United Kingdom
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
Smaller May Be Better in Developer Biz
While a number of mega retail developers crashed and burned during the recession, some smaller developers have thrived.
Retail Traffic Magazine
Parents Banned from Playgrounds
The Watford Borough Council has voted that parents cannot play with their own children in local playgrounds because they haven't had a criminal background check.
The Telegraph U.K.
Future Transport Today
This article from Wired UK looks at a handful of emerging transportation concept technologies that are altering the form of the city.
Wired UK
Bicycle Lanes FAIL
A new book from Britain features photos of incompetent and dangerous bicycle lanes. Sales of the book benefit the Cyclists Defence Fund.
The Architect's Journal
Forbes' '10 Fastest Dying Cities' Fight Back
Last year, Forbes Magazine named the 10 Fastest Dying Cities in the U.S. Eight of those cities decided to come together and fight back.
Next American City
Toronto Planner Appointed to UK Commission on Architecture
Christopher Hume talks to Joe Berridge, a Toronto planner who has been appointed to Britain's Commission on Architecture and the Built Environment, about the power of urban design.
The Toronto Star
Are Bike Lanes Less Safe?
A new study from the University of Leeds claims that drivers are more careful and leave more room for bikers when there is no bike lane.
WorldChanging
Linking UK Centres with High-Speed Rail
Eleven major cities in the UK, including council leaders representing all three major political parties, have begun a campaign for a high-speed rail network linking them together to serve the entire country.
The Guardian
London's Naked Street Experiment
London is attempting to make streets safer for cyclists and motorists by turning off traffic lights in one part of the city for a short amount of time.
The New York Times
Brown Says Expensive Olympics Will Boost London
English Prime Minister Gordon Brown is confident that the 2012 Summer Olympics will bring a big economic benefit to London. But with costs rising beyond expectations, some are skeptical of the PM's prediction.
Reuters
Art, or a Nuisance?
The question of whether graffiti is art or vandalism is facing a vote in Bristol, U.K., the hometown of famed graffiti artist Banksy.
City Mayors
Pay More, Get Faster Service from Planning Dept.
A controversial proposal in the London borough of Barnet would create a fast track for developers who pay more for faster service. Critics say this would create an unfair, two-tiered system, where richer developers get more access to government.
The Architect's Journal
An Antigravity Forest
The new facade of the Atheneum Hotel in London sports 12,000 hanging plants, creating a lush curtain of greenery. Wired Magazine has pictures of the facade and other similar sites.
Wired
A 'Feasible' Engineering Solution to Global Warming
A new study from the UK Royal Society has determined that geo-engineering techniques are technically feasible approaches to address high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the resulting global warming.
BBC
Plans for a High-Speed Rail Line Between London and Scotland
The proposed £34bn ($55bn) line, slated for completion by 2030, would reduce travel time between London and Glasgow to two-and-a-quarter hours.
BBC News
Larger Apts., Less Density
New "Lifetime Homes" standards in the U.K., which are designed to accommodate people at all stages of life, will lead away from ultra-small flats to larger apartments, says Builder Magazine.
Building
The Prince's Foundation Responds
Hank Dittmar of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment responds to recent accusations that Prince Charles has unduly influenced the planning process in the U.K.
The Guardian U.K.
Reviving High Streets With Housing
With nearly 20,000 retail outlets shutting down so far this year in England, the future of towns' high streets looks shaky. But some say reviving these main streets is as simple as converting empty shops into housing units.
Building
Prince Charles Fails to Stop Modern Building
In a location near St. Paul's Cathedral, a new self-proclaimed "ultra-modernist" office and shopping complex is going up, despite the efforts of the Prince of Wales behind the scenes to squelch the project.
The Guardian U.K.



















