Architecture
Brick By Brick: Protecting A Community’s Sustainable Future
Pineville, North Carolina was expanding rapidly and at risk of losing its identity. To preserve the town's character, planners put their faith in the common brick. City planning officials Kevin Icard and Travis Morgan bring us the story.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Three Years On
Jason Miller reports how coastal Mississippi cities and towns are moving post-Katrina plans and ideas towards implementation.
Corbusier's Chandigarh Up for Preservation
A favorite target of planners, Corbusier's radical design for Chandigarh in India is being considered by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
'Sustainability Toolbar' Released for Google Sketchup
Integrated Environmental Solutions is releasing a free plug-in for Google's SketchUp software that allows users to run sustainability performance simulations.
The Zero-Waste Park
Eric Lombardi, a waste-management guru, has drawn up a fanciful plan for an "eco-cycle, zero waste park" which reimagines the dump as a composting, recycling, and educating facility.
Treechitecture
Civic amenities, public spaces, and even housing could one day be formed by living trees. Researchers are looking into this new idea.
Buildings With Living Skins
Giant video screens and lighting displays are changing the face of buildings, but the content has not caught up to the technology. Peter Hall of Design Institute proposes that these displays could reflect the inner life of the buildings and the city.
The 250 Sq. Ft. Condo
Technically these are SROs- Single Room Occupancy units, but it's a spanking new building, cafe below, in the vibrant SoMa district, starting at only $279,000. The catch: some units are only 250 sq.ft.
Beyond LEED: Buildings That Give Back
A handful of thinkers and architects are pushing past LEED requirements to design buildings that generate more energy than they use.
Mixed-Use Faces Mixed Reviews in Fullerton
In Fullerton, CA, a dense new mixed-use building is facing criticism from neighbors and residents. 'All of a sudden we get one of these mixed-use buildings, [and] it's like a fort got dropped out of the sky,' says one neighbor.
A New Neighborhood From Scratch in the Netherlands
A new district rises on the decommissioned Ypenburg Nato airfield in the Netherlands. Master planners Rapp & Rapp worked with other architects and developers to create a cohesive whole with slight variations, a “conditioning of difference."
The New King of Scotland
Allan Murray's architectural vision is habing a signficant influence on the future of development in Edinburgh. This column from The Times wonders if putting the future of a city in one man's hands is such a good idea.
Rome's Battle With Contemporary Architecture
The only modern building in Rome's historic center, a Richard Meier designed museum, is considered offensive enough that it may not last in its current form.
Safety in Design - CPTED in the News
A columnist in Saskatoon, after a robbery at his office, takes a look at CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design).
NYC Planning Director Walks the East Side with a Tape Measure
New York City planning chief Burden took the Daily News on one of her many walks. She showed how zoning can work to preserve the way of life on the storied Lower East Side and East Village, where she has worked diligently with the community on a plan to encourage affordable housing, ignite positive reinvestment, and prevent out-of-character high structures from impacting the neighborhood again.
'Invisible Streetlights' Could Provide Energy & Aesthetic Benefits
Solar sculptures light up at night to take the place of energy-intensive streetlights.
Renzo Piano Thumbs Nose at LEED
The new NY Times Building designed by Renzo Piano snubbed LEED certification to find a different path to sustainability. Writer William Bostwick reflects on the LEED checklist and why the system is broken.
Church Sues to Demolish Historic Church Building
The Third Church of Christ, Scientist in Washington, D.C., has filed suit against the city to remove the landmark designation on their building, which limits what can be done to alter the site -- or demolish it completely, which is the church's hope.
Massive Wall to Dry Flooded Kingdom
In order to save an ancient kingdom that was flooded by a reservoir in the 1950s, officials in Bulgaria will build a €100 million wall around the submerged monument.
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
