In this series from Glass House Conversations, journalist Greg Lindsay asks what the successful cities of the future will look like, and whether or not they should be built from scratch.
"Humanity is an urban species - more than half of us live in cities. Cities have proven to be the best incubators for innovation, the front lines in the war against climate change, and the stepping stones to the middle class. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy estimates the urban population of Earth is set to double in the next 43 years, while urban land cover will double in just 19 years. But people won't just flock to the cities we have now - there are hundreds, and potentially thousands of cities waiting to be born."
Lindsay writes that governments, corporations and individuals are working to design the cities of the future, and wonders what they will have to do to make cities that work.
Read the full story: Governments, corporations and individuals are working on designing the cities of tomorrow.
What the Future Looked Like Before the Coronavirus
Common Edge surveyed mayors and urban designers for ideas about what the next decade holds in store for cities. There were plenty of challenges in facing the world before the pandemic.
The Long-Term Thinking Cities Need
A roundtable of discussion of prominent urbanists examines the questions of urbanism with a long-term mindset.
The Popsicle Test: What Makes a City Good for Children?
Low crime rates and affordable property preoccupy adults, but kids need something more: the ability to walk the streets and play out on their own. In The Guardian, Viv Groskop explores the "popsicle test" and other elements of child-friendly cities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority