Susan Henderson

Birmingham, Michigan

Code Hackathon: What Can Go Wrong With Form-Based Codes?

Top problems with form-based codes, and how to fix them.

May 16, 2019 - PlaceShakers

A New Path to Code Reform

The Users’ Guide to Code Reform leads planners through the code reform process, providing tools for governments lacking the capacity to develop a full form-based code. Susan Henderson and Matt Lambert hit the high points.

February 6, 2019 - PlaceShakers

Civic Space: Creating Community

What moves us about great public space is its ability to convene community. To provide an accessible place of solace and celebration. It’s not about the buildings, or even the streets. It’s about the experience. Susan Henderson on Savannah's squares.

October 12, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Ventura County

Preserving the Rural Landscape with Agrarian Urbanism

We don't usually think zoning when considering farmland preservation, but Hazel Borys shares are a few thoughts that may help.

July 28, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Georgia

Lessons From Savannah

Savannah, Georgia is an elegant southern belle of a city. Susan Henderson looks at some of its lessons, along with ideas for future study.

April 6, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Place Dauphine in Paris

The Trifecta: Urbanism, Architecture, and Nature

Susan Henderson shares some thoughts about the alignment of issues contributing to well-being in cities.

February 1, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Why Can't My Zoning Create a Diversity of Places?

Struggling with zoning that thwarts the construction of new hamlets, villages, towns, and cities? Susan Henderson has a bit of place type inspiration from across the pond.

October 18, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Triangular Plazas: Flexible, Outdoor Rooms With Meaningful Uses

We often think of plazas as rectangular spaces, but unique geometries can create unexpected delight when a few simple criteria are met.

September 13, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Meet the New 'Lean Code Tool'

Susan Henderson investigates ‪Lean Urbanism‬ strategies for incremental code reform to improve walkability and reduce financial and regulatory burdens in a manner that matches local capacity.

May 3, 2016 - PlaceShakers

FEMA Trailer

The Katrina Cottage Legacy

The New Urbanist Katrina Cottages initiative for the Gulf Coast appeared to be a failure but their legacy lives on in the SmartDwellings and in the Tiny House movement.

September 20, 2015 - Original Green

Walking

Walkability: It's About Experience

The Surgeon General's call to action, Step It Up, asks us all to get moving. And that to do that, to clear the hurdles to walkable, bikeable, rollable places. We knew that sitting is the new smoking, and now we have the full admonition to go with it.

September 15, 2015 - PlaceShakers

The Plaza: What Makes a Community Living Room?

The Plaza can behave as the community living room. Why is this so hard to get right in post-WWII U.S.?

June 3, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Berlin Hackeschen Höfe

Lessons Learned from Berlin Shopfronts

Susan Henderson looks to Berlin's delectable shopfronts for pointers. Not from the usual suspects like Kurfürstendamm and Friedrichstrasse, but from the neighborhoods of Prenzlaur Berg, Scheunenviertal, Kreuzberg, and of course, Hackeschen Höfe.

November 10, 2014 - PlaceShakers

The Politics of Zoning Reform: Targeting Your Communications

Zoning reform is a political campaign. Coder Susan Henderson talks about audience dynamics, with a special focus on how to communicate with property owners and the developer community.

October 2, 2012 - PlaceShakers

Building Typology as One Solution to Visualizing and Embracing Density

While raw density numbers are sure to pick a fight, discussing character-based building typologies one neighborhood at a time may help find common ground.

June 1, 2012 - PlaceShakers

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.