History / Preservation
Historic Homes Are Losing Visitors, But Perhaps There’s An App for That
Of the thousands of historic homes across the country, many are seeing steep declines in visitors, reports J. Freedom du Lac. Consolidation and new technologies, such as smartphone apps, may be the best alternatives to closing doors.
Top Preservation Presents of 2012
As usual, 2012 has seen a host of prominent buildings threatened with demolition - from Chicago's Prentice Hospital to Baltimore’s Mechanic Theatre. But preservation has also seen some great successes. The National Trust tallies the top 10.
What Will be Rio's Olympic Legacy?
Flavie Halais cautions that urban development projects boosted by the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games could threaten Rio de Janeiro's historic port.
The Twin Cities's Worst Planning Mistakes
Tired of all those year end "Best of" lists? This should cleanse your palate. Marlys Harris has gathered a list of the nine worst decisions made by planners in the history of the Twin Cities.
Will Designs Placate Critics of NY Public Library Reno Plans?
Much has been written, both in favor and against, ambitious renovations planned for New York's landmark Public Library building on Fifth Avenue. Until this week, those opinions were written without the benefit of the architect's design concepts.
History of Urban Activism Told in New York's East Village
The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space opened Saturday on Avenue C near 10th Street. It's a tribute to the East Village's history of activism from the 1988 Tompkins Square Park riots to recent conflicts over community gardens, squats, and bicycle use.
NYC Rezoning Threatens Historic Buildings
New York's Municipal Arts Society has released a list of 17 historic buildings it believes are threatened by the Bloomberg administration's plans to re-zone a significant portion of the area surrounding Grand Central Terminal.
Revel in Outrageous Eastern Bloc Architecture
Anthony Paletta reviews the recent glut of art volumes devoted to communist architecture in the former Eastern bloc, and includes stunning photos of "sublime sci-fi" Soviet architecture largely unseen in the West.
Top 10 Books - 2013
Planetizen is pleased to release its eleventh annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2012.
One of New York's Most Important Landmarks Plots its Own Destruction
A new column by eminent critic Ada Louise Huxtable is cause enough to pay attention. When the topic is a controversial plan to irreparably alter one of NY's most important landmarks - the New York Public Library - it's your duty to read on.
George Washington Bashes America's First Starchitect
A letter written by George Washington that is set to be auctioned by Christie's details the founding father's conflicting views of Pierre Charles L’Enfant, diva designer of the District of Columbia.
Unlocking Ideas for Re-Purposing America's Prisons
The good news - America is closing its prisons. The bad news - America is closing its prisons. Emily Badger asks how "all these empty, peculiar and often isolated buildings" can be reused.
GSA Proposes a Trade for D.C.'s Unloved Hoover Building
The FBI may get the new building it's been clamoring for, and developers may get a prime opportunity on D.C.'s most prestigious avenue, if a recent proposal by the GSA comes to pass. But what will happen to one of the city's last Brutalist buildings?
'Block-Killing Blight' Remains a Stubborn Presence in Downtown L.A.
Despite the progress downtown L.A. has made over the last decade in becoming a vibrant, day-night, mixed-use community, "block-killing blight" remains a stubborn presence in the area's landscape. Ryan Vaillancourt calls out the worst offenders.
A High Line for the Upper East Side?
Matt Chaban reports on the making of “the Upper East Side’s very own High Line." Current proposals seek not only to "re-pedestrianize" Park Avenue, but also to restore some of its turn of the century glory.
Urban Planning Becomes a Weapon in Syrian Civil War
It's still far from clear what the political outcome of Syria's civil war will be. But for the country's built environment, the effects are stunningly evident. Millions of buildings have been damaged or destroyed since March 2011.
Two Influential Homes: Separated by Time, United in Spirit
Edwin Heathcote examines the common ethos that connects Kyoto's Katsura Imperial Villa and Los Angeles's Schindler House, "two homes, far apart in time and space, that influenced the modern movement."
Rudolph Renovation Shows How Far Brutalism Can Bend
While it doesn't sounds like the most historically sensitive renovation, designLAB's reworking of Paul Rudolph's Carney Library at UMass Dartmouth shows that Brutalist monoliths can be adapted to suit contemporary needs and tastes.
Teaching Architects to Succeed While Serving the Public Interest
The Public Interest Design Institute encourages architects to embrace participatory approaches in design that address complex social needs; demonstrating that it's possible to "make a career as an architect serving those who need the most help."
Adapting Modernist Landscapes for Contemporary Needs
Alex Ulam discusses the challenges of redesigning mid-century urban landscapes to accommodate contemporary tastes and social activities, drawing on examples like Dan Kiley's North Court at Lincoln Center and Boston City Hall Plaza.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
