Urban Landscape
The Power of Prospect: A First Look at the Hills of Governors Island
In the tradition of great urban landscapes, the Hills of Governors Island will soon challenge the status quo and create a dynamic new type of park for all people to enjoy.
The Urban Landscape Rock Star
Continuing to heap praise onto James Corner and his firm, Field Operations, may seem like an exercise in redundancy at this point. But there is little doubt that all of the attention is good for landscape architects—and for cities.
Cool Happenings in Paris’s Urban Landscape
Two events held in the same week in the historic heart of Paris show just how serious the city is about its contemporary urban landscape.
Design Competition for Bordeaux Puts Nature First
As the city of Bordeaux, France, makes plans to move up the list of major European cities, it's calling on a multidisciplinary design competition for ways to revitalize its city from the top down by integrating "natural areas."
Turning Disaster Into Opportunity
Brian Phelps reports on the power of urban landscaping to revitalize a flood-devastated city - Valencia, Spain.
A Friendly Look at Invading Urban Plants
Benjamin Wellington, Student ASLA, favorably reviews Peter Del Tredici’s field guide to naturally-growing plants in urban areas.
Hong Kong Struggles To Hold On To Its Roots
Hong Kong's oldest living resident, the banyan tree, once lined entire streets in the city and provided an iconic presence that many enjoyed and many felt classified as a nuisance. Now, due to urban expansion, only a cluster of twenty trees remain.
New Topographics
A photography show in 1975 is credited with changing the way artists looked at landscape, shifting towards looking at the built environment with a less romantic viewpoint. The original show is back on tour and opens at the LA County Museum of Art.
The American Lawn, and its Opponents
The New Yorker traces the history of the American lawn from 1841, commenting on their unnatural origins, and finally analyzing the alternatives suggested by anti-lawn movements.
Transforming Streets Into 'Urban Oases'
A new San Francisco plan seeks to follow in the footsteps of cities like Copenhagen and Portland in revitalizing streets, alleys, medians, and crosswalks. The goal is to bring the city's outdoors to its 'rightful place as the center of civic life.'
Watch for Desire Paths
My graduate school education left me with a lot of general ideas and a handful of specific ones. One that stuck with me is a concept from landscape architecture: the desire path. Technically, the term means a path where there isn't supposed to be one, a trail of wear and tear that wasn't planned.
Plants Forced To Evolve By Urban Landscapes
A team of researchers has shown that in urban landscapes -- such as in the cracks of sidewalks -- plant species must evolve their reproduction habits to stay alive.
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.
Village of Glen Ellyn
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners