Land Use
Businesses Claims That Bike Lanes Ruin Business
In downtown Vancouver, where bike lanes have replaced parking spots on some strips, shop owners have complained that they are bad for business. A new study disproves the theory - kinda.
Universal Principles for Creating a Sustainable City
Freiburg, Germany has become a stunning model of sustainability, thanks in part to Wulf Daseking, the city's Head of Urban Planning since 1984. Sven Eberlein vists Daseking in Freiberg for this interview.
A Tour of Three Detroit Community Gardens
Community gardens are popping up all over Detroit. This post from Model D takes a tour through three of them, and explores how they balance art and nature.
Density Brings in More Tax Income Than Big Box
Dense downtowns provide more tax revenues for cities than strip mall and big box development on a per acre basis, according to a new study.
The Emotional Landscape of Vacancy
Vacancy has left parts of the Midwest shattered, resulting in an insecurity which invokes a diluted "fight or flight" response. Restoring the psychological landscape of cities is a difficult, but essential, first step, says Richey Piiparinen.
Making Places in Houston
Houston is leading the way in creating new public spaces. This article from The Project for Public Spaces looks at a few of the city's efforts.
Reinterpreting the City Clutter of Utility Boxes
Utility boxes are cluttering city streets all over the world. But they're not going away, and cities should start to try to find new ways to blend them into the urban fabric, according to this article from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bringing New Life to Urban Rail Lines
Cities across the country are breathing new life into abandoned and disused inner city rail lines.
Why Public Art?
Public art plays a role in cities across the world. But what role exactly, and for what purpose? Glass House Conversations explores these questions in this series.
Pedestrians' Dangerous Walk in Mumbai
The doubling of car traffic in the past 20 years in Mumbai has created a transit culture that has become dangerous for pedestrians. More than 44 percent of Mumbai citizens walk to work, and 78 percent road fatalities are pedestrians, a study finds.
Stamp of Approval for Green Roofs
The New York City Council voted last week to alter the city's code to encourage green roofs and urban gardening.
"Pop-Up Cafes" Hit New York
New York City has led the way in tactical urbanism for some time, like the pedestrian plaza in Times Square. Now they're encouraging "pop-up cafes", or cafe table seating that takes over excess roadway.
The History of Washington D.C.'s Sidewalk Cafes
Washington D.C.'s first sidewalk cafe opened 5-plus years ago. This piece from The Washington Post looks at the history of outdoor eating in the city, and how the trend has picked up over the years.
Can the Ultra-Ex Project Save Cleveland?
"Vacancy begets vacancy." With more than 1,000 vacant lots adding to the city's running total of 20,000 each year, Cleveland is on an Ultra-Ex mission to prepare these sites for tomorrow's housing renaissance.
Parking Location Makes All the Difference
The location of parked cars can either destroy walkability or enhance it, writes urbanist Steve Mouzon.
Placemaking Capital of the U.S.: Houston?
The Project for Public Spaces says that despite its reputation as a sprawling, planning-free city, Houston is turning the lack of city planning to its advantage by inspiring a bottom-up approach.
New MIT Data Analysis Tool Aims To Rationalize Planning
Andres Sevstuk, lecturer at MIT and head of the City Form Research Group describes how the new Urban Network Analysis Toolbox is, "taking a much more rigorous approach to look at the work of urban design."
Parking Becomes Park in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is opening its first "parklet" -- a small public park space built on street parking spaces.
Why Did the U.S. Allow Its Cities to Decline?
Frank Gruber asks, "why, not how." Many of the explanations for decline are clear; why it was allowed to happen, less so. Gruber highlights "suspects" of what might have led to cities' destruction.
Guggenheim City Laboratory Arrives in NYC
The BMW Guggenheim Lab is a traveling exhibition that will visit nine cities in the next six years, providing a public space to explore the challenges of today's cities.
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
