Metropolis II, on display now at the LA County Museum of Art, features a futuristic model of Los Angeles in which cars and trains zip around super-efficiently (and, reportedly, loudly).
"'Metropolis II'...has 'an elaborate system of 18 roadways, including one 6 lane freeway, and HO scale train tracks,' according to LACMA. 1,100 custom-made Hot Wheels-style cars zoom around erector set and LEGO buildings at a scale speed of about 240 mph--they're pulled up a conveyor belt by a magnet, then ride gravity through the Teflon-covered course (the trains are "out of the box electric train sets," according to the museum's Unframed blog. LACMA built a catwalk around the room for Eagle eye viewing, and put up a couple of walls that help buffer the sound."
FULL STORY: See and Hear LACMA's Zippy New Mini-City "Metropolis II"
Artists Find Alternate Uses for Billboards in Los Angeles
With a surplus of unsold billboard spaces dotting Los Angeles, artists are using the empty spaces as canvasses for new forms of public art.
A Playful Approach to Activating Spaces along the Los Angeles River
An interview with two of Project 51's co-founders, John Arroyo and Catherine Gudis, on the collective's recent "Play the LA River" card deck, a playable guide which invites participants to discover 56 unique sights along the entire Los Angeles River.
Reviving the Art of Urban Sketching
Los Angeles County Planner Dr. Clement Lau reviews "The Art of Urban Sketching" (2012) by Gabriel Campanario. The volume has added to his planning skill set and allowed him to discover his inner artist.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Even Edmonton Wants Single Staircase Buildings
Canada's second most affordable major city joins those angling to nix the requirement for two staircases in multi-family buildings.
Duffy Threatens to Cut DOT Funds to “Sanctuary Cities”
“Follow the law or forfeit the funding” says US Secretary of Transportation.
Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.
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.
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