Social / Demographics

Engineers Lacking As India's Infrastructure Crumbles

Aging infrastructure is limiting India's developmental ability. With few trained civic engineers in the country, crucial upgrades aren't happening.

August 27, 2010 - The New York Times

Invasion of the Granny Pods

The Rev. Kenneth Dupin of Virginia wanted to find a way to keep elderly folks independent and near their families while providing the care they need. So he invented the MEDCottage, and is working with cities to change zoning to allow it.

August 24, 2010 - NPR

Inside a Growing Chinese Megacity

Through the example of the booming megacity of Chongqing, this article explores how urban growth is occurring in China, and what it means to plan a rapidly growing city.

August 23, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Gallup Charts "Well-Being" And Commute Times

And the result is fairly obvious - longer the commute, lower the reading. Well-being is a measurement of both physical and mental health, including ailments such as back pain and anxiety. No mention of modal type (e.g, driving, biking, transit).

August 23, 2010 - Gallup

A Data-Based Interpretation of Burning Man

The annual week-long art festival Burning Man is kind of hard to define. This infographic provides some data and context about the event and the temporary city it forms in the Nevada desert every year.

August 22, 2010 - SPUR Urbanist

Creating Smart Cities and Replicating Silicon Valley

Google CEO Eric Schmidt discusses what makes a city smart and successful in this interview with Foreign Policy.

August 21, 2010 - Foreign Policy

High Density and High Concentrations of Cars

Looking at Census data for urbanized areas and auto ownership, Randal O'Toole argues that denser areas have high rates of auto ownership per square mile, a correlation that is likely to increase congestion.

August 21, 2010 - The Antiplanner

Soda Giant Leading Effort to Clean World's Polluted Rivers

As rural and urban runoff taints the waters of the Yangtze River in China, environmentalists have joined forces with Coca-Cola to try to improve water quality -- a move that's good for water users in China, and for the water-dependent business.

August 20, 2010 - Knowledge@Wharton

Opening the Shutters on Chandigarh's Monuments

Chandigarh, the modernist city designed by Le Corbusier in India, is becoming increasingly popular among scholars, critics and a rising residential population. But some of the best parts of the city are closed to the public.

August 20, 2010 - Change Observer

A Comparative Analysis of Land Use Controls

Various rules and regulations control the form of today's cities. This info graphic and article from re:place looks at how those systems control the urban environment and how they compare.

August 20, 2010 - re:place

Power Balace to Shift From Nations to Cities

The rise of megacities and innovation hubs is leading to a balance shift that will make cities, not nations, the most powerful drivers in the world economy, according to Parag Khanna.

August 19, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Crowdsourcing the Master Plan

The city of Lincoln, Nebraska, is asking locals to submit and vote on ideas to integrate into its new master plan, hoping to get citizens more involved in the process and test out unconventional ideas.

August 18, 2010 - Lincoln Journal Star

Street Interventions In Brazil

Activists in Brazil took advantage of their country's fascination with the World Cup to take to the empty streets and paint messages encouraging safer use of the roads.

August 18, 2010 - The City Fix

Why Transit Agencies Should Open Their Data

Streetfilms offers this video about how opening up transit agency data can greatly improve urban public transit systems for riders at little or no cost to the agencies.

August 18, 2010 - Streetfilms

Is A Denser Urban World Inevitable?

Writing in Foreign Policy, Joel Kotkin argues that increasing urbanization and density are not inevitable realities.

August 18, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Improvement, But Room for More in New Orleans

Five years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the Brookings Institution offers an analysis of the city's recovery. This op-ed looks at the report, which finds the city improving, but with many areas needing increased focus.

August 17, 2010 - New Orleans Times-Picayune

The Soccer League Building Community in Detroit

A neighborhood-based soccer league has just wrapped its first season in Detroit, where communities and neighborhoods are developing closer bonds through the beautiful game.

August 17, 2010 - Model D

The Young and the Rust Belt

After decades of decline in their populations, young creative types are fueling the rebirth of Rust Belt cities.

August 17, 2010 - The New York Times

Unleashing the Planner in Everyone

This piece from Next American City looks at a variety of urban planning-focused events being hosted by cultural institutions, and how those events help to include the regular citizen in the process of planning.

August 16, 2010 - Next American City

Urban Cemetery Space Running Out

In crowded New York City, finding a final resting place in one of the city's cemeteries is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. Other major cities are facing the same crunch.

August 16, 2010 - The New York Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.