The Atlantic Cities

From encouraging physical activity to improving access to healthy food, planners and designers are increasingly tackling America's public health challenges. But what if cars, suburbs, and food deserts aren't to blame for our unhealthy lifestyles?

December 17, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Think you’re not paying for parking because you opted out of renting a space in your apartment complex’s garage? Think again.

December 14, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Amid declining ridership, Barclays Bank has announced its intention to cancel its sponsorship of London's bike-share system after only paying half its promised investment. The announcement is just the latest challenge for the stumbling system.

December 12, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A new study that compares how each of the 50 states regulates dangerous motorist behaviors has found that those with the toughest laws have the least traffic deaths. So why don't more states adopt “evidence-based policies”?

December 11, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A new report and interactive website from the Knight Foundation attempt to define (broadly) and measure the growing synthesis of technology and civic life.

December 8, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Completed about every 15 years, Madrid's General Urban Plan sets out a long-term vision for the city's development. The newest iteration replaces a "dud" from 1997 that has "dogged the city for years," reports Feargus O'Sullivan.

December 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Forget swing states, Richard Florida says, suburbs are today’s political battlegrounds.

December 2, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Dwellr is a new app from the Census Bureau that matches the top 25 U.S. cities and towns to your lifestyle preferences. And unlike other recent federal technology rollouts, this one seems to work pretty well.

December 1, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Predictions of strong winds and frigid temperatures may keep many people from attending this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, providing ample opportunity to explore Philip Bump's collection of creepy balloons from years past.

November 28, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

For many years, economists have touted the higher-education and health care sectors as powerful engines for local economic growth. However, a growing chorus of observers are warning about the continued validity of that premise.

November 27, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Data analyst and graphics wizard Chris Walker has created a stunning interactive visualization that depicts the migration patterns between each American state in 2012.

November 21, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A study utilizing simulations of more than 20 million virtual “neighborhoods” finds a negative relationship between cohesion and diversity. The findings could alter how we understand and build social capital within neighborhoods and across cities.

November 19, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Four years after the Great Recession technically ended, the rate at which Americans are choosing to relocate continues to decline and is now at historic lows. What is causing this long-term trend?

November 19, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Musician and aspiring designer Kanye West stopped by Harvard’s Graduate School of Design for a surprise visit Sunday evening and delivered what Jenny Xie calls a manifesto on architecture.

November 18, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

The trend towards less driving and auto ownership is causing designers to rethink the future of America's ever-growing supply of parking garages. Eric Jaffe explores what it means to design a garage with an eye towards a less car-dependent future.

November 14, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A "wonderfully simplified" map of San Francisco's best bicycle routes modeled on Harry Beck's revolutionary map for the London Underground aims to encourage people to saddle up through clean graphic design.

November 13, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

What's the best way to get people to bike? "[M]ake clear the costs of not biking, in minutes saved or dollars not spent," writes Emily Badger. A new tool developed by Zach Rausnitz uses Google Maps data to compare travel times of alternative modes.

November 9, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Uninterested in outdated suburbs and excluded from the most desirable places, Millennials are in need of alternative options for establishing themselves. Nona Willis Aronowitz's new series examines four types of cities where Millennials can make it.

November 6, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Off-year elections rarely generate much interest from voters. But at a time when those in D.C. can't seem to get much done, local elections are, in many ways, deciding the direction of the U.S. Mike Riggs examines some of compelling storylines.

November 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Was the demise of plans for high-speed rail in several states run by Republican governors the result of fiscal prudence or a case of political collusion? A new report in the Tampa Tribune suggests the latter.

November 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities