History / Preservation

On Tuesday, several members of Congress overseeing the approval of Frank Gehry's design and the budgetary requirements for the Eisenhower Memorial expressed their disapproval at a subcommittee hearing.

March 21, 2013 - Architectural Record

Over the course of the year, the editors of Planetizen review and summarize thousands of articles, books, studies and editorials related to planning and urban development. Here are our picks for the most notable planning trends of the past year.

March 19, 2013 - Jonathan Nettler

While modernist buildings have fared somewhat better in the minds of preservationists, recent trends seem to indicate a more promising future for protecting the significant modernist landscapes of the recent past, says Charles Birnbaum.

March 19, 2013 - Dwell

A new article by city historian Graeme Davison traces the rise and fall of the suburban paradigm from its ideological roots in Victorian England to its current backlash.

March 15, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Jordan Rane profiles 8 historic towns from across the country that have overcome significant challenges to become desirable destinations once again.

March 14, 2013 - CNN

Published to coincide with International Women’s Day 2013, Nicky Rackard has proffered a list of the 10 female architects most deserving of acclaim from historians. Add your comments to the active discussion responding to the article.

March 13, 2013 - Arch Daily

Nathan Masters collects astonishing images and histories of L.A.'s vanished train depots, some of which rival the city's greatest architectural treasures. As L.A. rebuilds its lost transit infrastructure, these images are especially heartbreaking.

March 13, 2013 - KCET

Still under construction 130 years after it was designed by architect Antoni Gaudi, the Sagrada Familia is the longest running architectural project in the world. On Sunday, "60 Minutes" looked at how modern technology is aiding its completion.

March 12, 2013 - The Verge

When electricity was still in its infancy, municipal leaders turned to "moonlight towers" to provide mass illumination for their cities. Megan Garber explores the "brief and literally shining moment" in the history of electric streetlights.

March 7, 2013 - The Atlantic

Terry Pristin examines two pivotal projects currently under construction in Santa Monica that are poised to reconnect the city's historic civic center to the vibrant, walkable beachfront community.

March 7, 2013 - The New York Times

Just as the debate over the planned rezoning of the Midtown East neighborhood ossified into two strongly opposed camps, the city has provided more details on their recommendations and outlined an ambitious schedule for public review.

March 4, 2013 - Crain's New York Business

Montgomery County, Maryland is confronting a conundrum common to inner-ring suburbs now facing development pressures. How to make the case for protecting mid-century buildings that some consider too young, or "too plain or ugly," to preserve.

March 4, 2013 - The Washington Post

They're filled with musty bathrooms and peeling paint, and they're selling in the tens of millions of dollars. Jim Yardley examines New Delhi's real estate boom, which is driven by "ego, status and some unique distortions in India’s economy."

March 4, 2013 - The New York Times

Two position papers out this week present the opposing viewpoints in the contentious debate around New York's Midtown East rezoning. Should historic building protections in the area be expanded or should developers be allowed to maximize density?

March 1, 2013 - The New York Times

Brady Dale provides a list of quirky trivia (taken from the new book "A History of Future Cities") about the forward-looking creation of four mega-cities: Shanghai, Bombay, St. Petersburg and Dubai.

February 27, 2013 - Next City

A mixed-use development being proposed for the First Baptist Church's property in downtown Silver Spring is just the latest in a series of similar projects across the D.C. suburbs that are pitting congregations against preservationists.

February 26, 2013 - Greater Greater Washington

As the cruise industry grows, being a port of call is an increasingly lucrative proposition. However, many cities are having a hard time balancing "the economic benefits of cruise ships against their cultural and environmental impact."

February 22, 2013 - The New York Times

The Providence Arcade, thought to be America's oldest enclosed shopping mall, suffered the same fate as many of its 20th century brethren when it was shuttered in 2008. A developer seeks to revive the building as a mixed-use "micro-loft" complex.

February 21, 2013 - Mother Nature Network

In his new book "A History of Future Cities", journalist Daniel Brook visits four cities on the edge of the future: St. Petersburg, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Dubai.

February 19, 2013 - Places Journal

Anyone with an Internet connection can tell you when a city was founded. But after the trauma of urban renewal and suburban flight, how much historic fabric remains? Wendell Cox ranks metropolitan areas by their shares of pre-World War II homes.

February 15, 2013 - New Geography