The Congress for the New Urbanism has announced this year's 9 recipients and 4 honorable mentions recognized by its 2012 Charter Awards.
According to Robert Steuteville, "The Charter Awards are the only design awards that combine architecture, landscape design, planning, and urban design at all scales, from the building to neighborhood, and city to region."
This year's winners, from locations around the world, "represent many design challenges taken on by urbanists, including agrarian urbanism, public housing redevelopment, fitting big box stores downtown, revitalization of suburban and urban neighborhoods, civic architecture that enhances the street, and much more," writes Steuteville.
The Grand Prize went to Verkykerskop, "a small-scale agricultural town" in Free State Province, South Africa, designed by Gary White & Associates and noted as the first "socio-economically inclusive town to be established in a significant post-apartheid rebuilding effort."
Also receiving awards were the design for The New Wyvernwood, a mixed-use community in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, by Torti, Gallas and Partners; a new public library for Cambridge, Massachusetts, designed by William Rawn Associates with Ann Beha Architects; and The New Faubourg Lafitte in New Orleans, by Urban Design Associates.
FULL STORY: It's Charter Awards time!
The Dividing Line Between Good and Bad Density
Not all density is good, according to the participants at recent event hosted by the Congress for the New Urbanism’s District of Columbia chapter, and examples of new developments cross the line all over the world.
Why Christopher Alexander Still Matters
The author of "A Pattern Language" and "Notes on the Synthesis of Form" had an outsize influence far beyond architecture and urbanism—and still does.
Christopher Alexander, Influential Author of "A Pattern Language," Passes Away at 85
Christopher Alexander died on March 17, leaving behind a towering legacy of influence on the fields of architecture, planning, and urban design.
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.
The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
San Diego Votes to Rein in “Towering” ADUs
City council voted to limit the number of units in accessory buildings to six — after confronting backyard developments of up to 100 units behind a single family home.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)