History / Preservation

An Example of Post-Industrial Rebirth

Germany's Ruhr region, a former coal and steel powerhouse that fell into decline, has shown major improvements in recent years, offering hope for other post-industrial cities.

October 12, 2010 - Citiwire

Reviews and Reflections on the Best New Urban Parks

The New Republic offers a look and review of some of the nation's best new urban parks.

October 9, 2010 - The New Republic

San Francisco's Missing Statue of Liberty

The history of San Francisco's version of the Statue of Liberty, and how it disappeared, is discussed in this episode of 99% Invisible, a new radio segment from KALW.

October 6, 2010 - 99% Invisible

Preservationists Save Uncle Tom's Cabin. Oh, Wait...

State and county officials spent over two million dollars saving a cabin thought to be the former home of Josiah Henson, the model for the Uncle Tom character in the novel. New evidence shows they were wrong.

October 5, 2010 - The Washington Post

Photographing a Decade of Difference in East Germany

After a trip through Eastern Germany in 1990 photographing blasted out buildings from World War Two, photographer Stefan Koppelkamm's second trip ten years later revealed vastly renovated places -- to his disappointment.

October 1, 2010 - Der Spiegel

Trying to Protect Farms and Forests, But Saving Open Space

A land use law passed in Oregon in the 1970s that was meant to protect farmland and forests hasn't really protected either, according to a new report.

September 29, 2010 - The Idaho Statesman

Could Classic Hill Towns Be a Model for Town Planning?

In classic hill towns, people showed innovation and dynamic placemaking--lessons learned for urbanism in the new century, says Chuck Wolfe.

September 27, 2010 - myurbanist

Who Killed the Streetcar?

It's an article of faith among many that GM, Firestone, and Standard Oil destroyed the streetcar networks of the early 20th century. Stephen Smith suggests that Progressive Era and New Deal planners and politicians should shoulder more of the blame.

September 23, 2010 - Market Urbanism

Much Despised Building Finally Comes Down

In Hartford, Connecticut, a former department store that locals call "butt-ugly" is being demolished. Delays in its destruction had come to symbolize all that is wrong with Hartford politics, says Josh Goodman of Governing.

September 16, 2010 - Governing Magazine

Stopping Development to Protect a View

A cemetery on a high hill in Brooklyn is hoping to convince the city of the importance of its views -- a move that could have a big impact on future large developments in the area.

September 15, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Obama and Historic Preservation

In a talk on Monday with residents of Fairfax, Virginia, Obama answers a question about historic preservation, and says he is a "huge booster" of preservation.

September 15, 2010 - National Trust For Historic Preservation

Making the Transit-Land Value Connection

When the link between transit operators and real estate developers was severed in the early 20th century, transit became both unprofitable and unresponsive to market demand, and land value-lowering MTA cuts are just one example, says Stephen Smith.

September 14, 2010 - Market Urbanism

Historical Commission Give Permission to Demolish 19th c. Church

The Church of the Assumption, a mid-19th century building, is slated to be demolished. The Philadelphia Historical Commission is allowing the demolition after the non-profit that owns the site claimed it was financially incapable of the repairs.

September 13, 2010 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The City of London Diversifies With New Mall

The City of London - the financial district comprised of one square mile of London's Roman boundary has erected a new shopping center that planners hope will stimulate the area's development as a competitor to the busier West End.

September 13, 2010 - The Guardian

Re-Examining the Geography of New Orleans Post-Spill

In the wake of the BP oil spill, geographer Richard Campanella of Tulane University takes a look at the geography of New Orleans and the Gulf region, and suggests that the disaster will fuel a renewed discussion of the area's uniqueness.

September 12, 2010 - Places

The Example of Miami, a Global City

Miami could be the next major American city, and one that other global cities should try to emulate, according to this interview with economist Saskia Sassen.

September 10, 2010 - Foreign Policy

The Myth of the City

In this essay from Lapham's Quarterly, Lewis Lapham muses on the nature of the city: how it is perceived, by whom and for whom; and how it incubates new ideas and facilitates democracy.

September 8, 2010 - AlterNet

Exporting Suburbanism

Developing countries have begun importing Western-style pro-sprawl urban planning policies, often to their detriment. Kuala Lumpur and cities across the communist world are examined.

September 7, 2010 - Market Urbanism

Has American Individualism Failed Society as a Whole?

Mary Newsom questions the current and diminishing lack of public worth in the United States today. " Americans have stopped believing that value is something everyone deserves," she writes.

September 6, 2010 - Charlotte Observer

The Urban and Civic Impact of Daniel Burnham

A documentary airing nationally on PBS today looks at the work of Daniel Burnham and the emergence of the urban planning profession.

September 6, 2010 - Architectural Record

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.