The built environment plays a big role in public health, and the professions involved in creating the built environment need to pay more attention to building healthy places, argues Clark Manus, president of the American Institute of Architects.
"Gaining a more balanced, integrated view of how we interact with the environment and one another is the role of design. Moving toward such a balance goes far beyond diet and exercise. It means giving people choices in how they negotiate their environment. It means restoring whole neighborhoods to health.
In suburban America, as well as within many cities, it's almost impossible to buy a stamp, shop at a grocery store, or drop your kids at a basketball game without driving halfway to hell and back. This is a direct result of poor design. Whether it's neglected open spaces, out-of-the-way stairs, limited access to recreation and cultural facilities, lack of generous sidewalks or retail density, or the absence of bike paths-the list goes on-every piece of the larger puzzle affects our health."
The AIA has instituted a new program aimed at splicing health-focused recommendations into public policy surrounding the built environment.
FULL STORY: A PRESCRIPTION for a Healthier Nation

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership
Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86
Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025
Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform
The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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.
City of Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service