The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Walt Disney's Unrealized City
Planner Sam Gennawey uncovers the inspirations and influences that Walt Disney was pulling from in designing his unbuilt "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow," a real city of 20,000 people that was to go where the EPCOT theme park is today.
Parks in the Realm of Landscapes and Infrastructures
Are parks landscapes or infrastructures -- or can they be both? This question is broached in this wide-reaching interview on the role of parks in cities with landscape architect Gerdo Aquino.
Russian Olympic City's Vast Transformation
As it prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, the Russian resort city of Sochi has transformed from a "blank slate" into the "world's biggest construction site".
Best World Cities for Walkers
This slideshow from <em>Grist</em> takes a tour of the top ten cities in the world for walking.
Hypothetical Developments and Urban Interventions
In an effort to encourage thinking about the future of the city, a new group of urban planners/artists has created a series of posters depicting imagined urban developments in New Orleans and posted them around town.
Proposed Stadium Needs More Than Football
Plans to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles hinge on more than football. A major element in making the idea work financially for the city is to make it an attractive site for conventions and conferences.
The Changing Role of Cemeteries as Parks
America's first public parks were cemeteries. But over time, they've moved from the center of town to the edges. A new book looks at the history of these places of the dead.
Rethinking the Houston Suburbs
Suburban areas are increasingly in the sights of planners and designers who are thinking of new ways to reform the sprawled out land use patterns. This interview looks at how those efforts relate to Houston.
Kaohsiung's Public Transportation Push
In 2006, Kaohsiung City recorded a paltry 4.3 percent share for public transportation usage. In the years since, the Kaohsiung City government launched an ambitious plan to increase ridership in Taiwan’s second largest urban area.
The Dynamics of Immigration in Jackson Heights
Urban Omnibus takes of tour of Queens' Jackson Heights neighborhood with author Suketu Mehta, exploring the vibrant urban culture that has permeated the neighborhood even before Mehta's family moved in in 1977.
A New Master Plan for Lakeview
Blair Kamin says that Chicago's new master plan for the Lakeview neighborhood is full of big and "audacious" ideas, including a park under the El and many pedestrian improvements.
FEATURE
Top 10 Websites - 2011
Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.
Dwindling Small Towns Fight Back
Census data shows that Lacrosse, WA (pop. 315) and other small, rural towns are getting smaller. Some blame the Conservation Reserve Program. But Lacrosse and many others aren't going quietly - they're fighting to hang on.
There's Oil on Main Street
A 2001 study showed that we can save more oil by building more fuel-efficient cars than by expanding drilling under U.S. soil or in our oceans. Deron Lovaas sees black gold in our cities and suburbs.
A More Design-Savvy World
Architecture critic Paul Goldberger says that the real change in the last couple of decades is that high-quality design has become more mainstream, even if a lot of stuff is still "lousy."
Family Tells City to Stop Using Public Park Against Ancestor's Wishes
Joe C. Stuart donated parkland to the city of Cleveland, Tennessee in 1979 under the stipulation that it be used as a place for quiet contemplation. The city has since built a bandstand and held concerts there, and Stuart's heirs aren't happy.
Walmart Heads for D.C.
A proposed D.C. development would place hundreds of apartments above a store, but other projects emphasize parking, not pedestrian-friendly streets. Chicago and New York also face Walmart campaigns.
In-Depth With Aerotropolis Author
Two unique urban journalists meet, as Geoff Manaugh of BLDGBLOG interviews Greg Lindsay, Fast Company's cities reporter, about his new book Aerotropolis: The Way We'll Live Next.
Study: Regular City Drivers Go Car-Free for 1 Week
The study conducted by Latitude Research and Next American City followed 18 participants in San Francisco and Boston as they ditched their automobiles for other transit options.
Are Cities in Need of a Generational Refresh?
The article takes a look at the idea that stalled urban growth may be a generational issue.
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.
