United Kingdom
Is Hosting the Olympics Justified?
As London prepares for its 2012 Games, already over budget, new studies are being released indicating that no specific benefits come to cities hosting major sporting events.
London Mayor Seeks to Downsize Congestion Charge Area
London Mayor Boris Johnson is proposing a plan to scrap the extension of the city's congestion charge in the west, instituted by his predecessor. Some say the city's air pollution and congestion improvements will be lost.
iPhone App Brings Art to the Streets
A new App from the Museum of London uses geo tagging and Google Maps to identify locations seen in their artwork, giving users the ability to see how the historic site used to look.
Missing Britain
A new book documents great buildings demolished throughout Britain. Nicolas Lezard points out how many were lost not to German bombs but to poor planning decisions.
Time for an International Conservation Market?
A recent proposal by Britain's Conservative Party to create a system of conservation credits to protect biodiversity should be expanded to a global scale, according to this piece from The Guardian.
Town by Tesco™
While developers in the U.K. have fallen prey to the recession, Tesco supermarkets have been extremely successful. Now the company is planning several new developments of their own with homes and shops centered around the grocery store.
Liverpool is Thriving
"It's the fabric, stupid," says writer Stephen Bayley, referring to Liverpool's return to the world stage thanks to a combination of great historic bones and a new influx of exciting architecture.
Bringing the Creative Class to Wales
BBC News reports on a development touting itself as an 'urban village' that hopes to rejuvenate run-down High Street in Swansea, U.K. It features a series of courtyards with shops, offices, restaurants and apartments.
House of Garbage
A Welsh company is using ground-up plastic remnants to create a building material sturdy enough for housing.
Replacing Empty Storefronts With Fake Ones
With small businesses closing shop and empty stores lining its main street, the British borough of North Tyneside is creating fake storefronts to create the appearance of a lively shopping area.
High Speed Rail from London to Scotland Planned
Take a virtual (5-minute) trip on the 250 mph proposed train from London to Glasgow. All political parties agree on the need for what Secretary of State, Andrew Adonis, terms '21st century transport revolution', but the routing is less certain.
Three High Speed Rail Lines Announced in UK
The three new high speed rail lines are being called the biggest advancement of the United Kingdom's public transit system in more than 50 years.
Massive Redevelopment Plan for Thames Gateway
An extensive redevelopment program is planned for East London, in an area one commenter calls "the land that God forgot."
Planners to Blame for Lack of Green Building in Ireland
Paul Keogh, the new president of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, says that a politically-driven planning system ran unabated during the Irish boom, emphasizing development at all costs.
London Stadium Plan Misses Mark on Context
One of London's major soccer teams is floating plans to rebuild its stadium. But with its location in one of the city's most impoverished sections, many say the new plan doesn't do enough for its neighborhood.
Does Public Involvement Enhance Tough Decision-Making?
A local Council in Scotland is considering convening a Citizens Panel to consider the next round of difficult cuts to local budgets. This opinion piece debates whether public involvement is a value-added, or if it just slows down decisionmaking.
What Lies 20 Years Ahead for London
The Guardian asks prominent thinkers what sort of city London will be in 20 years.
Carbon Emission Standards vs. Historic Preservation
In the U.K., new carbon emission standards may mean that great numbers of buildings from the 1960s and 70s will need to be demolished.
Elite Core of Architects Should Make Planning Decisions
Amanda Levete argues that the planning process in the U.K. should be taken out of the hands of government and public process and handed to a panel of qualified architects.
Friday Bummer: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Commuting Cat
Casper, a cat from Plymouth, England who was frequently seen riding one of the town's bus lines, was tragically killed by a hit-and-run driver.
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
