North America
Watch North America's Cities Grow Up
A Canadian real estate startup has created striking animated 3-D visualizations of the evolution of the skylines in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.
Teaching Urban Lessons from Rural Landscapes
Chuck Wolfe's photoshoot in the Palouse region of southeastern Washington State shows the timeless issues of human settlement, from agrarian to urban.
How Did Portland Become North America's Bicycling Capital?
In retrospect, it may seem like Portland’s biking boom was inevitable. But not too long ago the city was eclipsed by other Pac NW cities for share of bicycle commuters. What happened between 2002-2008 to kick-start the city’s bike craze?
Quebec Rail Disaster Revives Oil Pipeline vs. Crude-By-Rail Debate
In a scene reminiscent of the Denzel Washington movie "Unstoppable", but without the heroic ending, an unmanned, 72-car oil train traveled 7 miles to Lac-Mégantic, pop. 6,000, where it derailed, setting off a fireball downtown. 5 fatalities so far.
Is the Civic Hackathon Trend Sustainable?
As more governments embrace civic hackathons as a way to tap enthusiastic young software developers quickly and cheaply, a backlash to these "app-developing marathons" is growing along with them. Does their local focus doom them to irrelevance?
Stroading: A Meme to Advertise America's Overbuilt Streets
Have you heard of stroading? While we don't recommend you try this at home, it behooves us to tell you about the ingenious meme that Charles Marohn and his friends have devised to point out America's over-engineered urban streets.
The Urban Agriculture Avant Garde
Urban Agriculture design is a small, but growing, area of specialization for North America's landscape architects. Abbagail Taddei looks at eight firms that are leading the way.
5 Glimpses Into the Future of Civic Engagement
Seeking to maximize the power of the Internet to expand public outreach efforts, a plethora of engagement platforms have proliferated in recent years. Government Technology looks at five of the most promising new models of civic engagement.
Oil Wealth Transforms Canada
Writing in Foreign Policy, The Tyee's prolific environmental writer, Andrew Nikiforuk, blasts Canada for becoming a "rogue, reckless petrostate" due to its economic dependence on exporting oil. He holds Prime Minister Stephen Harper responsible.
Don't Count on a Millennial to Buy Your Suburban Home
James Briggs speaks for his Millennial generation cohorts when he outlines the many reasons why unloading that suburban home on young buyers will be a hard sell.
Latest Housing Trend: Luxury Yards
Apparently a pool, barbecue, and some lounge chairs is no longer enough for an elegant backyard. Full kitchens, movie theaters, bathtubs, and even air conditioning are among the items being integrated into luxury outdoor rooms.
Zoning Our Way to HOA Insanity
If local's so great, why is the HOA, the country's most popular form of micro-governance, such an impediment to complete, complex and convivial communities? Scott Doyon has some ideas.
Land in Conflict: How Planners Can Better Manage an Increasingly Contentious Public Process
Land use disputes are increasingly taking up our time and producing unsatisfying results. A new approach to resolving conflict based on mutual gains may provide a better way to manage the most challenging situations.
How Parking Minimums Beget Ugly Urban Environments
In the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere, excessive parking requirements dictate the form and footprint of buildings, mostly to the detriment of urban environments. In a lavish photo essay, Alyse Nelson explores the damage inflicted by parking laws.
TOD Works in Reducing Driving, Even Without the Transit
Across America, TOD is seen as the solution for many of the problems that plague cities. But what if you could get the economic, environmental, and health benefits of transit-oriented development without the billions of dollars in rail investment?
The Case for Protecting Strip Malls from 'Commercial Gentrification'
As our suburbs diversify, the most affordable commercial districts found in such areas (often in strip malls) become an important entry point for immigrants to build their 'American Dream'. Kaid Benfield asks if such opportunities deserve protection.
Which of These Five Park Projects Best Boosted its Surrounding Community?
The Urban Land Institute has announced the five finalists for its annual Urban Open Space Award, which recognizes 'an outstanding example of a public destination that has enriched and revitalized its surrounding community.'
Piecing Together a Central Park for the Entire United States
The American Prairie Foundation is piecing together 500,000 acres of privately owned land across the Great Plains to join with three million acres of public land in forming one of the world’s largest wildlife reserves.
The Cost of Walmart
A new report tallies the cost to public coffers incurred by Walmart employees who rely on public-assistance programs to supplement their low wages. The report should provide food for thought for any community seeking to attract the retail giant.
New Urbanism's Chief Regret?
In his fifth entry in a lengthy examination of the successes and failures of New Urbanism, Peter Katz looks at one of the movement's key blindspots: the failure to help improve the processes and practices of local governments.
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.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
