Land Use
A Novel Approach for Eliminating Surface Parking Lots
In Minneapolis, and cities across the country, surface parking lots are an enduring blight on urban landscapes; their presence often incentivized by existing tax structures. Could a new approach to property taxation maximize the productivity of land?
Top 10 Books - 2013
Planetizen is pleased to release its eleventh annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2012.
Mapping the Leaders of Public Interest Design
For its inaugural list of the "Public Interest Design 100," PublicInterestDesign.org and research partner the University of Minnesota College of Design have identified the key figures leading the convergence of design and service.
Massive Engineering Projects Transform Seattle's Waterfront
The formerly industrial shoreline of Puget Sound will soon undergo $4.5 billion worth of engineering projects that will complete Seattle's waterfront transformation, reports Kirk Johnson.
George Washington Bashes America's First Starchitect
A letter written by George Washington that is set to be auctioned by Christie's details the founding father's conflicting views of Pierre Charles L’Enfant, diva designer of the District of Columbia.
Bloomberg Backs Beachfront Rebuild
In a speech Thursday, Mayor Bloomberg laid out his strategy for rebuilding a stronger, smarter New York in anticipation of future natural disasters.
NASA Gives Light to the Globe at Night
This week, scientists unveiled unprecedented images of the Earth at night, as captured by a new NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite.
Sand Dunes Prove Their Worth Along the NY Shore
Surfers, local businesses and residents alike rallied against kicking in $7 million for an Army Corps of Engineers plan to elevate beaches and erect sand dunes in Long Beach, NY six years ago. Post-Hurricane Sandy, most regret this choice.
Unlocking Ideas for Re-Purposing America's Prisons
The good news - America is closing its prisons. The bad news - America is closing its prisons. Emily Badger asks how "all these empty, peculiar and often isolated buildings" can be reused.
'Block-Killing Blight' Remains a Stubborn Presence in Downtown L.A.
Despite the progress downtown L.A. has made over the last decade in becoming a vibrant, day-night, mixed-use community, "block-killing blight" remains a stubborn presence in the area's landscape. Ryan Vaillancourt calls out the worst offenders.
Landscape Architects Step Into Vacuum Left by Planners and Architects
Landscape Architecture is a field in the ascendency, writes Alan G. Brake. Its rise can be traced to the inability of Architects and Planners to engage with some of the most important challenges of our time.
How Robert Moses Put NYC's Poor in Sandy's Path
Recently a destination for luxury development, New York's waterfront has historically been home to the city's poor. When Sandy inundated these vulnerable populations, it "looked like a perverse stroke of urban planning," writes Jonathan Mahler.
Can China Ditch the Cars and Superblocks for More Livable Cities?
In his work developing plans for six new cities in China, Peter Calthorpe has a unique perspective on what the country must do to build sustainable cities to house its growing urban population. He shares his insights with Fortune's Brian Dumaine.
Do You Walmart?
Saying "no" to Walmart does not remove the wants and needs they exist to serve. If you want a more locally-oriented community, you need a more local-friendly system, says Scott Doyon.
Opening the Atlantic Coast for Offshore Wind Farms
The U.S. Department of the Interior has cleared the way for what could become the first offshore wind projects in the country. Next year, lease sales will be offered on 278,00 acres of land off the coasts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia.
Ranking North America's Smartest Cities
For those of you who've been anxiously waiting since Boyd Cohen published his list of Europe's smartest cities last month...wait no longer, North America's top 10 smartest cities have been revealed.
Extra, Extra: LA Has a Dense Urban Center
Award-winning research conducted by University of Southern California graduate Samuel Krueger shows that Los Angeles really does have a gooey chocolate - whoops...dense, urban center.
D.C. Updates its Zoning Code to the Delight of Some, and Horror of Others
Washington D.C. is embarking on the first update to its zoning code since 1958. In advance of consideration by the city's Zoning Commission next spring, controversy has erupted around - you guessed it - parking!
Will Minneapolis Finally Get its Signature Park?
Could the nascent plan for Gateway Park satiate Minneapolitans suffering from downtown park envy?
Learning from Barcelona
Planetizen blogger Brent Toderian returns from a recent trip to Barcelona with six ideas every city should steal from the Catalonian capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
