Land Use
The Modern-Day Reality of New Deal Utopias
This slideshow from Design Observer takes a look at New Deal-era utopian cities as they exist today.
A Look at the World's Most Walkable Cities
NRDC's Kaid Benfield offers a photographic look at the 10 most walkable cities in the world, as chosen by Frommer's.
Giant Legs Sculpture Kicks Off Land Use Debate
The WSJ reports on tensions over a 16-foot-tall sculpture prominently displayed in a private yard in the artsy village of Sag Harbor, and the larger debate of whether art should be exempt from traditional land use rules and regulations.
A Think Tank for an Urban Garden
With new fast food restaurants temporarily banned in South L.A. and few new sources of food coming into the area, one local architecture professor set his students loose to work on ideas for a small urban farm.
Looking at Urban Design Through a Public Health Lens
New York City's Health Commissioner has urban design in his sights as he seeks to improve public health in the city.
Grassroots Planning Transforming Waterfront in Corpus Christi, TX
A group of citizens calling themselves Destination Bayfront have led the charge to turn their underused waterfront into a destination hotspot.
Residents vs. Opera-Singing Waiters
Colloseo, a restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach, wants to feature Luca, their opera-singing waiter, as part of the ambience. The Telegraph Hill Dwellers, an influential neighborhood situation, says no.
Top 10 Books - 2011
Planetizen is pleased to release its ninth annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2010. This year's selection includes some big names, some big ideas -- and a book called "Toilet."
Failures in Thailand's Shopping Mall Urbanism
Shopping malls are scattered all over Bangkok. On one hand they create a distinct urban setting in the city, but they also fall far short of creating actual community, according to this post.
High Speed Rail Versus Historic Tree
A historic tree near the campus of Stanford University is the centerpiece of a fight to redirect California's planned high speed rail project.
An Ecological Urbanism or a New Urbanism?
Urban Omnibus offers a summary of the recent debate that went down over the future of Harvard's Graduate School of Design concerning urban design, landscape urbanism and new urbanism.
Dome City Dreamed for Abandoned Siberian Mine
A Russian construction company wants to build a 100,000-person city in an abandoned diamond mine, and cover it with a dome.
An Even More Urban Future in Japan
Major developments have been popping up all over Japan's heavily urbanized cities. This piece from The Diplomat looks at what urban future lies ahead for Japan.
Planner Malpractice?
Amanda Thompson, planning director of Decatur, GA, suggests that it is a good thing there isn't such a thing as "designer malpractice" or planners would be sued for the horrible impact their work has had on the public health.
Rethinking Detroit
Detroit reporter John Gallagher's new book "Reimagining Detroit" considers what it will take to remake The Motor City into a model that will work for the future.
The Evolving Attitude of Environmentalists
Passage of a bill in Berkeley that allows taller buildings to be built in the city's downtown illustrates changing attitudes about development amongst environmentalists.
Officials Fight to Remediate Contamination Underneath Main Olympic Site
A heavily contaminated site formerly used for chemical storage in East London provides an expensive lesson in urban brownfield remediation for government officials preparing the city for the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games.
Quantifying the Impact of Abandoned Properties in Philly
A new study suggests that Philadelphia's 40,000 vacant buildings reduce home values by as much as $8,000 and cost the city $20 million per year in maintenance.
The Not-Quite-20-Minute Neighborhood
Portland wants to create a series of "20-minute neighborhoods" -- places where people can walk, within 20 minutes, to most of the places they need to go and the services they need. Some neighborhoods are already there, but others have a ways to go.
The Wisdom and Future of Short-Run Transit
By looking at three Los Angeles examples of very short rail lines, writer Alissa Walker suggests that seemingly pointless but fun transit systems could be the best way to use transit to improve urban areas.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont