Asia-Pacific

Reports of horrific destruction are starting to emerge after one of the strongest storms on record slammed the Philippines over the weekend. The government estimates that 10 percent of the country has been affected.

November 11, 2013 - The Washington Post

The Construction Industry Council is launching a Carbon Labelling Scheme for Construction Materials in December 2013, the purpose of which is to communicate verifiable and accurate information on the carbon footprint of construction materials.

November 3, 2013 - Future Cities

On the 90th anniversary of the founding of modern Turkey, officials realized a vision dreamt by an Ottoman sultan by inaugurating a rail tunnel beneath the Bosporus to connect Asia and Europe. Critics have questioned the tunnel's safety.

October 30, 2013 - The New York Times

In a slideshow of stunning photos by renowned photographer Iwan Baan, The New York Times shows the latest example of what spending an estimated $6 billion a year on architectural splendors will buy you.

October 13, 2013 - The New York Times

Using high definition scanners, digital modeling, and Scan-to-BIM software, consultants and non-profits are helping to restore historic structures following natural disasters, and cataloging treasures before calamity strikes.

October 7, 2013 - The Architect's Newspaper

A team of Canadian MBA students has won $1 million to alleviate urban hunger with insect-based foods, reports Mary Jander.

September 29, 2013 - Future Cities

Natural disasters affect millions of people each year, and cost between $60 billion and $100 billion worldwide. Here are the 10 global cities most at risk.

September 25, 2013 - Future Cities

It goes without saying that cycling entails a degree of risk - but are they unduly discussed to the point that it reduces ridership? Cyclicious blogger Richard Masoner gave the issue thought when he heard of a cyclist fatality in a familiar area.

September 23, 2013 - Cyclicious

With the selection of Tokyo over Istanbul and Madrid as the host of the 2020 Summer Olympics, continuing concerns over radioactivity trumped social instability and a deep economic recession as the least dangerous alternative.

September 9, 2013 - The New York Times

New maglev train in Japan reached 310 mph on a test track. With construction about to begin, some worry that declining population would make the project unsustainable.

September 6, 2013 - Wired

Moscow's Gorky Park, once the rundown backdrop of a murder novel, has experienced a remarkable turnaround. Today, the mayor imagines its recovery as part of his legacy while Muscovites simply see it as the perfect place to play, dine, and relax.

September 4, 2013 - The New York Times

Asia's mega-malls have been booming for over a decade, many built atop former park space, and now are suffering from high vacancy rates and low consumer spending.

September 3, 2013 - Quartz

A new report out this week has ranked the Top 10 "Internet Cities" around the globe, based on a set of five criteria: connection speed, availability of citywide WiFi, openness to innovation, support of public data, and security/data privacy.

August 27, 2013 - Future Cities

In dizzying towers of dozens of monotonous, yet colorful, stories, Hong Kong residents make their homes in apartments that average 400 square feet. For photographer Michael Wolf the stark high-rise landscape provides powerful subject matter.

August 21, 2013 - Wired

What if most cars were electrics, most electricity was generated locally, and new development was required to have solar? Would this paradigm make sprawl more energy sustainable than compact growth? A new paper argues yes.

August 6, 2013 - Science Daily

Using 8,000 photos taken from atop the Tokyo Tower, photographer Jeffrey Martin has assembled a 150-gigapixel panorama of the city. The best part - its interactive - meaning you can pan and zoom to an incredible level of detail.

August 4, 2013 - io9

Middlemen, private jets, communication blackouts: providing design services to the world's most reclusive regime isn't easy. Mark Byrnes describes how one architecture and planning firm was selected to redesign North Korea's airports.

August 3, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Taichung, Taiwan (pop 2.7 million) has beaten out six other finalists to claim the Intelligent Community Forum’s (ICF) designation as "intelligent community of the year". Robert Bell and Sylvie Albert describe what makes the city an intelligent icon.

July 5, 2013 - The Global Urbanist

Seen across the Internet this week: a picture of a crazy (brilliant?) idea for stabilizing one's self on a subway car without touching any germ-filled surfaces. It may not be the wildest thing you'll see on a Tokyo subway, but it's probably close.

June 28, 2013 - Rocket News 24

The Telegraph compiles a list of the fastest train trips in the world, from the 90 minute journey from Brussels to Paris at 186 miles per hour to Shanghai's 268 mile per hour maglev train. A new service is poised to join them.

June 16, 2013 - The Telegraph