World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Are Cities Becoming as 'Dull' as the Suburbs?
With the world's supposedly fashionable neighborhoods "increasingly as banal, antisocial and plain dull as any suburb," Feargus O'Sullivan explains why he's perfectly happy to have ditched inner London for the burbs.
A Physicist's View of the City as Machine
Astrophysicist Adam Frank takes a bird's eye view of the beautiful and perilous ways in which cities - "the defining element of human civilization" - exhibit the laws of thermodynamics.
Is There a Link Between Homeownership and Civic Participation?
It has long been assumed by politicians, and others, that homeowners are more likely to invest in contributing to the well-being of their neighborhoods than renters. A new report seems to support those assumptions.
Imagining a Future Without Freeways
Giving new meaning to the phrase "take back the streets," Neal Peirce writes about the arguments in favor of a "freeway free" future for the world's cities, which was the subject of a recent Rockefeller Foundation Conference held in Bellagio, Italy.
Airports Reinvent Themselves as Destinations
Bill Hooper looks at the global effort to reinvent the airport as a place where people will actually want to spend time.
Do Big Events Mean Big Bucks?
In the quadrennial competition to secure mega-events such as the Olympics and political conventions, the economic benefit to host cities is regularly flaunted. Carl Bialik looks at why big events may not mean big bucks for their host cities.
What Canadian Towns Have to Teach us About Great Urbanism
When we think urbanism, we often think cities. But small towns embody many of the elements of walkability that are illegal in most places. This pictorial review offers some palatable insights.
How Tall Can They Crawl?
Nate Berg asks what the practical limit is to the seemingly endless quest to design and construct the world's tallest building.
Increasing Urbanization and Climate Change Converge to Create Tsunami of Disasters
Stewart M. Patrick looks at the convergence of trends in natural disasters and urbanization in the developing world and sees a dire threat to the world's urban populations growing.
The World's Biggest Tweeters
Richard Florida looks at the results of a recent study of the world cities that tweet the most. While the top city might surprise you, it didn't surprise Florida's colleague at the University of Toronto.
Green Streets: Even Better Than Advertised
According to a new research study out of the UK, green streets are much more effective at cutting pollution than previously thought.
Europeans Have More Cars Than Americans - Say What?
The love affair between Americans and their cars is a well known trope. But according to a new paper from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on worldwide car usage, America's car ownership rate is among the lowest in the developed world.
Laws Fail to Keep Up With Efforts to Encourage Biking and Walking
As cities across the world expand their infrastructure to support more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly environments, outdated laws still support the use of streets by automobiles over people.
James Hansen: Extreme Weather Linked to Climate Change
NASA scientist James Hansen, considered to be the 'godfather of global warming' has co-authored a new report that shows the connection between 'extreme weather events', such as the drought most of the U.S. is now experiencing, and climate change.
Is Density Inherently Desirable?
Kaid Benfield wades into the density debate by pointing out that density and sprawl can go hand in hand.
Will Engineered Resilience Eclipse Sustainability?
Rives Taylor pens an editorial for Urban Land advocating for "engineered resilience", which he describes as "next-generation sustainability" that "adds adaptability and the protection of human life" to planning for the well-being of the planet.
New Research Suggests Immersive Urban Parks Work Best
Looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city in your neighborhood park? For a true mental vacation, head for the park with the densest vegetation, writes Eric Jaffe.
The Community-Building Power of Communal Gardens
Planted to solve a perceived food desert problem, urban gardens are harvesting more than just fresh, nutritious food. Neighborhoods surrounding gardens are seeing surprising declines in violent crime.
Pagination
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