World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Environment Explains Obesity
Tara Haelle examines the growing consensus among scientists that environmental factors, rather than genes or sloth, are the primary cause of childhood obesity. The onus is on planners and policy makers to create environments that nurture health.
How to Win at the 'Planning Game'
Julia Vitullo-Martin reviews Alexander Garvin's new book, "The Planning Game," which examines four case studies for lessons on how shrewd investments in the public realm can revitalize a city.
Get Your Garden Room Right
Springtime is outdoor living time. Make the most of yours with Susan Henderson's handy guide to garden rooms.
The Invisible Answer to Bike Helmet Hair
Developed by industrial designers Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin, the Hovding is an "invisible bicycle helmet" that may be the key to unlocking anxiety over mandatory helmet laws.
Another Reason to Keep Kids Away from Traffic: Cancer
Add cancer to the growing list of ailments being linked to childhood exposure to vehicle emissions, say researchers from UCLA, USC and UC Irvine.
Paolo Soleri, Visionary Who Merged Architecture with Environmentalism, Dies at 93
Soleri, the founder of the experiential community of Arcosanti, who in many ways presaged the modern sustainability movement, passed away on Tuesday at Cosanti, his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
The World's Most Amazing Train Trips
With the pleasures of train travel again attracting customers around the world, the staff at Executive Travel magazine have put together a list of the most scenic journeys traversed by rail.
What Does it Take to Become an Architecture Critic?
"Minimize description and maximize observation" were among the nuggets of advice delivered by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Blair Kamin to a recent class of Harvard students eager to learn how to think and write like an activist critic.
Is It OK Now to Have More Babies?
For those concerned about world population, a new study from Spain rebuts prior studies, including the U.N. 2011 report that project population reaching 10 billion by 2100. The new report projects it peaking at 8 billion in 2050, then declining.
The Future of Municipal Planning: Is John Nolen Rolling Over in his Grave?
Are today's city planners fulfilling the promise of John Nolen? Howard Blackson explores a profession losing its influence, and ponders how to get it back.
How Will 3D Printing Change the World's Cities?
Shrinking ports, less noxious trucks on our roads, and more self-sufficient towns. Neal Peirce describes the changes that 3D printing may bring to our lives. Will it be comparable to "the steam engine, the light bulb, atomic energy, the microchip?"
Why We Should Forget That Fukushima Ever Happened
Nuclear power has saved 370 times more lives than it has ended in the last four decades, says a NASA paper. Despite the horrors of Japan's ongoing nuclear disaster, we'll need to rely on nuclear power for the sake of the environment and human health.
Denise Scott Brown's Pritzker Snub Becomes News Again, More than 20 Years Later
A recent interview with the acclaimed designer and theorist, and an online petition, have reignited the debate over whether Denise Scott Brown deserved to be awarded the Pritzker Prize along with her long-time collaborator Robert Venturi.
Can an Upstart Mapmaker Beat Google and Microsoft at Their Own Game?
Glenn Fleishman profiles MapBox, whose 30 employees are taking on the big boys in the development of interactive street and satellite maps. The company is working with Charlie Loyd to develop "the most beautiful, clean map ever made."
To Create a Great 'Third Place', Get Out of the Way
For far too long, the shaping of public spaces has been left to architects and urban planners, who plan from the top down. The most successful projects involve people directly in deciding how their public spaces will look, feel, and operate.
Rem Koolhaas and the Contradictions of Capitalism
On Places, Ellen Dunham-Jones argues that "irrationally exuberant" architect Rem Koolhaas has encouraged followers to "shed the crippling shackles of critical theory and pick up a surfboard upon which to ride the shock waves of the new economy."
Embracing Placemaking's Freak Factor
Realizing that overly controlled environments rarely breed the kind of innovation and culture that make cities great, Scott Doyon gets down with the funky and unpredictable.
Street Vendors: Supporters or Spoilers of Public Space?
Ethan Kent, Enrique Penalosa, and Jonathan Crush offer contrasting perspectives on the effect of informal street vending on public spaces.
Transportation Secretary on Spending Binge Before Leaving Office
Bus rapid transit projects, separated bike lanes and a collection of streetcar systems are being unexpectedly funded by outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who's relishing his final days in office with an unprecedented spending spree.
IBM Toughs Destroy Cleveland's Traffic Lights After City Pirates Smart City Technology
The tech giant discovered an illegally obtained version of its smart city application running in the beleaguered Ohio city, optimizing traffic signals. IBM's Enforcement Division responded immediately.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
