Land Use
San Francisco Looks for the Next Big DIY Thing
With the global success of the city's homegrown "parklets" program firmly established, the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts is hosting a series of "urban prototyping" festivals in S.F. in the hopes of finding the next DIY superstar.
Spruce Up Your Scaffolding With Softwalks
Jordan Kushins spotlights an innovative kit of parts that can be attached to sidewalk scaffolding to create pop-up public spaces.
Hong Kong's Pedestrian Networks Redefine Civic Space
Nate Berg looks at how Hong Kong's unique pedestrian infrastructure of elevated walkways and underground tunnels has affected the city's use of public and private spaces, and shifted urban behaviors.
Finding Mayor Bloomberg's Fingerprints on a Transformed New York
As the end of the Bloomberg Era in New York draws to a close, The Architect's Newspaper goes agency by agency exploring how the Mayor has steered the forces of NYC real estate to meet goals for a cleaner, greener, and more equitable city.
What is the World's Most Vulnerable City to Flooding?
Based on a range of data, including 19 different components, a new study examining cities located on river deltas has determined that Shanghai is the most vulnerable to major flooding.
Democratic Design Arrives at Venice Biennale
One of the highlights of the global architectural calendar, the Biennale is a place to share and discuss the big ideas impacting the field. For this year's U.S. Pavilion, curators are going small by showcasing 124 projects by self-empowered citizens.
New Zoning Code Debuts in Philly
This week, Philadelphia officially enacted the long-overdue replacement to its antiquated 1962 zoning code. City leaders hope the simplified and modernized code will encourage development.
Are Cities Becoming as 'Dull' as the Suburbs?
With the world's supposedly fashionable neighborhoods "increasingly as banal, antisocial and plain dull as any suburb," Feargus O'Sullivan explains why he's perfectly happy to have ditched inner London for the burbs.
America's Best Small Cities
Money Magazine lists the top 20 best 'small cities' (pop. 50,000 to 300,000). Located in all corners of the U.S., these cities offer small town charm with big city amenities.
USC's $1.1 Billion Makeover Halted Over Fears of Displacement
A massive $1.1 billion plan to develop residential and retail uses on land adjacent to the University of Southern California's South L.A. campus was halted by a committee of the Los Angeles City Council this week over concerns about displacement.
Turning Vacant Lots from Eyesore to Opportunity
Vacant lots in American cities consume vast amounts of land, which many are now recognizing as places of opportunity. Some cities and citizens are transforming once empty urban spaces into vibrant community-fostering places.
Suburban Canada Dreams of Density
As one of North America's largest suburbs, Mississauga is joining some of its neighbors in the Greater Toronto Area in planning an unprecedented effort to replace its suburban roots with something more urban.
Better Block Event Reintroduces San Antonio to The Alamo
Businesses and residents in San Antonio are celebrating what a temporary makeover of Alamo Plaza last weekend revealed about the potential to bring locals back to the city's tourist mecca.
Rising Sea Levels Threaten Boston's Historic Treasures and Much Else
Citing a "near-term risk" of rising tides, city planners in Boston are grappling with how to prepare residents and businesses for the effects of climate change, reports Monica Brady-Myerov.
Imagining a Future Without Freeways
Giving new meaning to the phrase "take back the streets," Neal Peirce writes about the arguments in favor of a "freeway free" future for the world's cities, which was the subject of a recent Rockefeller Foundation Conference held in Bellagio, Italy.
What Ottawa Has to Teach Us about Great Urbanism
Hazel Borys concludes her popular photo series on lessons from Canadian urbanism with a look at Ottawa, whose charming historic character is illegal to reproduce today in its more auto-centric outskirts.
Transformation of Toronto's Main Drag Gives City Reason to Celebrate
The wild success of a "pop-up urban intervention” transforming Toronto's Yonge Street has Christopher Hume and the city's residents excited about the ability of small moves to have a big impact.
Late to the Parklets Craze, L.A. Plays Catch Up
With only one parklet completed in the city thus far, L.A. has its work cut out to catch its pioneering northern neighbor San Francisco, and their 40 parklets. By the end of this week, however, the city hopes to have the ball rolling.
A Burning Man Guide to City Reinvention
After two decades of pushing the boundaries of what it means to build a community (both physically and spiritually), the annual Burning Man festival has a lot to teach municipalities about providing services and fostering participation.
Funding Strains Dampen the Views at America's National Parks
America's national parks are as popular as ever. But, as the national park system approaches its 100th anniversary in 2016, years of strained budgets and deferred maintenance are conspiring to spoil the celebration.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
