Architectural history

Green wall with floor or apartment numbers missing number 13, goes from 12 to 12 1/3 to 14 instead.

The Mystique of the 13th Floor: Superstitions, Sustainability, and the Future of Electrical Building Design

How engineers adapt a common superstition to maximize the utility of a stigmatized space.

October 13, 2023 - Johnathan Meade

Amazon Fulfillment Center

The Architectural Glory of Historic Warehouses

Chicago warehouses were once built with architectural flair, but today’s industrial structures don’t come close.

March 15, 2020 - Chicago Tribune

Sea Ranch California

Sea Ranch's Changing Architectural Vision

The progressive Northern California project is adapting to the times.

June 17, 2019 - The New York Times

Buffalo, New York

5 Beloved Architectural Creations Lost to History

If you could bring one building back from the wrecking balls of the past, what would it be?

September 7, 2017 - The Conversation

Long Beach Viewer

A Glimpse Into The Past On The Streets of Long Beach

Viewers installed throughout downtown Long Beach gives visitors a glimpse into the city's past.

April 8, 2017 - Modern Cities

Angelino Heights

Mapping the Age of Every Building in Los Angeles

Developed using open data from local government sources, built: LA is a mapping tool that displays the age of every building in the county. Much of the area's built environment is surprisingly old.

June 19, 2015 - CityLab

Planned City

Are Asia's Planned Cities a New Colonialism?

While they look clean and green on the drawing board, Asia's planned developments might be nothing more than cloned commercialism set in concrete. By undermining local culture, this 'smart city' approach may also prove unsustainable.

April 12, 2015 - The Global Urbanist

Did Augustus Really Transform Rome into a 'City of Marble'?

Caeser Augustus famously boasted "I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble." An architectural historian and urban designer at UCLA now has the model to prove the veracity of the claim.

March 7, 2015 - UCLA Newsroom

Smell This: The History of Architecture, Told Through Scent

For those who think architectural history isn’t something to sniff at, a new exhibition at the California College of the Arts aims to convince otherwise.

October 14, 2013 - Archinect

How Metadata is Changing Architectural History

Gabrielle Esperdy explores the development of an online encyclopedia of American architecture — and argues that metadata is a crucial tool for future historians.

September 24, 2013 - Places Journal

Are These the Most Overlooked Women in Architectural History?

Published to coincide with International Women’s Day 2013, Nicky Rackard has proffered a list of the 10 female architects most deserving of acclaim from historians. Add your comments to the active discussion responding to the article.

March 13, 2013 - Arch Daily

Conflict Between History and Modernity Plays Out in Seoul District

Single-story, tiled-roof houses called hanok used to cover the footprint of Seoul, now a city of skyscrapers and avant-garde architecture. Today many describe the hanok as "endangered,"and conflict has come to a head in the small district of Bukchon.

December 14, 2010 - The New York Times

Architectural Heritage Endangered in Moscow

Moscow's architectural heritage is in danger, according to a new report on preservation in the city.

July 25, 2009 - Metropolis

The Enduring Popularity of Levittown, and Why It is So Hard to Replicate

Author and urbanist Witold Rybczynski looks at new housing in the aftermath of World War II compared to today. Why are new houses so much more expensive now than they were then?

October 7, 2008 - The Wilson Quarterly

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.