Architecture
Starchitecture is Dead
Columnist Blair Kamin says that the Obama presidency puts a nail in the coffin of starchitecture, and introduces an age of sustainable buildings and an emphasis on infrastructure.
Richard Meier Church Sent Back to Drawing Board
The Pasadena Planning Commission has again rejected famed architect Richard Meier's plans for an Episcopal church in the city center. Commissioners believe the plan does not fit with Pasadena's historic character.
A Better World Through Architecture
Architect Wes Jones argues that architecture is "an argument for a better world". But the general public doesn't understand how. Neither do most architects, writes Christopher Hume.
Blight Affects School Performance
A new study in Britain makes the connection between blighted environments and poor school performance.
Cities Gone Wild!
Architects form the University of British Columbia are calling on cities to "go wild" -- mainly by integrating ecological features into the cityscape to make it more self-contained. The result would be both sustainable and exciting, they say.
When Kids Design Neighborhoods
Coriandoline, a housing development in Correggio, Italy, is the first to have been designed primarily by children. The award-winning neighborhood boasts themed houses and "built-in playability."
Daniel Burnham and the National Mall
One of Chicago architect Daniel Burnham's lesser-known achievements was a rethinking of the National Mall, bringing ideas- like a reflecting pool- from his designs for the Columbian Exhibition of 1893.
The White House, Reimagined
A recent exhibit invited artists to redesign the White House for the 21st century. Artists suggested painting it black, making it fly, and levitating the building. Many suggested making it literally transparent.
Beijing Disappearing
Wrecking crews continue to clear the old hutongs of Beijing, replacing them with modern streets and skyscrapers. Meanwhile, a handful of scavengers work to save pieces of history from the wreckage.
Building (and Living) Off the Grid
When Borton and Welsh found 90 acres bordering a national forest near Whitehall, Montana, they parked a trailer, dug in, and began building Sage Mountain Center, a combination of cordwood and straw bale, powered off-grid by the sun and wind.
Architecture's 'Bilbao Era' Could Be Over
The age of iconic architecture may be ending. The recession is a major factor, but much of the shift may be due to changing perceptions about what architecture is supposed to do for a place, according to critic Robert Campbell.
Getting Kids Off the Street- And Up In The Air
Want to get kids off the street? Build playgrounds on top of skyscrapers, like in this retro-future design from 1957's Mechanix Illustrated.
A New Community Center in Brooklyn, With New Ideas
Architect George Ranalli's new Saratoga Avenue Community Center attempts to redefine the form by focusing on permanence and design.
Can Brutalism Clash with Religious Exercise?
A Washington, D.C. church contends that its current facility, a historic Brutalist buildling, interferes with its theology and should be able to replace it with something more "welcoming" and fitting with "the scale of the community."
Vancouver's Troubled Olympic Village
Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Village construction is way over budget and the city is holding the bill.
Preserving Cuba's Urban Quality
As U.S.-Cuba relations evolve with a new presidential administration, author Richard Louv argues that officials should be careful about relying on commerce to save the country's decaying urban areas without preserving them.
Cities See The Light
Through festivals, lighting master plans, and creative integrations of artistic interpretations, cities across the world are harnessing the power of light to reinvigorate neglected areas and renew public interest.
Liverpool's Transformative Year of Culture
As Liverpool ends its year as the European Union's "Capital of Culture", the city is vastly different and better than it was just a year ago, according to this column.
Critics May Miss The Green Point of the SmartCode
Communities aren't going to get a green code implemented, or any code, without that code appealing to developers, says Sandy Sorlien. They're building our new sustainable places and infilling our old ones.
The 'Undiplomatic' New U.S. Embassy in Iraq
The new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad embodies all of the negative connotations of the American presence in Iraq and provides an example of how not to build an embassy, according to Jonathan Glancey.
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
