World

The humor site Cracked takes a look at what happens when green technology backfires: melting houses, blinded jet pilots and buildings drowning in urine.

September 7, 2012 - Cracked.com

Alexis C. Madrigal get exclusive access to "Ground Truth," Google's project to develop the most accurate maps in the world. But why is the master of the virtual world so intent on documenting the physical world?

September 7, 2012 - The Atlantic

Using examples of exceptional streets from diverse settings across the world, Kaid Benfield tries to tease out what makes a great city street.

September 7, 2012 - Switchboard

A new city prosperity index has been unveiled by UN-Habitat at this week's World Urban Forum. The index seeks to catalog the ways in which global urbanization can encourage shared prosperity and human development, reports Claire Provost.

September 7, 2012 - The Guardian

More often than not, innovation springs from social interaction, rather than the romantic notion of the genius in isolation. With this in mind, Jessica Stoller-Conrad and Nancy Shute discuss three important ways in which geography fuels innovation.

September 7, 2012 - NPR

As anyone who's raised an eyebrow upon hearing that Los Angeles is technically more dense than New York can attest, making city-to-city comparisons can be a confounding endeavor. Nate Berg goes in search of a uniform way to define the city.

September 6, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Despite the seemingly positive news outlined in a new report detailing the role global warming periods play in increasing biodiversity, today's extremely-rapid warming trajectory may cancel out any hope of that.

September 6, 2012 - The Guardian

Kaid Benfield returns to his popular blog at the NRDC's Switchboard site after a three-week hiatus, with thoughts on the purpose of his writings and how "overly familiar vocabulary can lead to overly familiar thinking."

September 5, 2012 - Switchboard

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS), who have been working with UN-HABITAT on sustainable urbanization, describe why establishing public spaces can be even more important to improving the world's slums than providing power or clean water.

September 5, 2012 - Project For Public Spaces

Richey Piiparinen discusses the "Frankenstein effects" of place-making, in which, he argues, the diversity of people and place that attracts the creative class is eventually forced out by those in search of the "highest and best use."

September 4, 2012 - New Geography

Architect Michael Graves pens an opinion piece for The New York Times that explores the effect that computers are having on the architectural creative process. Does the decline in hand drawing result in a diminished ability for speculation?

September 4, 2012 - The New York Times

As real estate prices reach stratospheric levels, real estate professionals are banking on the artistic value of the world's trophy properties to explain the surge, reports James B. Stewart.

September 4, 2012 - The New York Times

Richard Florida chronicles the reasons why high-technology firms are increasingly vacating suburban office parks and "nerdistans" for urban addresses, from London to Los Angeles.

September 4, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

Eric Jaffe profiles the work of "self-proclaimed 'map geek'" Eric Fischer, whose remarkable renderings of urban data seek to uncover a deeper beauty, and truth, in the deluge of information.

September 3, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Unprecedented urbanization calls for unprecedented planning, argues writer Tim De Chant. His proposal: a scientific model for responsive urban design.

September 1, 2012 - Per Square Mile

Man's best friend is taking parkour - the improvised sport that uses the urban environment as an obstacle course - to new levels. Nate Berg looks at some of "barkour's" pooch practitioners.

August 31, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Ever get frustrated looking for the right aerial image of your project site on Google Earth? Emily Badger has found the solution - a DIY balloon mapping kit developed by cartographer Stewart Long.

August 30, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

As Hurricane Isaac lashes the Gulf Coast, Daniel P. Aldrich argues that the "density and strength of social networks are the most important variables" in determining how communities respond to natural disasters.

August 29, 2012 - The New York Times

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has just announced the winners of its 2012 Professional and Student Awards.

August 28, 2012 - American Society Of Landscape Architects

Never heard of hip-hop architecture? According to C.C. Sullivan, the global movement infusing architecture with artistic and cultural elements inspired by hip-hop has been spreading for at least a decade.

August 25, 2012 - SmartPlanet