This week brought news that sounds closer to a fairy tale. A new preschool and daycare center in the Danish capital has been designed as a real-life Neverland for children to explore their interests in contributing to city life.
From the images and description provided by Rebecca Fleischer, the Prinsessegade Kindergarden and Youth Center, designed by COBE and NORD Architects, PK3, and engineering firm Grontmij, will be a magical place when completed in 2014.
The analogy to a city is apt not just due to its size - it will be the largest preschool and daycare center in Denmark - but because its design is "based on the layout of a general city" and will be "equipped with its very own neighborhoods, houses, public spaces, squares, parks, a stadium, a fire station, and more."
According to Fleischer, the goal of the competition-winning design is to "provide the tools and necessary facilities for kids who
want to do absolutely anything, from conducting a musical in City Hall
to creating their own menus for the restaurant. With a city tailored to
practically every interest, kids can be conscientious of their future
roles in both city living and their endeavors in life."
Read the full story: A Real-Life Neverland: Copenhagen Builds A City For Kids!
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority