Urban Development

The Road to South Africa's World Cup

South Africa is gearing up to host the 2010 World Cup next June. As it prepares to be the tournament's first African host, the country faces a number of hurdles.

September 14, 2009 - The Independent

New Light Rail Line Ushers Age of Rail Growth in Portland

A new line of Portland's MAX light rail system has opened, prefacing the coming decades of rail growth in the region.

September 13, 2009 - The Oregonian

Some Say Olympic Green Efforts Fall Short

Organizers of next year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver are hoping to add a green sheen to the international event, but some critics say they aren't doing enough to offset the huge carbon footprint the Olympics will carry.

September 11, 2009 - BBC

What's Happening - And Not Happening - At Ground Zero

Eight years after terrorists felled the World Trade Center towers in New York City, progress on rebuilding the site has been slow and mired in controversy.

September 11, 2009 - Architectural Record

High Permit Fees Thwart Construction

Clark County, WA increased their building permit fees by roughly 300% on July 1st, and are facing criticism from builders whose projects now won't pencil out.

September 9, 2009 - The Columbian (WA)

TRB Report Evaluates Densification & VMT Reduction

A new Transportation Research Board study examines the relationship between land use and carbon emissions - specifically reduction of vehicle miles traveled resulting from densification and the shape of new growth to come.

September 8, 2009 - Streetsblog

Growing Pains in Afghanistan's Cities

In Afghanistan, cities are changing. More and more people are leaving behind their agricultural past for city life, and the tide of new urbanites is stressing the fabric of the city.

September 7, 2009 - Forbes

Brown Says Expensive Olympics Will Boost London

English Prime Minister Gordon Brown is confident that the 2012 Summer Olympics will bring a big economic benefit to London. But with costs rising beyond expectations, some are skeptical of the PM's prediction.

September 5, 2009 - Reuters

From Garbage Mountain to Amphitheatre

A new 50,000 seat amphitheater is being planned for construction in Tel Aviv's new urban park, which was built on top of a garbage dump.

September 4, 2009 - Haaretz

Art, or a Nuisance?

The question of whether graffiti is art or vandalism is facing a vote in Bristol, U.K., the hometown of famed graffiti artist Banksy.

September 4, 2009 - City Mayors

Rising Wealth and the Emergence of New Global Cities

New world cities are emerging, and the "first truly urban century" will be shaped by the way increasing wealth is handled in places like Mumbai, Bangalore, Shanghai, Beijing, Sao Paulo and Dubai.

September 4, 2009 - Forbes

The City of the 21st Century

Shanghai could be them model city of the future, according to a new exhibit.

September 3, 2009 - e-Oculus

Room for Improvement in Prospective Olympic Host Cities

A new report from the International Olympic Committee has evaluated the four host candidates for the 2016 Summer Olympics and found many places for improvement ahead of its October 2 decision.

September 3, 2009 - The Chicago Tribune

The Dubai Nightmare

Once a booming mideast Las Vegas, Dubai is struggling amid the economic downturn. As a result, bills are going unpaid. By some estimates, UK engineers and architects are owed more than $652 million. One architect breaks his silence on the issue.

September 2, 2009 - Building

Towns Take More Control Over Affordable Housing Development

Instead of waiting for developers to come into town with plans for affordable housing, some Connecticut towns are taking advantage of a statewide grant program that helps establish zones for high density and affordable housing.

September 2, 2009 - The New York Times

Rebuilding a New Vision in New Orleans

Recovery in New Orleans doesn't just mean rebuilding the city as it was before Hurricane Katrina. Some see the process as creating an entirely new city.

September 1, 2009 - The New York Times

Restaurants Are Right-Sizing

In Philadelphia, a number of palatial restaurants have closed due to the bad economy. In their place, several more intimate, neighborhood places have popped up.

August 31, 2009 - Philadelphia Inquirer

States Cutting Economic Development Budgets

Retail Traffic Magazine reports that money-starved states like California are raising taxes on commercial property and gutting local economic development agencies, hurting developers.

August 31, 2009 - Retail Traffic Magazine

Small Lot Homes Changing Face of L.A.

Christina Chan looks at the effect of L.A.'s Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance of 2005, which opened the doors for a new style of housing somewhere in between single-family homes and condos.

August 29, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

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.

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.