Urban Development
Top 10 Websites - 2011
Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.
Walmart Heads for D.C.
A proposed D.C. development would place hundreds of apartments above a store, but other projects emphasize parking, not pedestrian-friendly streets. Chicago and New York also face Walmart campaigns.
Kansas City Rejects Plaza Project
Kansas City's Plan Commission has denied a 55-acre redevelopment centered around a downtown plaza - a project that had the approval of the Planning Dept. and the local AIA Chapter, but evidently not the community.
Design Solutions for Japan's Recovery
In the coming days and years, Japan needs to address a host of issues related to earthquake recover and design, including damaged infrastructure, population and housing, energy, the economy and global impact.
A Sixth Borough in NYC
Mayor Bloomberg has revealed plans to transform New York City's waterfront, calling it a sixth borough. The city envisions new parks, piers, and promenades across the entire city's waterfront.
Outlook Rosy for Construction in 2011
Three economists with an understanding of the industry say that construction has finally hit bottom across the board (retail, housing, office) and is poised to come back with double-digit growth in 2011.
Abu Dhabi Enlists the Help of Former Vancouver City Planner
Larry Beasley, Vancouver's former chief city planner, was hired to help develop Abu Dhabi's very ambitious Plan 2030.
The Future of Housing in America
In this article from Next American City the author argues for more variety in U.S. housing options in the wake of the mortgage debacle.
Starting Small in Haiti's Recovery
Port-au-Prince, the devastated capital of Haiti, is far from recovery. But as it and the rest of the country tries to rebound, some are thinking creatively about how best to rebuild the city's center.
Rise of the Ethnoburbs
Timothy Egan describes growing American ethnoburbs, or "entire cities" (or suburbs) "dominated by a nonwhite ethnic group," and their implications for politics and power.
LEED for Neighborhoods Debuts
The LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) guidelines have existed for some time now, but are getting a new focus with an exhibit in Chicago and the launch of the first comprehensive city plan to include LEED-ND guidelines.
TOD in 3D
Oregon's Metro has developed a measure for transit-orientation, which uses 3 dimensions to convey the relative diversity in form and activity across the Portland region.
America's Most Expensive Town
Edging out places like Beverly Hills, the town of Aspen, Colorado, has seen its property values on a consistent rise, making it the most expensive town in America.
Building a Sustainable New Delhi by 2050
Architects and planners in New Delhi are collaborating to create three new visions of the city, all based around the concept of sustainability.
The End is Near for the Commercial Strip
Several factors are leading to the end of commercial strip development while simultaneously leading to more and more town centers and mixed-use facilities.
Photographic Legacies of Brasilia and Chandigarh
A new book of photography compares the legacies of two modernist cities: Brasilia and Chandigarh.
Rethinking Development As Queensland Recovers From Floods
Drastic flooding inundated Queensland, Australia, and damaged many of the city's buildings. As recovery begins, some are rethinking the city's development patterns.
World's Biggest Mall A Ghost Town
A huge mall in China -- the largest in the world -- has just a 1% occupancy rate.
Unique Rooftops in Urban Centers
WebUrbanist.com has identified 11 of the most interesting modern urban rooftops in the world.
Overlaying Form-Based Zoning
Columbus, Ohio has been experimenting with zoning overlays, which do not change the underlying land use regulations but add a set of form-based regulations focused on livability.
Pagination
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie