A new guidebook to the architecture and culture of the North Korean capital comes in two handy volumes -- censored and illicit. Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan has the details.
You may chuckle at the suggestion, but a visit to Pyongyang, which is "probably the world's best-preserved open-air museum of socialist architecture," may be entirely warranted. If you decide to plan a visit, you'll definitely need a copy of Pyongyang Architectural and Cultural Guide, which was released this spring by DOM Publishing and edited by
its founder, Philipp Meuser, "a Berlin-based architect who's worked in locales as far flung as Kazakhstan, Sarajevo and Bosnia/Herzegovina and India."
The book is divided into objective content (images, maps, state-mandated
information) and subjective content (commentary, criticism,
non-state-mandated information) in two distinct volumes, which should help you navigate past the prying eyes of customs officials.
According to Campbell-Dollaghan, "many of the buildings in Meuser's guide are little
known to foreigners not familiar with the country. The book frames the
buildings around Kim Il-sung's concept of Juche,
a mantra of self-reliance and autonomy that he invented in the 1950s.
Meuser also examines the city on an urban scale, concluding that 'the
fathers of modern architecture would have approved of Pyongyang.'"
FULL STORY: A Guide To North Korea’s Eerie Architectural Propaganda
Disturbing Similarities between Vegas and Pyongyang
Essayist and novelist Pico Iyer visits Las Vegas and Pyongyang in rapid succession to find that the capital of freedom and fun is not so dissimilar from the wan capital of the Hermit Kingdom.
Pyongyang, North Korea Makes Room for Bike Lanes
It's easier to install bike lanes when the country is run by a dictator.
Think Lead Was Removed from Fuel? Think Again!
Leaded gasoline is still sold in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Myanmar, North Korea, and Yemen. Most think that the brain-damaging additive was banned in the U.S in 1995, but not for 167,000 piston-engined aircraft that use leaded aviation fuel.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
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.”
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)