A free camp for young people in Brooklyn is teaching kids to appreciate the science and art of planning.
Jackie Snow reports on the proceedings at the Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) program at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Center for K-12 STEM Education.
On a recent August afternoon in Brooklyn, dozens of summer camp students swarmed around cities of their own creation. Sure, they were mostly built out of Legos, small sensors and cardboard, but they were thoughtfully laid out with carefully designed infrastructure. One such city was Meracia, a name that is less exotic than first appearance.
Meracia (America with the words scrambled) was built by Elizabeth, a 12-year-old. "Elizabeth explained that Meracia was built in the shape of a hexagon so everything can be equally distributed," explains Snow. "The solar panels were built with sensors and motors that can actually move to get more sun, and three main Wi-Fi towers triangulated around the city’s downtown hub with smaller towers to fill out the rest of the city."
The article includes a lot more detail on the agenda and goals of the SoSC program, which is the first of its kind in the country but has already attracted at least one imitator.
FULL STORY: At this NYC summer camp, kids build dream cities from scratch
Innovative Programs to Teach Planning to Young People
An exhibit at the National Building Museum showcases the work of teens in city planning and design. It's just one recent example of innovative programs to get youth involved in the process of engaging with their communities.
Planning Your Planning Career: A Process not a Blueprint
As planning students and recent graduates consider internships and first jobs, they often ask how much these initial decisions matter. A conversation with Professor Robert Freestone unpacks the twists and turns of planning careers.
Planning Year in Review 2023: Zoning Reform, a Rail Revolution, and Climate Realities
Last year’s most talked-about planning issues and news.
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.
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?
Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.
Oak Park Plans Earth Month Events
Join Oak Park, Illinois, for a series of Earth Month events highlighting the importance of community engagement and education, integrating sustainability into local plans, and planning for the most vulnerable, such as birds, bees and butterflies.
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