Lissette Valdez looks at two new applications that are helping to blur the lines between digital and hand drawn designs.
New applications may demonstrate that the supposed "death of drawing" in the architectural design process at the hands of computers, as diagnosed by architect Michael Graves in a recent Times op-ed, may be premature.
As Valdez notes, "the Trace app from the
Morpholio Project allows users to draw-with a stylus or a finger-over
digitized manilla-yellow tracing paper and sketch graphic concepts
directly onto an iPad screen. Designers can add new layers of Trace,
creating a timeline for the design process and allowing for easy sharing
between colleagues."
The second app, UrbaSee, "turns mobile devices into viewing windows that reveals a digital 3-D
scale model of a project when viewing the original plan through the
screen, tethering the virtual image to the tabletop plan. By using
georeferenced files and the device's GPS, UrbaSee can also display
models on the intended construction location."
FULL STORY: Two New Apps Change the Way Designers See Architecture

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.

Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.

Climate Gardening: Cultivating Resilient Landscapes in Los Angeles
TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.

Electric Surge: EV Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California
California now has 48% more electric vehicle chargers than gasoline nozzles, reflecting its rapid shift toward clean transportation and aggressive zero-emission goals despite federal pushback.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland