A new anthology gathers writings on New York's Central Park, which includes an observation by the artist Christo that the park is "the most unusual and surrealistic place in New York City."
Other writers in the anthology share Christo's take on the park, offering up surreal fiction or non-fiction reflections, writes reviewer Michiki Kakutani:
"Perhaps this has to do with the illusion that Olmsted and Vaux created, using artifice to make an exhilarating work of art that is at once a marvel of nature and the most cherished public space in New York City. Perhaps it has something to do with the electric green of the park, set against the concrete gray of the city streets, or the landscape's organic asymmetries, so rigidly contained by its geometric frame. Perhaps it is simply the tranquillity and repose offered by this pastoral haven of quiet, deep in the heart of the noisy metropolis," writes Kakutani.
FULL STORY: Writers Muse on New York’s Village Green
Design in the Time of Cholera: How Pandemics Reshaped the Built Environment
Some of the most beloved public parks and essential advances in public sanitation can be traced back to their roots in the Cholera outbreaks in the 1800s.
Looking at Olmsted and His Legacy
A new television documentary on Frederick Law Olmsted looks at the legacy of his Central Park and the sometimes serendipitous way he was able to leave an impact on the urban landscape of the U.S.
Central Park Climate Lab Launches With a Mission to Save Urban Parks
A unique partnership will offer tools and resources for protecting urban parks from the effects of climate change.
Good Planning Under Bad Leadership
Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.
Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86
Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.
Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.
Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025
Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.
How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform
The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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.
City of Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland