Guest essayist Andres Duany discusses the evidence for and against Celebration in Florida.
In this essay, leading New Urbanist Andres Duany weighs up the pros and cons of what is perhaps the most high profile New Urbanist town ever built. He does not shrink from criticism:
"But Celebration is certainly not flawless. In terms of the housing, there were two errors made: one relates to the marketing, the other to affordability."Examining each aspect of the Florida town, Duany's conclusion is a plea for time: the time it takes for a town to settle into middle age and become a place, not a development. Duany notes:"In the end, Celebration must be assessed the way all urbanism should be assessed -- not by photos and short visits (which suffice for architectural criticism), but by inhabiting a place for a period of time."With extensive footnotes and bibliography, this is an important article that should not be missed, whatever you think of Celebration.
Thanks to Matthew Hardy
FULL STORY: The Celebration Controversies

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.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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