History

New Exhibition Examines Democracy and Land Use in Connecticut
"The Practice of Democracy: A View from Connecticut" is a new exhibition on display from January to June in Bridgeport, New Haven, and Norwalk which unpacks the relationship of land use and development to democracy.

The Missing 13th Floor: How Ancient Fears Influence Modern Architecture
If you’ve ever looked closely at the elevator panel of a high-rise hotel or residential building, you’ve likely noticed something missing: a button for the 13th floor.

Proposed ‘Conservation Districts’ Could Change Preservation in Houston
The proposed model could be a new tool for preserving historic neighborhoods with more flexibility and with a focus on reducing displacement and addressing community concerns.

From Garden Cemeteries to Levittown
Tracing the story of the American suburban form.

How Right Turns on Red Became the Norm
Born out of the oil crisis of the 1970s, the practice of turning right on red lights is a uniquely American—and uniquely dangerous—custom.

Mike Davis on Life, Politics, and Mortality
The celebrated City of Quartz author speaks with the Los Angeles Times about activism, climate change, and his decision to stop cancer treatment.

The Mystique of the Bicycle
A new book illuminates the history and meaning of the bicycle in human society.

The Radical Architecture of Kyiv
Five Ukrainian urbanists discuss the buildings, parks, and neighborhoods that make Kyiv unique.

Atlanta Will Be First City to Memorialize Convict Labor
Two monuments coming to Atlanta reckon with the city's history of using incarcerated laborers.

'Demodelphia' Hiring More Preservationists
To protect more historic properties from rampant demolition, Philadelphia is staffing up its historic preservation department.

What Is White Flight?
'White flight' refers to the exodus of white Americans from central cities to suburbs in the early and mid-20 century, a phenomenon which led to declining tax revenue and business closures that created lasting damage to urban neighborhoods.

Who Is Robert Moses?
Known to some as the 'master builder' and to others as a villain in the history of New York City's development, Robert Moses was an influential and controversial city official who guided the construction of hundreds of projects in the mid-20th century.

Op-Ed: Utopian Thinking Poses Continued Dangers for Urbanists
Charles Wolfe calls attention to similarities between contemporary urbanism and yesterday's debunked utopias. The two may differ in substance, but both tend toward a certain level of dogma that isn't necessarily helpful on the ground.

Mapped: Every Building in the United States
Using data from Microsoft, the New York Times has published an online map showing the placement of every building in the country, in a simple black and white format.

Philadelphia Gentrification: A Historical Perspective
Gentrified in the 1960s during the height of urban renewal, Society Hill is a historical precedent as Philadelphia confronts present-day gentrification.

Is Washington D.C. Preserving Buildings or Hoarding Them?
A piecemeal, reactive approach to historic preservation in the capital may burden the future with too many buildings of "middling merit."

Baltimore Confronts Underinvestment in Communities of Color
As part of an interdepartmental effort, the city's planning department is embedding an explicit equity lens into how it considers the distribution of civic resources.

The Pros and Cons of Concrete
A versatile building material with a long pedigree, concrete also has associations with ugliness and totalitarianism. Its reinforced variety, widely used today, can conceal a costly flaw.

What Happened When Arlington Cut Out the 'Missing Middle'
In Arlington, restricting density to preserve neighborhood character isn't new. A rowhouse ban in 1938 may be one factor behind today's steep prices and gentrification.
Changing Miami
Sixty years of highway construction has significantly changed Miami's development patterns.
Pagination
City of Malibu
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Strategic Economics Inc
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.