Toy or Tool: Urban Planning as Community Board Game

Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Bob Pool profiles a project by Urban Planner James Rojas, who's constructed an 80-square-foot scale model of Long Beach that residents and business owners can tinker with to illustrate their own vision of the city.

1 minute read

January 11, 2012, 8:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

"The process is more than child's play, Rojas says. Over the years he has created 43 scale models to stimulate public interest in things such as restoration of the Los Angeles River shoreline."

"It's a great exhibit," said Alan Huyhn, a private planning consultant from Culver City who has seen the Long Beach model. "Urban planning can be intimidating. People don't always go to city planning workshops because they think they won't understand the process or it will be boring."

FULL STORY: In Long Beach exhibit, urban planning is art and play

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 in Los Angeles Times

Community / Economic Development California Long Beach James Rojas Interactive Tools

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Get 25% Off Your Subscription

Advertise with us

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.