World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
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.
Crumbled Skyscrapers Found Floating in Chinese River
Just days after the carcasses of thousands of dead pigs were found floating down two different rivers in China, residents along the banks of the Pearl River are reporting huge chunks of crumbled skyscrapers floating downstream.
New Study Finds Asthmatic Children Cause Inner City Traffic Congestion
In the face of countless scientific studies showing that areas with large amounts of car congestion can lead to higher rates of asthma in children, a new study finds the correlation to be flipped: asthmatic kids are creating congestion in cities.
Hoping to Lure Natural Gas Industry Money, Pennsylvania Town Creates 'Fracking Zones'
Officials in the small town of Plainton, Pennsylvania are hoping that a new zoning designation and loosened permitting rules will convince energy companies to come search beneath their town for the new black gold: natural gas.
SimCity Imposes Congestion Pricing
Game developer Electronics Arts has implemented congestion pricing for playing the newly-released version of its popular city-building game SimCity.
Urban Issues Prioritized as Politicians' Children Come Out as City-Dwellers
In a week when the children of three separate members of congress revealed publicly that they are living in cities, lawmakers are shifting their ideologies about where federal resources should go and how to effectively target new policies.
APA Launches New Citizen Certification Program
Following the success of it's professional certification program called American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the American Planning Association (APA) has announced a certification program for selected citizens as well.
Transit-Riding Pope Mothballs Popemobile, Opts for Pope Bus
Eschewing the opulence and excess of more recent pontiffs, the newly elected Pope Francis has decided to decommission the bullet-proof single-passenger Popemobile in favor of a Pope Bus.
Florida Concedes to Kotkin: 'You Were Right'
In a stunning turnaround, longtime advocate of the importance of urban economies Richard Florida has reversed his stance on the suburbs, finding them as economically essential and appealing as urban theorist Joel Kotkin always said they were.
Kotkin Concedes to Florida: 'You Were Right'
In a stunning turnaround, longtime sprawl apologist Joel Kotkin has reversed his stance on Richard Florida's "Creative Class" theory, finding it to be a true example of the way clusters of creative people can synergize and catalyze a vibrant economy.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
