Alphabet

Delivery Drone

The Hidden Costs of Drone Delivery

Ultra-fast drone delivery promises convenience, but comes at a high cost for workers, the environment, and public space.

October 11, 2021 - The Conversation

Cupertino, California

Google's Decade of Land Acquisition Cresting During the Pandemic

According to reports, Google parent company Alphabet is pulling back on two massive land acquisition deals amidst the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. A development approval setback will also slow the company's expansion.

April 27, 2020 - San Jose Inside

Googleplex

Breaking News: Google to Spend $1 Billion on Housing in the Bay Area

The tech industry giant answers a call to do more to help alleviate housing prices in the region it calls home by promising to build tens of thousands of units on its own land.

June 18, 2019 - The Mercury News

Central Waterfront Toronto

Toronto's Quayside Will Be Plugged In, But the Risks for Residents Are Unclear

Technology will be part of everyday life in a new Toronto neighborhood, planned by Sidewalk Labs. But looking to the future is also raising a host of privacy concerns.

October 18, 2018 - The Star

Servers

Sidewalk Labs Launches 'Operating System' for Urban Data

The 'Coord' platform will give mobility companies a centralized place to access and use local data on parking, curb space, tolls, and the like.

February 10, 2018 - Wired

Burrito

Drone Delivery Reaches the Burrito Phase

Delivery-by-drone continues to make strides to becoming a feasible reality, as testing in rural Australia has seen burritos fly through the air from restaurant to customers' back yards.

October 19, 2017 - The Guardian

Cement

Google Fiber Halts Expansion Plans

Alphabet will likely pursue other ways to deliver high-speed fiber-optic internet service.

October 31, 2016 - New York Times

Meet Flow: Google's Transportation Data Revolution

Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs is readying a product called Flow to help cities and counties make the most of transportation data. The news is another step along the path to a future version of transportation.

March 29, 2016 - The New York Times

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.