Land Use
Should New York Better Police Its Skyline?
As a Billionaires' Row of sky-high residences rises along 57th Street, towering above Central Park, Michael Kimmelman wonders if it's time to tame the "leggy, cloud-piercing, sliver-thin residential towers".
Even Controlling For Poverty, Urban Places Are Thinner Than Suburbs
Poor neighborhoods tend to be fatter than rich ones, whether they are urban or suburban. However, poor urban areas tend to be thinner than poor suburban areas, and rich urban areas tend to be thinner than rich suburban areas.
As Developers Reach for the Sky, New Yorkers Lose Their Access to the Sun
While much attention has been paid to the stunning views that NYC's new skyscrapers offer their affluent tenants, the effects on those left in their shadow are rarely discussed.
Reaching the Limits of Passionate Defense: Time to Turn Back
Ben Brown confronts the politics of NO and finds -- spoiler alert(!) -- "to score, you need to shoot, and to shoot, you need the puck." Welcome to the waning days of Passionate D.
2013 Started a New Chapter in L.A.'s Story
Will 2013 be remembered as the year that Los Angeles embraced a new urban identity? Cultural, political, and planning and design-related events over the past year seem to suggest the city is experiencing "an urban reawakening".
Evaluating the Impact of Conservation Subdivision Implementation
Aslıgül Göçmen examines the environmental impact of conservation subdivision design.
India's Innovative Green City Ignores Timeless Design Lessons
Rajarhat's Rabi Rashmi Abasan (Solar Housing Complex) is being hailed as a trend-setter for India's efforts to increase its use of renewable energy. But the urban design of the new city rising on the edge of Kolkata ignores timeless lessons.
LEED Neighborhood Rises in Shadow of Pioneering Seattle Shopping Mall
A sprawling parking lot next to one of America's first suburban shopping malls is undergoing a monumental transformation into a dense mixed-use community complete with restorative park.
Exhibit Celebrates Supergraphics Pioneer
Designer Deborah Sussman was drawn to Los Angeles in 1953 by an opportunity to work in the studio of Charles and Ray Eames. Over the next sixty years, she helped to define how residents and others see the city. A new exhibit chronicles her work.
Could a Controversial Project Inspire the Retrofitting of San Diego's Suburbs?
Urbanists hope approving a proposal to allow a 23-acre parcel zoned for 500,000 square feet of office space be developed with 1.4 million square feet of mixed-uses could stimulate suburban retrofits across San Diego.
Farms Become the Latest Must-Have Suburban Amenity
Forget about golf courses and swimming pools, says Luke Runyon, developers are drawing in residents by integrating fully functioning farms into their new neighborhoods.
What Could Philadelphia Teach Rome About Reducing Traffic?
Rome's new mayor spent two decades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and he's bringing lessons learned while living car-free in the United States to help solve Rome's traffic problems.
Are We Designing the Wrong Solutions to America's Health Problems?
From encouraging physical activity to improving access to healthy food, planners and designers are increasingly tackling America's public health challenges. But what if cars, suburbs, and food deserts aren't to blame for our unhealthy lifestyles?
Lifestyle Solution Sought for Austin's Snarled Traffic
Austin has a giant traffic tangle on its hands. And because the city largely ignored the growing problem for years, transportation planning experts believe only drastic changes in behavior and lifestyle will ease the snarl.
Portland Developers Get Creative to Fill Glut of Ground-Level Retail
Ground-level retail is often seen as essential for activating urban streets. But what happens when developers have a hard time finding tenants? In Portland, vacant spaces are being converted into ground-level apartments to meet high housing demand.
Approvals Binge Consumes Bloomberg's Waning Days
With only two weeks left in office, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is still adding to one of the most visible legacies of his administration - the city's evolving built environment. Approvals are being sought for more than $12 billion worth of projects.
Why the Titans of Tech Must Become Better Urbanists
Technology companies are increasing their presence in cities, adopting the language of planners, and seeking to create communities. Yet, according to Allison Arieff, the sector does a uniformly poor job of contributing to urban vitality.
Is Tall All There Is?
Should planners be pushing to remove height limits to meet the growing demand for housing?
Detroit Blight Fight Begins in Earnest Monday
75 teams of surveyors will fan out across Detroit on Monday to begin cataloging the city's vacant buildings block-by-block. One of the leaders of the effort is estimating that eliminating blight could cost $1 billion.
Grant Helps Extend NYC Plaza Program into Less Affluent Areas
By transforming excess street space in areas like Times Square and Herald Square into pedestrian paradises, New York City's plaza program has been a huge hit. But with maintenance costs borne by local businesses, less affluent areas have missed out.
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.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
