When it comes to civic gathering places, bigger and newer aren’t always better. A look at L.A.’s disconnected cathedrals, concert halls, museums and malls.
Certain downtown districts are undergoing their own version of mansionization. In Los Angeles, the $189 million Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels complex has just opened. It will be joined a year from now by the $260 million Walt Disney Concert Hall. Both are highly theatrical architectural statements from a pair of Pritzker-winners: The Cathedral is designed by Jose Raphael Moneo, and Disney Hall is by Frank Gehry... Despite evidence that grand buildings alone cant revitalize their downtowns, city planners and cultural institutions still tend to rely on them, perhaps precisely because they make such dramatic statements.
Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan
FULL STORY: The Mansionization of Downtowns
How Would Project 2025 Affect America’s Transportation System?
Long story short, it would — and not in a good way.
California Law Ends Road Widening Mandates
Housing developers will no longer be required to dedicate land to roadway widening, which could significantly reduce the cost of construction and support more housing units.
But... Europe
European cities and nations tend to have less violent crime than the United States. Is government social welfare spending the magic bullet that explains this difference?
Western Conservationists, Tribes File Legal Motion to Defend Public Lands Rule
Some states and industry groups have sued to stop the Bureau of Land Management from enforcing the new rule, which promotes the conservation and restoration of public lands and shifts focus away from extractive uses.
Intense October Heat Wave Raises Fire Risk in California
Unusually high temperatures across the state are prompting power shutoffs and could fuel more destructive wildfires.
‘Climate Havens’ Not Safe From Hurricane Helene’s Destruction
Parts of North Carolina previously considered immune to the impact of hurricanes experienced historic flooding in the aftermath of the storm.
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.
Placer County
Mayors' Institute on City Design
City of Sunnyvale
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP), the Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP)
Knoxville-Knox County Planning
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
City of Portland, ME
Baton Rouge Area Foundation