The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Mega-Regions Rule the World
Richard Florida notes that there are only 40 significant mega-regions that drive the global economy, and are poised for faster recovery from the economic slowdown.
Ugliest Buildings in the World
Travel + Leisure Magazine picks their worst buildings ever, including a Michael Graves-designed office in Portland and the National Library of Belarus.
Bank Lending Habits Hurting TOD
Transit oriented development is having a hard time taking hold in Salt Lake City. Some say the parking preferences of lenders are to blame.
Food Deserts in Los Angeles
A coalition of community groups in L.A. has banded together to address the lack of access to healthy food in sections of East and South Central Los Angeles.
Postcard from Dubai
A TIME reporter attempts to pay a visit to The World, the collection of manmade islands off the coast of Dubai that has gone from dream to disappointment in the economic crisis.
Food and Urban Form
Carolyn Steel gives a talk inspired by her new book "Hungry Cities," about the history of feeding urban areas, and the ways in which food might reach increasingly urban populations in the future.
Can Traffic Be Good for the Environment?
When it turns frustrated drivers to different modes like transit, walking, biking and carpooling, says writer David Owen.
BLOG POST
Universal Design - Accommodating Everybody
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman">I spent the last week teaching a professional development course for young planners in Buenos Aries, Argentina. It’s been a wonderful experience – my students are smart and enthusiastic, and Buenos Aries is a vibrant city with old-world charm. The buildings, plazas and old statues are beautiful and dignified, although a little frayed around the edges.
Aliens Invade Tokyo Subway
A public art piece installed in the Tokyo Subway imagines that an alien race has lived underground since long before the subway was built and have come out to interact with commuters.
Pilot "Clean Coal" Project Capturing 90% of CO2
A pilot carbon capture project in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin claims to be safely sequestering carbon emissions using a chilled ammonia process.
The Carbon Footprint of NASCAR
A Grist writer and environmentalist takes a trip to the Talladega Superspeedway to try to understand what the petroleum-wasting is really all about.
The Solution to the White Roof Weakness
The problem with white roofs is that while they keep apartments and the atmosphere cool, come winter people want that heat to absorb. A new high-tech roofing material switches from white to black when needed.
More Solo Drivers in the South, Northeast
Richard Florida takes a look at a recent report showing connecting solo commuters with location and comes up with an interesting demographic breakdown.
Transportation Experts Offer Ideas for Promoting Livable Communities
<em>National Journal</em> asks its panel of transportation experts how planners should promote livable communities.
Citizen-Activated Adaptive Urban Spaces
The availability of information in the city is creating a new opportunity for adaptive and interactive urban spaces. As Carlo Ratti of MIT's SENSEable City Lab discusses, the key is people.
Real Work to Begin on Rio's Olympic Plans
Rio de Janeiro has been named the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics. Now, the city has to start making its Olympic promises come true.
Reinventing Raleigh
Raleigh planner Dan Douglas has some bold proposals for the city, including nine new public squares, green roofs, and a new Grand Central Station-style transit hub.
Fast Food Ban Doesn't Trim the Fat
A ban on new fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles which was put in place last year has been found to play little role in reducing obesity in the area, according to a new report from the Rand Corporation.
Future Transport Today
This article from <em>Wired UK</em> looks at a handful of emerging transportation concept technologies that are altering the form of the city.
Floating Houses for Flood-Prone Areas
As the city of New Orleans rebuilds its flooded and destroyed neighborhoods, a new design from architect Thom Mayne seeks to counteract the flood-prone area by simply floating.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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.
