William Fulton recalls the late Ed Bacon, Philadelphia's chief planner for more than two decades, as more than the cranky and quirky man he became in his later years.
Trained as an architect, Edmund Bacon virtually ruled Philadelphia during the 1950s and 1960s, when he was the executive director of the Philadelphia Planning Commission. He helped move the city away from machine politics and gave his Planning Commission a remarkable amount of power.
"His vision," Fulton writes, "was the city as the experience of moving through space â€" a path or a shaft â€" and most of his plans used this idea as the focal point. His idea of an implementation technique was to use the force of a will so strong that he seemed unable to separate Philadelphia from himself."
Bacon's authoratarian approach lost favor during the 1960s, but the New Urbanists have revived Bacon's reputation because they agree with his physical determination and formalistic designs.
Thanks to Paul Shigley
FULL STORY: Remembering Philadelphia Planner Ed Bacon
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
