World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Rethinking Cities "From the Ground Up"
Michael Totty of The Wall St. Journal says cities need to be rethought to be leaner and greener. His list of suggestions includes district-level heating systems, micro wind turbines, and walking and biking.
Urbanism Without Effort
Chuck Wolfe says that urbanism that can readily occur in urban neighborhoods "without really trying" as people naturally come together in impromptu ways.
Creating Energy from Subway Motion
Like systems used in electric vehicles like the Prius, an energy company think it could attach flywheels to subway trains and use the kinetic energy of their movement to generate energy that would feed back into the system.
IBM Releases "Commuter Pain Index"
A survey of over 8,000 commuters in 20 cities across 6 continents yields an alarming result. By and large, commuters in emerging economies face traffic conditions that are far worse than those who live in the U.S. and Europe.
Only Collective Actions Make a Difference
You gave up your large home for a small apartment by the train station, your car for a bike, disposable bags for your canvas one, and of course you recycle everything. Are you making a difference? Not according to this NYT column.
Faking It: Imitations of Cities Around the Globe
For better or worse, cities mimic each other, making replicas of great landmarks down to unique light fixtures. The Infrastructurist selects top 5 cities that do the job well. Not surprisingly, Shanghai earns the title as the hallmark of knock-offs.
Board Games for Urban Planners
Mark Ferrall is on a mission to get planners away from their computer screens and collaborating again - over a good board game. Here, he presents three he thinks you and your colleagues will enjoy.
Open-Source Software for Cities
M.I.T. has developed a new open-source ArcGIS toolbox that they say will illustrate how a cities' spatial layout affects the way people will live in it.
The Unexpected Influence of Christopher Alexander
Known for A Pattern Language, his landmark book on architecture and urban design, Christopher Alexander's ideas have had an effect on everything from software and iPhone apps to business management and ecology.
Rapid City Growth Causes Concern Over Urban Sprawl
The rapid growth of cities is causing concern amongst experts over the effects of urban sprawl. There are 19 megacities in the world today, and 10 more will rise in the next 30 years, reports Marcus Moretti for Yale Daily News.
Density = Productivity and Jobs
Economist Ryan Avent writes that the statistics show that people who live in denser cities have better jobs and are more productive.
Railing Issues in the UK
The benefits of building a new $52-million HSR that connects London to northern England are plausible but not persuasive, says The Economist.
The Cardinal Rules for Climate Action Plans
Any prospect for the green initiatives to produce desired results requires more than just aggressive reduction targets, according to The Economist. It comes down to scope and suitability, the two factors that vary greatly from city to city.
Shipping Container Housing May Be Hazardous to Your Health
Recycling shipping containers into housing has been growing in popularity, but the materials they are coated with may be cause for alarm.
Avoiding Plannerese: Keep it Simple
Planners, architects, and urban designers talk the talk and walk the walk, but often in a cone of silence, unheard - or at least not understood -- by those outside the profession, says Scott Doyon.
Friday Funny: Captain Planet the Green-Mongering, Megalomaniac Superhero?
Before polar bear there was Captain Planet. This laugh-out-loud video of actor Don Cheadle as the cartoon superhero evokes the old adage: Be careful what you wish for.
Melbourne Ranked as Most Livable City
With high scores in five broad categories, Melbourne, Australia received the highest spot in livability rankings from The Economist's research unit.
Skyscrapers and the World of Tomorrow
Are skyscrapers the way to achieve great density, or a form of retro-urbanism that should be retired? With a debate simmering in the planning world over the energy efficiency and urban necessity of tall towers, Planetizen's staff decided to determine the answer once and for all.
William Gibson's Futuristic World Has Arrived
Author William Gibson talks to Scientific American about how "the future's arrived," and the many ways you can see the future around you.
Ebenezer Howard's "Garden City" Revisited
Nina Rappaport of UrbanOmnibus explores the history of the urban factory, examining the social, economic, and environmental benefits of the modern vertical factory industry.
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
