History / Preservation
Why Ugly Buildings Matter
Llewellyn Hinkes-Jones makes a strong argument for why ugly buildings deserve some love.
Planned Restoration of the Colosseum May Cause Irreparable Damage
Laura Allsop chronicles the controversial plans, which have caused consternation amongst heritage workers and restorers.
The Next Frontier for Historic Preservation: The Moon
Writing in the New York Times, Kenneth Chang explores the challenges of Historic Preservation in an unlikely location, the surface of the moon.
Defining Los Angeles
Writing on the topic of Los Angeles Times Architecture Critic Christopher Hawthorne's year-long series exploring the city through its literature, Nate Berg talks to the author about his critical touchstones and common themes.
A Call to Reject the NYU Expansion Plan
New York University's 20-year expansion plan could become a dangerous precedent for overbuilding by bypassing the city's open space zoning rules, argues Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.
Trying to Preserve a Piece of San Francisco History
San Francisco's Coit Tower is one of the city's historic and iconic buildings, and it's also home to a collection of historic fresco paintings of Depression-era California. But the building and its paintings are falling apart.
Reviewing the History of New York's Grid
The New York Times' architecture critic, Michael Kimmelman, reviews a new exhibition exploring the history of the city's grid and streets.
A Historic Preservation Backlash in San Francisco
San Francisco's planning and permitting process has become so complicated and expensive that former advocates of preservation are now fighting back against the city's historic preservation efforts.
Quebec's 'Plan lumière' Sets the City Aglow at Night
As part of its 400th birthday celebration, Quebec City kicked off a plan that involves lighting up its historic landmarks at night.
Jane Jacobs Kicked Off Intertwined Revolutions Of Early 1960s
1961 marked an extraordinary year for urbanism, with the publication of Death and life of Great American Cities, and also foreshadowed two other intellectual and social revolutions led by women: environmentalism and feminism.
Pritzker Fully Restoring Frank Lloyd Wright House
The Frank Lloyd Wright-design Emil Bach House in Chicago will be brought back to original, historical accuracy. Reportedly going well beyond budget, the century-old house will be rented to overnight guests when completed.
Reflecting on Delhi
Delhi was being celebrated as a capital for the first time, under British rule, a hundred years ago. This short piece from the Economist compares today's Delhi with the images of fanfare in December 1911.
The Politics of the Public Christmas Tree
Leon Neyfakh of The Boston Globe examines the unexpectedly cohesive political roots of the controversial civic symbol.
Skyscraper District Faces Real Estate Board Opposition
The plan to historically designate downtown Brooklyn's skyscrapers, which has been approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, is facing backlash from the city's Real Estate Board.
Land Conservation Increasing in Spite of Recession
Land trust have been able to increase their holds during the last five years. Lower land prices and conservation easements on working ranches and farms have enabled greater conservation efforts.
Washington DC Imagines Itself Without Transit
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is celebrating its 35th anniversary and is finding ways to ascertain exactly what the agency has brought to the region.
Ice Cube's LA Vision...at the Eames
In this short video, Ice Cube waxes poetic about Los Angeles' attitude, highways, and landmarks.
NYC Housing Dept. Not Reaping Benefits of $33 Million Program
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development's "alternative enforcement program," designed to get landlords to make improvements on the city's worst buildings, is not living up to its potential.
A Primer on NYC "Backhouses"
This blog post showcases the "backhouses" in and around Greenwich Village. The small residential structures behind other buildings can range from carriage houses for elegant rowhouses to those of tenements.
Congregations vs. Preservationists in Struggle Over Historic Churches
The Catholic Church and other religious groups are facing hard times, with more churches to maintain than their dwindling numbers can support. But when they are clearly landmarks, should churches be allowed to sell off their building stock?
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
