Architecture

Trump International Hotel & Tower in Toronto

$6 Million: The Cost of Removing the Trump Brand from Toronto Hotel

JCF Capital ULC wanted so badly to reboot the branding at the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Toronto, it paid $6 million to start over.

June 28, 2017 - Bloomberg Politics

Engineering Civic Action Projects (ENCAP)

With Resources Scarce, Bridge-Builders Cultivate Creativity

Innovation means different things to different people. For Bridges to Prosperity (B2P), a nonprofit that builds footbridges in the developing world, it’s a way to help people thrive despite limited resources.

June 28, 2017 - Doggerel

Suburbia

McMansion Hell Blog in Legal Hot Water with Real Estate Site Zillow

[Updated June 29, 2017] It's been a mixed bag for viral sensation McMansion Hell. The same day as a feature video by The Washington Post, the news broke that the website is facing potential legal charges from real estate site Zillow.

June 27, 2017 - The Verge

Los Angeles Skyline

New Tallest Building West of the Mississippi Now Open

Friday was the first day the public could walk into Los Angeles' new iconic skyscraper. The Wilshire Grand is noteworthy for more than just its height.

June 24, 2017 - KPCC

The New Apple Store in Chicago Looks a lot Like a Laptop

Looking for a new laptop? Go to the building that resembles a laptop.

June 24, 2017 - DNAinfo Chicago

In Memoriam: Branden Klayko, 'Broken Sidewalk' Blogger

The tributes to Branden Klayko, one of the hardest working and influential writers on the subjects of urbanism, have been steady and heartfelt.

June 22, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Is This Really Penn Station?

Long Island Rail Road riders expressed amazement at the new concourse under Eighth Avenue from America's busiest train station. It opened June 15 as the first phase of the new Moynihan Station.

June 19, 2017 - The New York Times

Tiny House Prefab

Throwing Some Cold Water on the 'Tiny Homes' Movement

Small square-footages might be in vogue, but would the occupants of tiny homes really pass up American-Dream spaciousness, given the chance?

June 17, 2017 - The New York Times

Building Code

Audit Finds Houston's Life Safety Bureau Lacking

A city controller's audit finds lots of room for improvement at the Houston Fire Department's Life Safety Bureau.

June 16, 2017 - The Houston Chronicle

Trump Sign

When the Level of the Architecture Discussion Resembles the Level of the Political Discussion

Fancy renderings of fanciful ideas might make for "internet catnip," but they don't push the built environment toward healthier and more prosperous outcomes. Where have all the good ideas gone?

June 15, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

London Fire

How Building Standards Failed London's Grenfell Tower

Fire safety experts are rushing to explain the horrific scene in London's Kensington neighborhood last night—after a fire destroyed a residential high rise. The building was recently retrofitted to meet efficiency standards.

June 14, 2017 - The Guardian

Ohio

Awarding the Best Ideas for Successful Cities

The Knight Foundation asked: "What’s your best idea to make cities more successful?" When it came time to pick the best ideas, design and planning ideas for places like Wichita, Biloxi, and Akron emerged.

June 13, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Melting Ice

Green Building Advocates Want Pennsylvania to 'Unfreeze' the State's Energy Codes

Two icehouses have arrived in Harrisburg on a mission from the Central Pennsylvania chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.

June 8, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Frank Lloyd Wright

Celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th Birthday Today

June 8 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Dezezen has rounded up 10 ways to celebrate nationwide.

June 8, 2017 - Dezeen

Free School of Architecture Launches in Los Angeles

Peter Zellner's experimental, tuition-free architectural school is officially in session.

June 7, 2017 - Archinect

Glass Buildings

Dallas Skyline Gaining a Striking New High Rise

Not since 1987 has a taller building been added to the Dallas skyline than a planned 48-story tower that could be complete in two years.

June 4, 2017 - The Dallas News

Seaside Entrance

To Save New Urbanism From #MAGA, it's Time to Get Political

An opinion piece acknowledges the similarities between the nostalgia of New Urbanism and the "Make American Great Again" sentiment behind Trump's rise to power. New Urbanism has a chance, still, to change its path.

May 30, 2017 - Dan Piatkowski

The Sonic Bloom display at Seattle Center

Seattle Kicks the Tires on the Seattle Center Again

Proposals to revamp the Seattle Center seem to arise with every mayoral administration in Seattle. This time, however, the Seattle Center is at the literal center of an explosion of growth.

May 28, 2017 - Crosscut

Small Town Art

Activating Artists as an Urban Resource

Planning and art don't traditionally mix, but that's changing. Embedded at NYC's Department of Design and Construction, artist Mary Miss envisions public art as an infrastructural aid.

May 24, 2017 - Next City

A First Look at Apple's New Corporate Headquarters

Apple employees began moving into the company's new headquarters in Cupertino, California in April. The moving process culminates a development process that launched in 2008 under the helm of Steve Jobs.

May 23, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.