Lessons From the Great Recession

Professionals working in the built and natural environments have been through tough times before. A recent webinar offered a few prominent urban designers a chance to discuss how they coped with the last big economic downturn.

1 minute read

May 5, 2020, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Bank Owned

Olivier Le Queinec / Shutterstock

"The Great Recession had a devastating impact on urbanists—architects, developers, and planners went out of business in large numbers in 2008 and 2009," writes Robert Steuteville. "Yet the upheaval also brought opportunity and innovation along with other silver linings."

Searching for signs about what to expect for the related fields of planning, architecture, and development, the Congress for the New Urbanism held a webinar on the subject. Steuteville recaps the discussion in the source article. Many of the participants in the discussion talked about the opportunities for reflection and evaluation during a downturn, and the possibility for innovation born out of a necessity for adaptation.


Thursday, April 23, 2020 in CNU Public Square

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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