China

A light-blue Ojai vehicle. The car's design resembles a mini van.

Waymo’s Ojai robotaxis from China now able to pick up all riders

Steep tariffs and tight federal laws haven’t stopped Waymo from purchasing over 3,200 vehicles from Zeekr, a Chinese manufacturer.

August 22, 2026 - Electrek

Complex of high-rise apartment buildings around a concrete plaza with several large trees in China.

Above the tracks: China's unique model for transit-oriented development

How China builds neighborhoods above its metro depots.

May 8, 2026 - Anderson Chider Hsieh

Aerial view of stacked shipping containers at golden hour at Port of Long Beach, California.

AI and 5G Could Advance Port Automation

A vision for the future of automated ports with AI and 5G: harnessing technology for enhanced efficiency, reliability, and safety.

October 10, 2024 - Cities of the Future

Port

Shipping Delays Causing Construction Slowdown

Materials procured overseas are taking longer to arrive in the United States, and the delays are causing a ripple effect in the construction industry.

April 7, 2020 - The New York Times

JR Shinkansen

What Is High-Speed Rail?

Beginning with Japan in the 1960s, more and more countries are embracing high-speed trains to streamline domestic travel. Operating at speeds often in excess of 160 mph, high-speed rail networks are now well-developed across Europe and, more recently, in China.

March 23, 2020 - Philip Rojc

Radio Tower

2019 Already a Big Year For 'Smart City' Evolution

While 2019 doesn’t scream smart city revolution, we are seeing signs of significant smart city evolution.

April 2, 2019 - Robert Fischer

Los Angeles River

Concrete’s Contribution to the Rise and Decline of Civilization

As the world becomes more encased in concrete, the detrimental effects of its widespread use are increasing in scale and severity.

March 17, 2019 - The Guardian

Shanghai

Friday Eye Candy: 195 Gigapixels of Urban Glory

An incredibly detailed bird's eye view of Shanghai.

January 25, 2019 - Dezeen

Ofo Bikes

Bikeshare Startup Ofo’s Future Is Looking Dim. What Went Wrong?

The Chinese company seemed to be dominating its corner of the shared mobility market—until its dramatic downfall.

January 2, 2019 - The Globe and Mail

Hurricane Sandy New York City Flooding

As Temperatures Increase, Maps Show Sea-Level Rise Will Devastate Cities

Data visualizations illustrate the catastrophic consequences of single-digit global temperature increases.

October 29, 2018 - The City Fix

CRRC train

Federal Policy Would Keep Chinese Railcars Out of the U.S.

Proposed restrictions on federal spending for transit railcars center on concerns about market competition and national security.

October 9, 2018 - Eno Center for Transportation

Security cameras on a building

How Surveillance in Cities is Evolving

Across the globe, smart cities are increasingly procuring and implementing information technology in order to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban spaces. The former CTO of L.A. and the mayor of Beverly Hills weigh in on the subject.

April 13, 2018 - The Planning Report

Free Floating Bikeshare

BART Has Had Enough of Dockless Bikes

With piles of them strewn around stations, the transit agency is "cracking down" on bikeshare companies.

April 4, 2018 - San Jose Mercury News

Chenzen Bus Stop

Shenzen Buses to Switch to 100 Percent Battery Power in a Global First

The city about to set a new standard for battery-powered electric bus transit was a small collection of fishing villages just 40 years ago.

December 8, 2017 - The City Fix

Grid Bike Share

On the Pitfalls of Dockless Bikeshare

App-driven bikeshare, without the station, has been spreading rapidly, especially in China. But the system comes with its share of problems, including its own version of the tragedy of the commons.

November 14, 2017 - The Guardian

Hong Kong Towers

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.

September 9, 2017 - CityLab

Grid Bike Share

Next From China: Bikeshare Without the Station

Led by the companies Mobike and Ofo, so-called "dockless" bike sharing is all the rage in Chinese cities. Unlocked by app, the bikes can be left anywhere for the next user to pick up. There have been some hiccups.

July 28, 2017 - CNN Tech

China Bridge

China Exporting its Infrastructure Expertise

China is building roads, tunnels, planning trains and power plants outside its borders to bolster its influence.

May 17, 2017 - New York Times

The Venetian

Sunday Fun: Spot the Real Architectural Icon Amidst the Fakes

Ersatz versions of architectural icons like the Eiffel Tower, the London Bridge, or the Statue of Liberty are popping up around the world. Are you ready to test your skills in parsing the real from the fake?

April 2, 2017 - The Guardian

Shopping Mall

Are Malls and Streets Destined to Merge?

While much has been made of the suburban shopping mall's decline, successful urban retail spaces are taking their inspiration from the humble city street.

March 21, 2017 - The Guardian

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.