A short video profile shows renewed interest in Arcosanti, the utopian community founded by architect Paolo Soleri. Could Soleri's 40 yr. old utopia be the wave of the sustainable future?
"The idea of "going green" is nothing new. The concepts have been out there for years. All you have to do is drive about 70 miles north of Phoenix to find a community that has been living "green" for more than three decades.
It's called Arcosanti. Originally built as an experiment in 1970 by Italian architect Paolo Soleri, it was designed to bring people together while eliminating the need for cars and using less energy. Right now about 75 people live in the collection of odd shaped buildings. But there is method the madness of their construction. They're designed to control temperature. Windows and natural ventilation maximize the amount of cooling they get during the summer and warmth in the winter."
Read the full story: Arcosanti: a lesson in sustainability
Op-Ed: Utopian Thinking Poses Continued Dangers for Urbanists
Charles Wolfe calls attention to similarities between contemporary urbanism and yesterday's debunked utopias. The two may differ in substance, but both tend toward a certain level of dogma that isn't necessarily helpful on the ground.
The Best Failed Utopias
Utopian developments often fail. This post from The Awl ranks the best and most desirable of the failed utopias throughout history.
EPCOT: The Original 'Smart City'
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
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A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Brightline West’s future may rely on $6 billion federal loan
The company has until Nov. 2 to make a $400 million equity investment into its proposed high-speed rail line.
LA Metro’s ultimatum: no extra buses for LA28 if federal funding isn’t imminently secured
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Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association