North America
Top Landscape Architecture Programs Rated by DesignIntelligence
Harvard comes out on top for their master of landscape architecture program, while the best bachelor's degree, according to DesignIntelligence, is from Louisiana State University.
Bicyclists Outpace Cars in Downtown, Says New Study
A new study of how people are using the French bikesharing system in Lyon provides ample data for American planners hoping implementing similar systems, and reveals that bicycles are faster and more effective than cars in dowtown commutes.
Different Skills for Different City Sizes
Cities attract skilled workers. But skillsets are not the same across different cities, according to this recent study.
Planner Malpractice?
Amanda Thompson, planning director of Decatur, GA, suggests that it is a good thing there isn't such a thing as "designer malpractice" or planners would be sued for the horrible impact their work has had on the public health.
Public Art and the Do-It-Yourself City
Jonna McKone profiles various public art projects across the U.S. and Canada, showing that participation in such projects indicates that some residents are taking an increasingly vested interest in the cities they live in.
Friday Funny: Bad Planning At Playtime
A play area for children at the Salt Lake City airport is eerily representative of modern city development patterns in the United States, says the Conservative Planner.
Gentrification Through Transit Stations
New transit stations can have major gentrifying impacts on neighborhoods -- from median income to car ownership rates, according to a recent study.
Recovering the Real Estate Market By Shifting Development Patterns
The real estate market will only recover once developers start building the types of neighborhoods and places people are demanding, according to Patrick C. Doherty and Christopher B. Leinberger.
The Fear of Transit
Fear of crime and uncertainty about safety keep many people from using public transit, according to a new study. But how should transit agencies react?
New Study Says Young People Want Apartments, Not Houses
A new Canadian study indicates that young people in the U.S. and Canada are trending away from owning their own homes and towards renting apartments.
The Worst of Our "Suburban Nation"
Jeff Speck, co-author of "Suburban Nation" (along with Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk), offers the "10 worst things about sprawl" in a slideshow on Huffington Post.
New Study Reexamines Causes and Costs of Congestion
Analysis indicates that compact development reduces the time urban residents spent in traffic and requires less spending on highways.
Suburbs Go Head To Head With The City
"With cities worldwide busy repurposing their industrial districts and docklands as upmarket housing and waterfront retail centres, the suburbs need to find a new competitive edge," writes Sarah Murray.
The Question of Interstate 69
Next American City reviews a new book by Matt Dellinger about Interstate 69, the as-yet-unbuilt highway that could create a direct link between the Mexican and Canadian borders.
Replacing Bike Sharing Infrastructure with Smart Phones
Bike sharing systems have been huge successes in cities like Paris and Barcelona. But due to their extensive infrastructure requirements, they're expensive to build. One man suggests a system run primarily by smart phones.
Libertarians and Urbanism
Urbanists have rightfully been wary of libertarianism in the past, says Stephen Smith, but a new crop of Jane Jacobs-loving libertarians could change that perception.
A New Ethic for Urban Reinvention
In a unique collaboration, an American lawyer and a Venezuelan architect merge thinking on holistic design, planning and regulation
Learning From and Reshaping the Urban Food System
With her Foodprint project, Nicola Twilley wondered what one could learn about a city by looking at it through the lens of food. In this piece on Urban Omnibus she shares what she's learned.
A Musical Commentary on Suburban Sprawl
The new album by Arcade Fire is themed around suburban sprawl, offering an interesting commentary on city planning and development.
Will President Obama's E.V. Tax Credits Only Subsidise The Rich?
At $41,000 the new Chevrolet Volt is a "rich man's ride." Charles Lane asks why is President Obama offering federal tax credits of $7,500 to help better-off American's buy expensive cars?
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
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
