Though clearly a tragedy, the destruction of the Twin Towers offers a chance to fix one of city planning's blunders.
When the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation releases its six contending proposals for the WTC site on Tuesday, they will reflect not only an intense debate over the future of downtown Manhattan, but what a modern city should be. "The essence of the debate goes back decades: whether cities should be dominated by towering projects or human-scale street life. The issue now is whether the planners should restore the street grid that the World Trade Center's 16-acre plaza tore apart 30 years ago or whether they should keep the area a plaza, set apart from the city's roar...Most people who think about cities agree that the original design of the World Trade Center was a big mistake. They are pained by its destruction - the loss of life, the shattering of security, the gaping hole in the skyline. But in retrospect, many wish it had never been built."
Thanks to Christian Peralta
FULL STORY: 'Human scale' battles 'monumental' at WTC
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
Op-Ed: Why Mobility Is Political
The freedom to move remains unevenly distributed between people of different backgrounds.
Bringing Community Voices Into Renewable Energy Planning
The MIT Renewable Energy Clinic helps coastal communities navigate the complexities of offshore wind development through neutral, inclusive engagement that surfaces local concerns and supports fair decision-making.
Creating Ocean-Safe Plastic from Seashells
USC researchers have created a biodegradable, marine-safe plastic alternative using calcium carbonate from seashells, offering a promising solution to ocean pollution.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions