Creative Class

Colorful murals in freeway underpass in San Diego's Chicano Park.

Opinion: Enhancing Inclusive Development: The Crucial Role of the Creative Class in Urban Planning

How bringing local artists into the development process can foster more vibrant, equitable neighborhoods.

December 11, 2023 - Wells Davis

University of Chicago

The Miseducation of Cities

A review of the provocative new book by Davarian L. Baldwin, In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower.

March 22, 2021 - Josh Stephens

Co-Working Office

A Tipping Point in the Geography of the Creative Class?

The geography of talent is changing. Richard Florida takes a closer look at where the creative class is moving as a result of the housing affordability crisis in many of the largest and most famous cities in the country.

July 16, 2019 - CityLab

Small Town Art

Rural Areas Embrace the Arts for Economic Development

A burgeoning revitalization model uses the arts as an opportunity to bring in outside money while hiring local.

September 12, 2017 - Star Tribune

High Line with Denari

'The New Urban Crisis' and the High Line

A PBS NewsHour two-fer: an interview of urbanologist Richard Florida conducted in a walking tour of New York's famed High Line in the gentrifying West Chelsea neighborhood, a fitting backdrop for his new book, "The New Urban Crisis."

June 5, 2017 - PBS NewsHour

Rent

Florida, Florida, Florida

In his new book, Richard Florida worries about segregation and redefines "the creative class."

May 2, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

Florida Man Fails to Fix Everything, Reconsiders Position

Richard Florida was right about everything, except when he wasn't. Ben Brown brings us up to speed on the Creative Class.

April 20, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Brooklyn

Richard Florida Takes a Detour

One of the most enthusiastic advocates for the urban resurgence, Richard Florida turns his attention to the segregation, inequality, and housing shortages that threaten to tear cities apart in The New Urban Crisis.

February 13, 2017 - California Planning & Development Report

Brooklyn

As Cities Have Changed, So Have Richard Florida's Ideas

Call it the re-education, the evolution, or the contrition of Richard Florida, but the "rock-star urbanist" has realized some unintended consequences of his creative class ethos, and he's ready to share a new vision for cities.

October 25, 2016 - Houston Chronicle

Austin Texas

Who Moves and What It Means for Growing Cities

It’s difficult to grow a city. Tax revenues limit budgets and there are trade-offs involved in how to spend those resources. Any city trying to allocate resources to grow needs to know who moves.

June 21, 2016 - Casey Brazeal

A collaborative art project

What Is Placemaking, Really?

It's a term that gets bandied about by the "creative class" to describe an endless array of projects, from whimsical pop-up art to new uses for century-old buildings. But what does placemaking really mean?

March 21, 2016 - Comstock's Magazine

Busy Downtown

On the Creative Neighborhood's Two Basic Forms

Richard Florida discusses a study comparing the neighborhoods that house "creative" industries. Science and tech tends to favor low-density office parks, while arts and cultural industries prefer mixed-use urban districts.

May 19, 2015 - CityLab

Millennials in the Wild

Book Review: 'Culture Crash'

'Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class' by Scott Timberg argues that cities must defend and support local culture in the face of the homogenizing effects of the creative class.

January 12, 2015 - Josh Stephens

San Francisco View from Dolores Park

Report: Cities Segregating by Employment Type—Not Just Income Level

New analysis from Richard Florida and the Martin Prosperity Institute maps segregation by employment type, finding the darker effects of the creative class.

September 29, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Glenwood Green Acres, Philadelphia

Are We There Yet? Affordability in the 'New Normal'

In the new normal, an affordable lifestyle is suddenly of interest to a larger circle of us. Here's what some interesting innovators are doing about it, between now and when our politics and legal structure fully align with our needs.

July 28, 2014 - PlaceShakers

Housing Costs Driving Aspiring Musicians Out of Nashville

Boom times in Nashville have some in the Music City worried that as musicians and other artists struggle with the cost of living, the city will lose its identity as a cultural and creative capital.

July 2, 2014 - Save Country Music

Texas State Capitol building

The End of 'Slackerdom' in Austin (or Pittsburgh Rich vs. New York Poor)

Yes, that's a lot of cities in one headline. But recent urbanism media has included a lot of writers lamenting the rising cost of living in formerly bohemian locales while noticing former bohemians moving to more affordable regions.

June 12, 2014 - Austin American-Statesman

Let Your Freak Flag Fly

In the celebratory spirit of Cinco de Mayo, Scott Doyon invites you to let your freak flag fly.

May 6, 2014 - PlaceShakers

Technology, Talent, and Tolerance: The Creative Culture

Creativity isn’t a theory about hipsters and the latte set. The key driver of a resilient economy is the same thing that binds us as humans – our shared creativity. Hazel Borys reviews Richard Florida's latest creative culture ideas.

November 20, 2013 - PlaceShakers

How Cities Can Help Get the Kids to Daycare

Erin Anderssen takes a critical look at the role of our cities in the provision of much needed childcare. While municipally-delivered childcare has been successful in Scandinavia, some Canadian cities are left playing with alternative approaches.

October 24, 2013 - The Globe and Mail

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.