A tech writer had a chance to revisit SimCity 2000 after years away from the game for contemporary lessons in planning.
Neel V. Patel writes about lessons offered by a revisit to SimCity 2000, a source of obsession that launched many planning careers. According to Patel, the game feels "innocent" compared to the innovations and realizations that have taken place since the game was released. "SimCity 2000 arrived before the effects of climate change, before technology began to revolutionize city services, before the housing bubble popped, and before Uber," writes Patel.
Patel writes of the result of an experiment with two pre-made maps that task players with the effects of disaster scenarios. The first: flooding caused by rising sea levels in Charleston, South Carolina. The second, in typical SimCity style: an alien invasion of Atlanta.
Lessons taken from the experiment include the tendency of cities to rebuild with a goal of reliving former glory, rather than preparing for future needs.
FULL STORY: 'SimCity 2000' Teaches 2016 Urban Planners to Reconsider Rebuilding, Alien Attacks
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
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How Public Spaces Exclude Teen Girls
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Proposed Ohio Budget Preserves Housing Trust Fund
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DOJ Says Trump Has Power to Roll Back National Monuments
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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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)