Asia-Pacific

China, Japan, other South East Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands countries.

Rosa Parks, Jane Jacobs, Frederick Law Olmsted

Vote for the Most Influential Urbanists

After accepting nearly 200 nominees for consideration, we're asking for votes to determine the "Most Influential Urbanists" of all time.

September 7, 2017 - Planetizen

Rosa Parks, Jane Jacobs, Frederick Law Olmsted

Poll: Who Are the Most Influential Urbanists?

The world has changed since Planetizen crowdsourced its "Top Urban Thinkers" in 2009. Which urban planners, designers, doers, and dreamers do you think have had the most influence on the world?

August 21, 2017 - Planetizen

City Hall

Impacts of AVs and E-Commerce on Municipal Budgets

A new report from Urbanism Next/SCI takes you through a city’s budget—both revenues and expenditures—and describes the areas that will be affected as AVs become commonplace and e-commerce takes on an even larger role in retail

August 4, 2017 - Urbanism Next

Autonomous Vehicles and Streets: A Guide to Potential Impacts

As the arrival of autonomous vehicles (AVs) becomes more of a reality, cities need to start considering how this new technology will affect streets and street networks. This brief guide provides an overview and resources on this topic.

July 29, 2017 - Urbanism Next Blog - Sustainable Cities Initiative

Japan

A National Day of Telecommuting

Companies and workers in the country of Japan are less likely to work from home than in the United States. The government hopes to increase the number of telecommuters during the 2020 Olympics, however.

July 25, 2017 - Quartz

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo's Shibuya Undergoing "Once-a-Century" Renewal

Shibuya Station is undergoing a major renewal in time for 2020 Olympics.

July 6, 2017 - Nippon.com

MariCar

Friday Fun: A Mario Kart Tour of Japan

Foreign tourists are taking to the streets of Japan dressed as Mario, Luigi, and more of their friends from the Nintendo universe.

June 23, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal

Seoul, Korea

Seoul to Debut Its Own High Line

Instead of a disused rail line, Seoul will repurpose one of its many old overpasses. The goal is to introduce green space and build up connective pedestrian infrastructure.

May 18, 2017 - The Washington Post

Earthquake damage

Idea Worth Copying: Japan's Theme-Park-Style Disaster Preparation Centers

Visitors to Japan’s theme-park-style disaster preparation centers can experience simulated quakes, typhoons, and fires. Perhaps a similar idea would be helpful in part of the United States?

May 16, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Millennium Atoll

When the Waters Are Rising…

Kiribati’s former president Anote Tong faces climate change’s implications head on and see hope, even as islands become an early warning system for the international community.

May 10, 2017 - Cities of the Future

New Zealand

River Given Human Status

A New Zealand river revered by the Maori people is granted the status of a living being by the country's parliament.

March 17, 2017 - BBC

Adventure Playground

Adventure Playgrounds Set the Children Free

An exploration of how adventure playgrounds enable freedom for children living in a world full of helicopter parents.

November 22, 2016 - The New Yorker

Train-sploitation

An interview with a photographer about his unflattering pictures of train riders in Tokyo's crowded subway.

October 21, 2016 - CNN

Seasteading

The 'Floating City' of the Silicon Valley's Dreams

The country of French Polynesia is on the verge of permitting a floating city, funded by wealthy Silicon Valley interests and sustained by utopian dreams.

October 8, 2016 - Business Insider

Wine Barrels

Beer from Portlandia in the Land of the Rising Sun

Japanese cities and citizens look to Portland for inspiration.

September 28, 2016 - The Economist

Faced With Declining Population, Japanese Village Is Repopulated By Scarecrows

The population of Nagoro, Japan has declined in recent years from 300 to just 30 people. Local artist Tsukimi Ayano has populated the village with scarecrows to replace some of the familiar community figures who are now gone.

August 28, 2016 - NPR

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

When the Streets Have No Names, Three Words Will Suffice

Confronting a problem that affects roughly 75 percent of the world's population, a new system will give every place on Earth an address based on three words.

August 16, 2016 - Quartz

Alleys as a Community Asset

Often overlooked, alleys can be transformed into valuable community spaces

July 17, 2016 - CityLab

Roman Aqueduct

The Place of Water in Urban Design: An International Perspective

How cities around the world have approached thinking about how water management fits in to urban planning.

July 5, 2016 - The Planning Report

Hokkaido Shinkansen Now in Service

As of Saturday, Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, was connected to Tokyo by the newest addition to Japan's iconic Shinkansen bullet trains. The 513-mile route includes 33.4 miles in "the world's deepest operational main-line rail tunnel."

March 31, 2016 - The Telegraph

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.

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

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.