FIFA World Cup</a> to be held in South Africa June and July 2010, the real victor will be residents of the four cities where matches will be held, who gain an efficient new public transportation system as a long-term legacy. Everybody wins!

October 26 - Todd Litman

FEATURE

Toward an Ethic of Place: Experiments in Regional Governance

Matthew McKinney argues that regional governance is essential to address transboundary issues like climate change, wildlife corridors, shared water resources, and energy development.

October 26 - Matthew McKinney

BLOG POST

Miami Adopts Largest Known Form-Based Code

After four years of political wrangling, hundreds of public and internal meetings, several revisions, and one determined planning department, consultant team, and Mayor, the City of Miami made urban planning history tonight by adopting the largest known application of a form-based code. In doing so, Miami has catapulted itself to the forefront of those large American cities serious about implementing smart growth.

October 22 - Mike Lydon

FEATURE

From Contrast to Continuity: A New Preservation Philosophy

With the emergence of new traditional design patterns among contemporary architects, the standards and rules that have defined historic preservation are becoming obsolete. Steven W. Semes calls on planners and designers to create a new ethic of harmonious intervention into historic settings.

October 22 - Steven W. Semes

BLOG POST

Open Data: Coming to a City Near You?

City data catalogs are fast moving from the exception to the norm for large U.S. cities. Washington, DC's <a href="http://data.octo.dc.gov/">Data Catalog</a>, spearheaded by former CTO Vivek Kundra, was an early leader. The site combines hundreds of static government-created datasets from across DC government with administrative feeds like the city's 311 system. Their site emphasizes providing data in multiple formats, including where possible formats that don't require proprietary software. Kundra's selection as the nation's first Chief Information Officer, and launch of the federal government's <a href="http://www.Data.gov">Data.gov</a> has elevated the principle among the federal government's vast datasets. DC's two "apps" contests sought to encourage creative uses of the data made available, and some of which are available at the <a href="http://apps.dc.gov/">DC App Store</a>. Beyond DC, many big cities have recently launched or are planning open data catalogs of their own.

October 19 - Robert Goodspeed

BLOG POST

How to drive traffic away

A few days ago, I was trying to take a streetcar in Toronto- and the streetcar was just as congested as any suburban arterial. The lines in front of streetcars were so long that I couldn't get into the first streetcar. Or the second. Or the third. Instead, I had to wait a few minutes (horrors!) for the fourth streetcar. I asked myself: what if streetcars only ran every hour, instead of every few minutes? Would the streetcars be equally crowded? Of course not. People would abandon the streetcars and start to use cars (if they owned them) and buy them (if they did not yet own them).

October 19 - Michael Lewyn

FEATURE

Beloved and Abandoned: A Platting Named Portland

October 19 - Fanis Grammenos

BLOG POST

Sidewalk Design Vehicle

A few days ago I posted a <a href="/node/41097">blog</a> that discussed the concept of <a href="http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm69.htm">Universal Design</a> (transportation facilities designed to accommodate all possible users, including those with disabilities and other special needs) and the value it provides to individuals and communities. One way to approach this issue is to define the design vehicle for pedestrian facilities.

October 15 - Todd Litman

FEATURE

Developing the Open City

New communication and interaction technologies are dramatically changing the way the public understands and participates in government. The emerging openness of data and information at the city level is broadening the urban policy conversation, but challenges and questions lie ahead as the open city develops.

October 15 - Nate Berg

BLOG POST

The Genesis of Stalemate

Some of my acquaintances believe that climate change may end human life (or at least civilization) and that the only way to save humanity is to massively reduce economic growth and consumption. Other acquaintances believe that climate change is, if not an outright hoax, a minor problem- and that even the slightest attempt to regulate emission-creating industries will itself destroy American civilization.

October 13 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

Universal Design - Accommodating Everybody

I spent the last week teaching a professional development course for young planners in Buenos Aries, Argentina. It’s been a wonderful experience – my students are smart and enthusiastic, and Buenos Aries is a vibrant city with old-world charm. The buildings, plazas and old statues are beautiful and dignified, although a little frayed around the edges.

October 12 - Todd Litman

BLOG POST

24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference & Exhibition

October 9 - Rick Abelson

BLOG POST

International Walk to School Day/ Livable Streets Education Invade Washington Square

Did you know that yesterday was International Walk to School Day? While many communities may have let this important public awareness opportunity pass by, New York City public school students were out in full force. Perhaps one would expect nothing less in a city where 80% of students already walk to school (transit trips require walking, too!).

October 8 - Mike Lydon

FEATURE

A Backyard Battle: Trials of a Garden-Variety NIMBY

Nandita Godbole advocates for parks and greenspaces around Atlanta. But when faced with a struggle over keeping her own quarter-acre backyard open and free, she found she was powerless.

October 8 - Nandita Godbole

BLOG POST

Municipal Vaporware: Why NYC's Data Mine is A Data Dump

This morning, Mayor Mike Bloomberg unveiled New York City's long-awaited Big Apps contest. Big Apps seeks to promote the Internet industry in the Big Apple (it's sponsored by the New York City Economic Development Corporation) and make local government more transparent.I've been following the evolution of open data initiatives at the municipal level for about a year now, and was really hoping that New York was going to set the bar for future efforts across the country. It doesn't. In fact it's hard to understand why some notable local tech superstars like investors <a href="http://www.avc.com/">Fred Wilson</a> and <a href="http://www.betaworks.com">John Borthwick</a> would sign on to such a lame effort.

October 6 - Anthony Townsend