World

Global issues, U.N., etc.

The Case Against The Centralized City

Kerwin Datu suggests that transit in cities of the future should no longer be organized around a distinct center. "Rather than think of a city as a centre surrounded by suburbs, think of it as a patchwork of specialised districts woven together."

August 19, 2010 - The Global Urbanist

Power Balace to Shift From Nations to Cities

The rise of megacities and innovation hubs is leading to a balance shift that will make cities, not nations, the most powerful drivers in the world economy, according to Parag Khanna.

August 19, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Is A Denser Urban World Inevitable?

Writing in Foreign Policy, Joel Kotkin argues that increasing urbanization and density are not inevitable realities.

August 18, 2010 - Foreign Policy

Ebenezer Howard Lives

Victorian-style model towns from the age of Ebenezer Howard are seeing a revival in emerging urban areas, according to this piece from The Guardian.

August 17, 2010 - The Guardian

Unleashing the Planner in Everyone

This piece from Next American City looks at a variety of urban planning-focused events being hosted by cultural institutions, and how those events help to include the regular citizen in the process of planning.

August 16, 2010 - Next American City

Understand Nature to Grow Green Jobs

Clean energy jobs aren't just about slapping solar panels on building, according to this op-ed. Building the green economy relies on building our own understanding of the interplay of natural systems.

August 16, 2010 - Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel

The Top 20 Urban Planning Successes of All Time

An interesting post appeared on the Public Servant Blog a few days ago. The list includes Amsterdam, Eugene, Oregon; Ponce Center City, Puerto Rico; and the city of Philadelphia among others.

August 16, 2010 - Public Servant Blog

Is the Magic Word "Density", or "Location"?

Looking back at research from 1977, The Overhead Wire decides that maybe there is an overemphasis on residential density increasing transit ridership, when the greatest impact comes from location.

August 16, 2010 - The Overhead Wire

Urban Cemetery Space Running Out

In crowded New York City, finding a final resting place in one of the city's cemeteries is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. Other major cities are facing the same crunch.

August 16, 2010 - The New York Times

Making Sense of Neighborhood Structure

Planner Sam Gennawey details a public participation exercise he regularly uses, taken from the ideas of Christopher Alexander, that makes complex ideas simple for public understanding.

August 16, 2010 - Sam Gennawey

Residents Who Live Near Public Transportation Live Healthier, Longer Lives

Study indicates that public transit improvements and more transit oriented development can provide large but often overlooked health benefits.

August 15, 2010 - APTA

An Architectural Yelp?

A new website intends to be both a crowdsourced wiki of information on buildings and an open forum for architectural criticism.

August 15, 2010 - Metropolis Magazine

Synchronized Driving

University of Missouri-Kansas City researchers are making headway on "self-synchronizing moving objects" -- that is, getting cars to communicate with each other on highways so they can travel at faster speeds without accidents.

August 14, 2010 - The Kansas City Star

18 Unusual Examples of Landscape Architecture

Popular Mechanics features a slideshow of fantastic examples of landscape architecture, from Scotland's Garden of Cosmic Speculation to the Growth Chamber on the International Space Station.

August 13, 2010 - Popular Mechanics

PBSJ In Agreement to Be Aquired By London Company

Major engineering firm PBSJ is in talks with Atkins to be acquired by the London-based firm. PBSJ, which is employee-owned, reportedly sought out the sale to bring in more capital for expansion.

August 11, 2010 - TOLLROADSnews

When Life Gives You Opium, Make Biofuel

A U.S. ambassador is proposing a novel approach to helping Afghanistan -- since opium crops are rampant, why not find a way to turn poppies into biofuel?

August 11, 2010 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

More Cyclists Means Safer Streets

Studies show that traffic-calming measures and bike lanes increase the number of cyclists on the street and decrease the risk of collisions.

August 11, 2010 - Montreal Gazette

Most Successful Urban Planning - Ever?

Public Servant Blog dares to compile a completely subjective list of the Top 20 Urban Planning Successes of All Time, with selections ranging from the obvious (Amsterdam) to the less so (Marimont, Ohio). See if you agree.

August 10, 2010 - Public Servant Blog

A City on the Pacific Garbage Patch?

Dutch conservationists are proposing to create a floating community built on top of the patch of garbage swirling out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

August 10, 2010 - Guardian

The Past and Future of Urban Agriculture

Urban agriculture is not a new idea. Grist's Tom Philpott says the renewed interest in the idea should look for good ideas from its past.

August 10, 2010 - Grist

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.