The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology is the first building to be completed in this ambitious, carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi. Thomas Lane of Building takes a tour.
Masdar City is behind schedule, but Lane was able to see a lot of the infrastructure already in place.
He writes, "The entire city is built on a 7m high concrete podium because this creates the space needed for the network of personal rapid transit (PRT) vehicles which get people around. Above is a pedestrianised world. The idea is people park their cars on the edge of the city and walk to the PRT station.
The vehicles travel on a network of roads under podium level, magnets set into the ground at regular intervals and a single wire at roof level guide the vehicles. The initial arrival station and the one at the Masdar institute are nearly finished."
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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.
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.
California Set to Increase Electric Truck Chargers by 25%
The California Transportation Commission approved funding for an additional 500 charging ports for electric trucks along some of the state’s busiest freight corridors.
21 Climate Resilience Projects Cancelled by the EPA
The federal government has pulled funding for at least 21 projects related to farming, food systems, and environmental justice to comply with one of Trump’s early executive orders.
Trump Executive Order on Homelessness Calls for Forced Institutionalization
The order seeks to remove legal precedents and consent decrees that prevent cities from moving unhoused people from the street to treatment centers.
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.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie