The finalists from the WRI Ross Prize for Cities have been announced.
Anne Maassen and Madeleine Galvin collect five examples from around the world to showcase "what urban transformation really looks like."
"Experts point to the need for urban transformation, yet few people have a concrete sense of how to trigger and sustain such rapid change," according to Maassen and Galvin.
That's where the WRI Ross Prize for Cities comes in. The first-ever prize competition sought real world examples of urban transformation. Nearly 200 applicants submitted nominees for the $250,000 prize, and five finalists were recently announced.
- Inclusive transport on Medellin's Metrocable.
- The School Area Road Safety Assessment and Improvement (SARSAI) in Tanzania and now a dozen countries.
- A co-created public space in Durban South Africa, the work of Asiye eTafuleni (AeT).
- A waste-picker cooperative in Pune, India
- Integrating nature and public transit on the Porsuk River in Eskisehir, Turkey.
FULL STORY: 5 Cities Show What Urban Transformation Really Looks Like
Is the Urban Form Sustainable?
One author offers a framework for resilience that rethinks common assumptions about the inevitability of cities as we know them.
Singapore: A Model for Longevity and Quality of Life
Singapore's remarkable rise in life expectancy, driven by government policies on health, green spaces, and social cohesion, has earned it the distinction of being named the world's sixth “Blue Zone.”
Iowa Towns Embrace a ‘Shrink Smart’ Approach
Population loss doesn’t have to be a harbinger of doom. Some rural communities are taking small but impactful steps to improve quality of life for their remaining residents.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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