Tim Halbur

Planners' activities in a community have a direct impact on its character, says Edward Jepson, and can be pivotal in creating sustainability.

Miyashita Park in Tokyo is an historic site with a history of homeless encampments. Officials plan to turn the park into a skateboard park, with naming rights purchased by Nike.

Mineral King is a site adjoining Sequoia National Park that the Park Service wanted to lease as a resort. Walt Disney was gung ho to do it, and got pretty far in planning an alpine village resort before the project was killed.

Scientists are developing modular robots that can move themselves around the room and pull themselves into chairs, beds, desks, or whatever piece of furniture you need at the time.

Finca Bellavista is a development on the southern coast of Costa Rica with 5 houses and 24 other buildings, all sustainable treehouse structures.