The Buckminster Fuller Institute has announced the 33 finalists in its Buckminster Fuller Challenge. All contest entries are featured on their website, ranging from an 'Urban Space Station' to an idea for 'making energy from dirt'.
"The jury will select the winner of the Challenge, to be announced to the public in May 2009. The $100,000 prize and the OmniOculi sculpture will be conferred at a public event at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago on June 6th, 2009 to coincide with Starting With the Universe, the acclaimed retrospective exhibition on the pioneering legacy of R. Buckminster Fuller opening March 14th and on view until June 21st."
"'We are tremendously excited about the finalists to this year's Buckminster Fuller Challenge. They include an amazing array of comprehensive, integrated strategies to tackle the world's major problems, submitted by highly accomplished individuals and/or teams. They come from all over the world and we are thrilled that so many have been submitted by student teams. Every one of them will inspire interest and hopefully, support for their work - I think the jury is in for a very tough deliberation process!' says Elizabeth Thompson, BFI's Executive Director."
FULL STORY: Idea Index

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie