Technology
The Gold Standard for Civic Data Delivery
Emily Badger is extremely impressed—and for good reason—with the City of Los Angeles' new neighborhood data portal, built in connection with the development a new health and wellness chapter for the city's General Plan.
BART Workers Strike Over "Work Rules"
For the second time in four months, during which time negotiations had continued, BART workers went on strike Friday morning, creating huge challenges for the 400,000 commuters who rely on it daily in four Bay Area counties.
Trick Out Your Street With Two New Design Tools
People-powered street design is getting a major boost with the help of two new tools that make it easy to reimagine unsatisfactory streetscapes.
Could a Secret Google Project Revolutionize Design and Construction?
News of a secretive, and vague, software platform developed by Google X, the company's research and development wing, has design and construction bloggers abuzz. An internal report claims "Genie" could halve construction costs and project timelines.
The Dangers of Distracted Subway Riding
Former Treasury Secretary LaHood made distracted driving a pet cause. The dangers of walking and texting are well documented. But would could straphangers have to fear from smartphones? Plenty, as the death of a S.F. Muni rider illustrates.
Top 100 City Innovators Worldwide
To celebrate its first anniversary, Future Cities has assembled a list of the top 100 city innovators making the biggest difference across a range of industries and specialties.
Making the Camera Your Friend
The role of photography in urban planning should not be underestimated. Visual communication is incredibly important and powerful. Michael Heater provides a guide to using photos to remember, inspire, and create.
What if the Smart Cities of the Future Are Full of Bugs?
In an excerpt on Places from his new book, Smart Cities, urban forecaster Anthony Townsend considers the inevitable glitches.
NYC's Open Data Rollout Collides With Reluctant Departments
The NYPD's failure to produce usable traffic crash data, or agree to change their data gathering and reporting procedures, is just one example of the obstacles confronting implementation of the city's landmark open data law.
Technology Gives Form and Face to a Forgotten Place
In an excerpt from his new book, Anthony Townsend explains how a volunteer effort is combining consumer technologies with open source GIS to chart one of Africa’s largest and most notorious slums.
New Rooftop Solar Laws in California Benefit Homeowners and Utilities
In the last week to sign bills, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 327 that allows utilities to charge all ratepayers for costs incurred to the grid by rooftop solar and allows those who have it to 'run the meter backwards', known as net metering.
As Tech Grows, So Does San Francisco's Influence
Nathan Heller illuminates how the tech industry has rendered San Francisco the new "power city" for U.S. economic growth and culture.
On Garcetti's 100th Day: Let There Be Metrics
On Eric Garcetti's 100th day in office, the new mayor of Los Angeles showed progress on his promise to increase accountability by launching a beta website to track City Hall performance in nine categories and for each city department.
Do Digital Billboards Have Any Place in Public Space?
A city-hired consultant has recommended an expansion of the areas where digital billboards are allowed in Toronto. The sign industry claims the billboards contribute to “vibrancy” but critics argue they're an unwelcome intrusion into public space.
Where to Find Federal Data During the Shutdown
When the federal government shut down last week it took many agency websites along with it, depriving planners around the U.S. of resources they use daily. The blog Data Insights has put together a list of alternative sources for federal data.
Preservation of World's Cultural Treasures Goes Digital
Using high definition scanners, digital modeling, and Scan-to-BIM software, consultants and non-profits are helping to restore historic structures following natural disasters, and cataloging treasures before calamity strikes.
NYC and Tech Community Work Together to Perfect Mapping Data
A partnership between the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) and OpenStreetMap is a promising example of the public sector and tech communities working together to improve the accuracy and usability of data sets.
Prius Founder Questions Future of Electric Vehicles
Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, who helped develop the world's most popular hybrid-electric vehicle, questioned the ability of pure electric vehicles to supplant petroleum-fueled vehicles because of battery and charging challenges.
Urban Forestry Gets State-of-the-Art Assistance with LiDAR Technology
Advanced remote sensing technologies are providing cities and planners across the United States with new tools to assess urban tree canopy and develop more effective urban reforestation efforts.
How is Technology Transforming the American City?
For a feature on Technology and the City, Architectural Record examines how the digital economy and tech culture are transforming Chattanooga, Detroit, Austin, and San Francisco. Many changes are welcome, but can urban success become too successful?
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
