This slideshow from Slate looks at the elaborate plans for new cities in the United Arab Emirates, and compares them to other built-from-scratch cities in history.
"Sim City, the popular computer game, taps into the fact that everyone has an idea of how they'd design a city if they just had the chance. Two brand-new cities currently being built in the Persian Gulf region represent two different responses to this challenge. Waterfront City in Dubai is planned by Reinier de Graaf and Rem Koolhaas of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). Projected to have a population of 92,000, it is the centerpiece of Waterfront, a massive development that will eventually house 1.5 million people. This is actually more than the entire current population of Dubai, but new cities require nothing if not ambition: empty desert one day, my condo looking out on the water the next."
"Dubai is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world-in cubic yards of concrete, if not in actual population-and Waterfront is being built by one of Dubai's largest developers, Nakheel Properties."
FULL STORY: If You Build It
How ‘Opportunity Hoarding’ Harms Communities
Wealthy communities are incorporating their own cities, draining tax revenue and resources away from surrounding neighborhoods.
COP28: Will Developed Nations Reduce Emissions?
Tensions between developed and developing nations surfaced over emissions and energy, with the former focused on reducing fossil fuels and the latter pointing to unrealized emissions reductions from the nations most responsible for global warming.
Why Brand New Cities Won’t Solve Our Urban Problems
Building cities takes time and resources. Why not spend them on fixing the ones we have?
2024: The Year in Zoning
Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.
NACTO Releases Updated Urban Bikeway Guide
The third edition of the nationally recognized road design guide includes detailed design advice for roads that prioritize safety and accessibility for all users.
Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’
Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.
Chicago Transit Leaders Call for $1.5B Funding Package
Public transit across the Chicagoland region could suffer massive cuts without additional funding.
After the Fires: Challenges and Efforts to Heal LA’s Parks and Trails
The recent LA wildfires have devastated parks and trails, with recovery efforts requiring extended closures, collaborative restoration plans, and community support to address extensive damage and long-term risks like landslides.
DC Launches New Round of E-Bike Rebates
District residents can apply for a subsidy of up to $1,500 to purchase e-bikes.
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.
Placer County
Skagit Transit
Berkeley County
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland