Europe

Koolhaas in Favor of Generic Buildings

Rem Koolhaas, in an interview in Der Speigel, talks about the "zero character" office building he works in in Rotterdam and how wonderful

December 21, 2011 - The Atlantic Cities

Potholes as Parks?

Writing in Grist, Chuck Wolfe provides a counterintuitive look at what to do about potholes and how they could become "the universal darlings of walkable urbanism".

December 17, 2011 - Grist

Placemaking With Zip Lines

Chuck Wolfe admires the creative thinking which has reinvented the dramatic setting between two Italian hill towns.

December 14, 2011 - The Atlantic Cities

Desertec Leads European Effort to Harness Saharan Solar Energy

A German led initiative called 'Desertec,' aims to provide 15% of Europe's electricity by 2050 through a vast network of solar and wind farms stretching right across the MENA region and connecting to Europe via direct current transmission cables.

December 13, 2011 - The Guardian

Even or Odd? Rome Restricts Car Use

With pollution levels becoming dangerous in Rome, Italy, the government is taking a hard line on driving. In late November, only cars with even-numbered license plates were allowed to drive in the city, with odd plates the next.

December 12, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Zurich, the World's Best Transit City

Transportation expert Norman Garrick reports on the amazingly effective transit system of Zurich, Switzerland. Garrick says the system is one of the factors that makes Zurich one of the most livable cities in the world.

December 12, 2011 - Norman W. Garrick

Public Parks to Cover Highways in Hamburg

The City of Hamburg, Germany is planning on building elevated public parks on sections of the to-be-expanded A7 (Highway 7), which is considered one of the most important north-south connectors in Germany.

December 9, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Edward Blakey Reviews Moscow Expansion Plans

University of Sydney Professor Edward Blakely has reviewed Moscow’s plan to expand the capital’s borders to the south-west by 2014 and proclaimed that they will not hamper the city’s development. The territory will more than double.

December 8, 2011 - RT

Cycling Superhighways Raising Debate

In the summer of 2010, London launched a new program that had established bright blue bike lanes known as 'Cycle Superhighways' alongside main roads. These initiatives are intended to provide the quickest routes into the city centre.

November 30, 2011 - This Big City

The Future of Construction Technology: Flying Robots

Swiss architects Gramazio & Kohler are behind a new experiment using robots for construction. The robots will fly bricks up into the air and assemble them as programmed into a tall tower.

November 29, 2011 - Architizer

Train Cars Recycle Kinetic Energy

A subway in Warsaw, Poland now features a system that captures the energy created by braking train cars for reuse elsewhere in the system.

November 27, 2011 - Earth & Industry

Street Artist Makes Infrastructure Invisible

Street artist Cayetano Ferrer likes to take everyday urban objects like street signs or electrical boxes and use paint and stickers to camoflage them so they basically disappear.

November 24, 2011 - WebUrbanist

Spanish Cities Saddled with Half-Completed Infrastructure Projects

Marc Herman writes that cities in Spain used the housing bubble as a way to finance major infrastructure projects that now, after the real estate crash, they really can't afford.

November 23, 2011 - Miller-McCune

Reason London Failed in Becoming a Cycling City

During WWII, thousands of bicycles were stolen from the Dutch by occupying Germans, leaving them unable to get around. In Britain, however, strict patrol rationing meant bicycle use rose considerably because it was the only way to get around.

November 23, 2011 - This Big City

How - and Where - Should We Live?

A new report predicts how - and where - we'll be living in the near future, and where planners and developers should focus.

November 19, 2011 - The Atlantic Cities

Learning From Bike-Streetcar Harmony in Amsterdam

It's no coincidence that cities with proper streetcar networks are the most bike-friendly, and vice versa, according to Dan Malouff.

November 9, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Amsterdam Has Gentrification Problems Too

A new film, "Creativity and the Capitalist City: The Struggle for Affordable Space in Amsterdam", explores the issue of gentrification in the city. polis has a review.

November 3, 2011 - POLIS

27-Story Vertical Forest Under Construction

The Milan apartment building will feature a tree on each balcony, at only 5% of the construction costs. Christopher Woodward takes us deeper into the project and others in the "living architecture" movement.

October 29, 2011 - Financial Times

Architect Bjarke Ingels on Quality of Life

Danish Architect Bjarke Ingels discusses his new approach of "hedonistic sustainability... which improves the quality of life," as well as other ideas he often features in various projects.

October 25, 2011 - THE DIRT

Executives Told To "Pack Suitcases" For Libyan Infrastructure Boom

Tripoli Airport and Misrata hospital are the first specific projects to be named, as western governments begin to release frozen assets to the National Transition Government (NTI) and international corporations spot an opportunity.

October 25, 2011 - Building Design

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.

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.