Two weeks after graduating from UW-Madison with a Master's degree in urban and regional planning, Ryan Ziegelbauer is competing against 23 other finalists to be a Legoland California model builder. The coveted position is highly competitive.
"There are only 20 LEGOLAND model builders in all the world, distributed among the four LEGOLAND parks (located in California, Denmark, England and Germany). The competition for openings is fierce. For this one opening at the California park, more than 250 applicants competed in seven regional competitions across the U.S.
...Tuesday's winner becomes one of five LEGOLAND California model builders responsible for designing, building and maintaining more than 15,000 LEGO models at the park.
The Daily Page: Where were you and what were you doing when you decided to apply for the build-off??
Ziegelbauer: I was at home surfing for planning jobs and I thought I would see if LEGO had any interesting openings. I saw the opening for LEGOLAND Model Builder and decided I had to apply.
...
Are LEGOs a big thing with urban planners? What percentage of urban planners would you say have some kind of shared enthusiasm for LEGOs, or have a shared LEGO history?
There are a few planners who use LEGO bricks as tools for public participation. They have the participants build small streetscapes to simulate the density and scale of neighborhoods and future projects. I think LEGO-using planners are a rare breed, but I have heard of more than one."
From the press release:
"The seven-city search for the newest member of the prestigious Model Builder team at LEGOLAND® California is down to just 24 talented finalists. Judged on their creativity, ability to build in three dimensions and use of the various LEGO® bricks, these applicants have been selected from more than 250 applicants nationwide. Twenty-four men and women will compete for their dream job at the ultimate build-off event on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 at LEGOLAND. Only one will be selected to join the current team of five that design, build and maintain the more than 15,000 LEGO models at the family theme park in Carlsbad, California."
FULL STORY: The fine art of bricklaying

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)