Land Use

Play Planner With Auckland Growth Simulator

In a quest to develop a plan to house the additional 1 million people expected to grow New Zealand's largest city in the next 30 years, Auckland is asking residents to submit ideas by using a "housing simulator" game.

April 23, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Will Vitality Be Trampled in the Rush to 'Modernize' Midtown Manhattan?

In a scathing op-ed for The New York Times, architect Robert Stern challenges the city's drive to densify East Midtown without paying the requisite attention to preservation, infrastructure, and the elements that give vitality to great cities.

April 23, 2013 - The New York Times

Seattle Looks to L.A. for Lessons on Creating an Entertainment District From Scratch

Although its inward-facing corporate design may be loathed by architects and planners, L.A. Live's success in helping to draw redevelopment and activity to South Park is indisputable. Can its successes be replicated in Seattle?

April 22, 2013 - The Seattle Times

Op-Ed: Invest in Natural-Hazard Mitigation to Save Billions in Disaster Recovery

With the costs of rebuilding after natural disaster in the U.S. escalating (now estimated at $50 billion a year), David R. Conrad and Edward A. Thomas argue that scant resources can be better spent on mitigation rather than rebuilding in place.

April 21, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Mielparque Nikko Kirifuri Resort

Still Learning: An Interview with Denise Scott Brown

In excerpts from an interview with Planetizen contributor Sean Varsolona, Denise Scott Brown of Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates offers insights and provocations on sustainability, New Urbanism, and the social awareness of today’s young urbanists.

April 19, 2013 - Sean Varsolona

Suburbs and Exurbs Were Hit Hardest by Great Recession

A new report from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program shows that areas located 10-35 miles from America's central cities sustained far higher job losses during the recession, staunching the sprawl of people and employment.

April 19, 2013 - Next City

Chicagoland Interventions Show the Value in Temporary Projects

Jared Green looks at some of the innovative projects recognized by Chicago's Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) for their ability to creatively transform blighted lots into community assets.

April 19, 2013 - ASLA The Dirt

Will L.A. Overturn a Controversial Fast Food Ban?

After four years of banning the construction of new stand-alone fast food restaurants in South L.A., the city's planning department is considering raising the ban amid increasing questions about the impact of food deserts on obesity.

April 18, 2013 - KCET

80-Acre Site in Queens to Test Prototypes for Storm Resiliency

While a massive redevelopment project waits to proceed, an 80-acre oceanfront site in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of New York City will host a competition to advance concepts for resilient waterfront development, reports Matt Chaban.

April 18, 2013 - Crain's New York Business

New U.S. Ocean Policy Balances Industry, Energy, and Recreation

The National Ocean Policy released this week by the White House is being praised by many as a collaborative response to the myriad challenges confronting the nation's oceans. For others, it's just another example of federal overreach.

April 17, 2013 - The Washington Post

Strengthening Responses, Rather than Prevention, Seen as the Key to Combating Terrorism

Having the resources and training to adequately respond to bombings and incidents of mass violence are more effective than trying to prevent every act of terrorism from happening, says public safety authority.

April 17, 2013 - Next City

Portland Parklet

Portland Parklets Program Gets Kicked to the Curb

A pilot program introduced parklets to Portland last summer to seemingly widespread applause. Fearing the loss of parking, a group representing downtown business owners has successfully lobbied the city to cancel the program in the downtown core.

April 17, 2013 - BikePortland.org

Skywalk Plan Threatens Cleveland's Budding Street Life

A downtown Cleveland casino is pushing to build a skywalk to connect to its parking garage located across the street. Recognizing the anti-urban implications of the plan, an unlikely activist has organized opposition to the project.

April 17, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Atlanta Artist Paints Suburban Ennui

Today's suburbs have discarded the human-scaled patterns they once promised. This newly resurfaced series of paintings from Atlanta artist Meg Aubrey will leave you longing for the world we neglected to build.

April 16, 2013 - PlaceShakers

Miami Tops When it Comes to Roadway Efficiency

Miami probably isn't the first city you think of when it comes to the efficiency of its road infrastructure. New York, yes. San Francisco or Boston, maybe. But Miami? Chris Dickersin-Prokopp explains the surprising results culled from census data.

April 16, 2013 - Greater Greater Washington

Boston Marathon

Why Target the Boston Marathon?

Any suspected motives for the tragic events that unfolded near the finish of the Boston Marathon yesterday are conjecture as of the writing of this post. But Nicholas Thompson endeavors to explain the meaning of this celebrated event.

April 16, 2013 - The New Yorker

Environment Explains Obesity

Tara Haelle examines the growing consensus among scientists that environmental factors, rather than genes or sloth, are the primary cause of childhood obesity. The onus is on planners and policy makers to create environments that nurture health.

April 15, 2013 - Scientific American

The Case for Greening the Great White Way

In an opinion piece, Jeff Speck lays out his case for pedestrianizing Broadway throughout Manhattan. Portions of the street have already been given over to public space, so why not expand the conversion and introduce more green into the city?

April 15, 2013 - New York Daily News

Will Increasing Density Allow Houston to Better House its Middle Class?

In order to facilitate the construction of more workforce housing, Houston is considering changing its development rules for the first time in 14 years. Will increasing density limits in the "doughnut" beyond Loop 610 help bring down prices?

April 15, 2013 - Houston Chronicle

APA 2013: Dispatches from Chicago

This year's host for the APA National Conference, themed "Plan Big," is the city that virtually invented modern big picture planning. But what does Chicago's seeming inability to plan comprehensively say about the state of contemporary planning?

April 14, 2013 - Jonathan Nettler

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.