The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Art Leads a Miami Neighborhood's Comeback

After a decade of establishing itself on the global art calendar, the "once-forlorn slab of Miami called Wynwood" is now a year-round must-see destination.

December 10 - The New York Times

After Long Road, Bike-Share Gets Boost in Philly

The bike-share bandwagon is getting awfully full! On Friday came news that Mayor Nutter will ask Philadelphia's city council for $3 million to help fund a city-wide bike-share program that could hit the streets by early 2014.

December 10 - Philadelphia Inquirer -- Philly.com

Mapping the Leaders of Public Interest Design

For its inaugural list of the "Public Interest Design 100," PublicInterestDesign.org and research partner the University of Minnesota College of Design have identified the key figures leading the convergence of design and service.

December 10 - Architizer

BLOG POST

Do Environmentalists Feed The Fire of Climate Change Denial?

Despite the extreme weather events of the past year, most Americans are still not persuaded that climate change is primarily the result of human activity. Why not?

December 9 - Michael Lewyn

Re-Connecting Housing and Health for a Better Future

Elizabeth Burton reminds us of the close connection between housing and health, and proposes better ways to gauge how housing may affect the health and well-being of residents.

December 9 - The Guardian (UK)


China's Cities Hold the Key to the World's Future

In a globalized world, China's economic, environmental and urban development has implications for us all, posits Henry M. Paulson Jr. The problems the country faces, and any potential solutions, revolve around its approach to urbanization.

December 9 - The New York Times

Appreciation for a Modern Master

Paul Goldberger offers a remembrance of the "last lion" of Modernism - Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer - who passed away earlier this week at the age of 104.

December 9 - Vanity Fair


Massive Engineering Projects Transform Seattle's Waterfront

The formerly industrial shoreline of Puget Sound will soon undergo $4.5 billion worth of engineering projects that will complete Seattle's waterfront transformation, reports Kirk Johnson.

December 9 - The New York Times

Traditional Cities and Towns: Incubators of Incompetent Children

With tongue firmly in cheek, Scott Doyon asks urban dwellers, "Are your enviable surroundings crippling the children?"

December 9 - PlaceShakers

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NYC Bike-Share Gets Delayed Again

On Friday, New York City announced yet another postponement for the launch of its long-awaited bike-share program. While faulty software was reportedly the cause for the initial delay, Superstorm Sandy can be blamed for the most recent problems.

December 8 - The New York Times

Preeminent Climate Scientist Blasts Cap & Trade

Dr. James Hansen was awarded the prestigious Stephen H. Schneider climate award at the Commonwealth Club in S.F. on Dec. 4 and chose to trash CA's landmark cap-and-trade program, preferring a 'simple, clean carbon tax'. Gov. Brown was attending.

December 8 - San Francisco Chronicle

Rentals Drive Return of Residential Development

Across the country, even in metro areas more accustomed to single-family sprawl, multi-family housing is driving the residential construction recovery, report Shaila Dewan and Nelson D. Schwartz.

December 8 - The New York Times

Detroit - Renaissance Center

Detroit's Unreal Estate

On Places, Andrew Herscher of the University of Michigan challenges the usual view of Detroit's decline.

December 8 - Places Journal

Don't Mess With CEQA in San Francisco!

Although the landmark but now controversial environmental law, the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is state law, it is implemented by the 'lead agency' of a project which can be a city. S.F. Supervisor Scott Wiener hopes to reform that process.

December 8 - San Francisco Chronicle

BLOG POST

Better Living through Information: Big Data and Urban Systems

The emerging methods of urban governance, planning, design, and management made possible by technological advances in data collection, analysis, and communication promise to make our cities better, and more efficient, places to live. The Urban Systems Collaborative, a unique gathering of voices from academia and industry, is fostering a discussion about improving our cities through technology.

December 7 - Peter Carter

Friday Funny: 14 Designer Pooch Palaces

With 14 examples of pup houses designed by famous architects such as MVRDV, Toyo Ito, and, of course, Atelier Bow-Wow, Web Urbanist shows that avant garde architecture is, most definitely, for the dogs.

December 7 - Web Urbanist

One of New York's Most Important Landmarks Plots its Own Destruction

A new column by eminent critic Ada Louise Huxtable is cause enough to pay attention. When the topic is a controversial plan to irreparably alter one of NY's most important landmarks - the New York Public Library - it's your duty to read on.

December 7 - The Wall Street Journal

Obama Doubles Down on High-Speed Rail

Undaunted by Republican opposition, public setbacks, and budgetary constraints, President Obama plans to forge ahead with his ambitious plan to develop high-speed rail systems across the U.S.

December 7 - The Washington Post

Can Science Save Planning from Extinction?

In a recent paper, urban theorist Stephen Marshall rehashes Jane Jacobs's criticism of city planning as a pseudoscience built "on a foundation of nonsense." Can science and design be reconciled to provide planning a more stable foundation?

December 7 - Scientific American

George Washington Bashes America's First Starchitect

A letter written by George Washington that is set to be auctioned by Christie's details the founding father's conflicting views of Pierre Charles L’Enfant, diva designer of the District of Columbia.

December 7 - The Washington Post

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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.