Architecture
Caracas, The City that Built Itself
Utopian modernism turned on its head in Caracas, where residents have made fifty-year-old superblock housing projects into the locus of sprawling improvised settlements.
Observe, Transform, Model, Interpret
These are just a few of the ways Prof. Peter Bosselman of UC Berkeley analyzes the built environment in his latest book, Urban Transformation: Understanding City Design and Form. Julia Galef brings us this review.
Cities Focus on Existing Buildings To Save Energy
Old buildings could be to blame for much of a city's energy waste. That's the case in New York, where officials are putting together a plan to retrofit older buildings to be less wasteful.
San Francisco's Japan Center Struggles to Shake Urban Renewal History
The ongoing effort to improve Japantown shows just how difficult it can be to shed the past.
Prince Charles Takes Architects to Task
In a now infamous speech to the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Prince accused architects of having "a surfeit of abstracted ideology over the practical realities linked to people’s lives and the grain of their culture and identity."
Redefining "Comfort" in the Architecture of the Future
Buildings are designed to ensure fully mechanized comfort. Architect Terri Meyer Boake argues that designers need to think in terms of a spectrum of comfort in designing the reduced-impact buildings of the future.
Ground Zero Plans Taking Shape, But Still Troubled
The long-delayed and troubled design for Manhattan's Ground Zero site has undergone some improvements and been revealed in a new model. But as New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Oroussoff notes, the design is still lacking.
The Neuroscience of Architecture
Recent studies in neuroscience show that the design of the built environment affects the way you feel and your behavior. New brain scan technology is revealing emotional reactions to color choice, rounded corners, and ceiling height.
Vancouver's Sustainable Olympic Village
With goals of LEED-certification and plans for reuse after the games, Vancouver's Olympic Village is being called a model for event-based sustainability.
Dubai's Migrant Construction Workers Bear Brunt of Downturn
The economic downturn is hurting Dubai, as glitzy skyscraper projects come to a halt. But the biggest pain is being felt among the hundreds of thousands of migrant construction workers who came to the city seeking their fortunes.
Bend it Like Concrete
Advances in material development have brought to the market a new type of concrete that can bend under pressure and heal cracks with the addition of water.
London Mayor Calls for 'Living Bridge'
London Mayor Boris Johnson has revived old plans to build a new bridge across the Thames River, complete with habitable structures and shops.
Drive-By Art
Art 'on the scale of architecture' is cropping up in Los Angeles, enticing passing drivers out of their cars and onto the street. Chris Burden's 'Urban Light' installation at LACMA is a notable example.
Nature Guiding Green Building
Builders, architects and designers are increasingly looking to nature for guidance as they try to build greener and more sustainably.
New Old Homes: Building Historically
Developers are increasingly creating communities of historically-styled homes that aim to mimic small towns. But many are finding it is hard work to avoid a theme park feel.
The Evolving Field of Urban Design
Metropolis talks with William Saunders, editor of Harvard Design Magazine, about his new book covering the evolving field of urban design.
Architecture That Moves
Oobject has collected videos of twelve building facades that move, either purely for effect or for ventilation.
Return to Futurama
At the 1939 World's Fair, one of the most popular exhibits was the Futurama, sponsored by GM and portraying a dazzling society of skyscrapers and freeways. Today, a group of architects, engineers and planners are creating a new Futurama.
Miami's Marine Stadium Garners Historic Preservation Ranking
A unique stadium along Miami's Biscayne Bay makes the list of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 11 most endangered. Local historians hope the ranking nets further support to restore and preserve the dilapidated structure.
Standing Up for the Brooklyn Bridge
David McCullough's Newsweek essay ponders the negative effects of a proposed development on the majestic Brooklyn Bridge's image.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
