The Cambodian city of Siem Reap is a hotbed of tourist activity -- and of tacky hotels. Many say this sprawl of hotels is a major problem in the city, but new designs are making the city a cooler place to visit and live.
"Siem Reap is shaking off its image of a city ruined by tourism - with its oft-referenced row of ticky-tacky hotels - and re-emerging architecturally as a new capital of cool.
Recent conventional wisdom among travel writers has been that the travel industry has killed the olde-worlde charm of Siem Reap, even though what constituted this olde-worlde charm has never been defined."
"But the city is now being transformed into an urbane cosmopolitan centre with character, and while some hotel developments are tawdry and tacky, others are sophisticated and have added beauty to the city, with graceful architecture and grand gardens."
FULL STORY: City becomes cool by design
An Argument for Eliminating Traffic Lights
For far different reasons, uncontrolled intersections are proliferating in Northern Europe and Southeast Asia. But how can they be safe? Matthew Yglesias uses a video of such an intersection in Siem Reap, Cambodia to prove their functionality.
Borscht Belt Meets Rust Belt
The "Borscht Belt", a once-thriving vacation getaway in upstate New York, has entered a serious decline. Legalizing gambling in the region is being discussed as a cure-all to revitalize the Catskills, but Citiography thinks its too late.
Turning A Brutal Regime into a Tourist Attraction
Officials in Cambodia are hoping to capitalize on tourists' interest in the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge regime with a proposed theme park.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Surf’s Upcycling: Hawai‘i’s Latest Green Building Material is Recycled Surf Boards
“Surf Blocks” are fire-resistant, termite-proof, and close the loop on mountains of waste from the state’s beloved sport.
Building Age-Friendly Homes
Designing for the unique needs of elderly people can help them maintain social connections and mental acuity.
Nightlife and the 15-Minute City
Plans for compact, walkable cities often don’t address nighttime concerns like transportation and lighting, which can make neighborhoods more vibrant and safe around the clock.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service