World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Autonomous Cars Will Turn Back the Clock on Sustainable Cities
The companies developing autonomous cars are not interested in getting people to walk more or use public transport, but to offer on-demand private transport for the masses, in many cases moving people back to cars.
Canadian Prime Minister Wins Award for Being Pro-Oil Sands and Pro-Environment
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is treading a fine line between supporting the economy of oil-sands dependent western Canada and fighting climate change, as impossible as that might sound. His efforts were rewarded by the energy industry.
Crumbling Of Democracy Bodes Ill For Urban Design
Ironically, some of the greatest architecture of the past came from the most nefarious of sources: monarchies and dictatorships. Democratic design, though, can be bland and generic. What of design in our new undemocratic age?
Sand: Another Victim of Global Urbanization
Headlined by vertical (and horizontal) sprawl in China, India, and elsewhere, the global building boom requires vast quantities of concrete and asphalt. And to get those materials, sand must be taken from the environment.
The Road to 5G Starts With Home Broadband
This year’s Mobile World Congress is all about 5G and IoT, with some handset and wearable launches. Wireless carriers and infrastructure vendors are starting to launch Gigabit broadband pilots to bring 5G class connectivity to residential users.
Redevelopment Without the Ills
Before 20th century urban renewal programs, U.S. cities were often overcrowded fire hazards and breeding grounds for tuberculosis and other airborne diseases. However, many of these programs also did severe damage. Is there a better way?
Building Trails
Designing trails means serving many masters. Those who do it professionally must balance aesthetics with practical concerns like drainage.
Architecture's Top Prize Goes to a Relatively Unknown Trio From Spain
The Pritzker Prize, sometimes called the Nobel Prize of architecture, was announced this week, going to Spanish firm RCR Arquitectes.
Debating the Relationship Between Compact Development and Driving
Leading researchers debate whether more compact urban development reduces automobile travel in the Journal of the American Planning Association. The issues are complex and important.
Placemaking: Geek Niche or the Root of Pretty Much Everything?
Placemaking: what does the term really mean? And how it can most effectively serve the needs of the most people. Scott Doyon shares some ideas.
Research Team to Study the Physiological Responses of Pedestrians to 'Physical Disorder'
Associate Professors Yunwoo Nam and lead PI Changbum Ahn from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, were recently awarded an NSF grant entitled "Human-Centric Sensing Platform to Assess Neighborhood Physical Disorder."
Friday Eye Candy: The Childhood Maps of 8 Professional Mapmakers
Choosing cartography as a career is a natural result of a lifelong love of maps. National Geographic gathers the proof.
Are Driverless Cars Good for Cities?
With experts predicting widespread autonomous vehicle (AV) adoption in the not-too-distant-future, many policymakers, designers, and ordinary citizens are left scratching their heads, uncertain of what to expect and how to prepare.
No Left Turns for UPS Trucks
To avoid accidents and conserve fuel, UPS trucks sometimes take circuitous routes on their deliveries, avoiding left turns.
What if Oil Is About to Have a Coal Moment?
It's always good to be wary of wishful thinking, but it's also a good idea to consider of what the world might look like ten to 20 years from now.
Codes Study: Trends in Zoning Reform
The Codes Study is updated! These are the cities that are rewriting their land use laws to promote wellness, economic strength, and environmental resilience.
Designing a Better Little Free Library
The care that goes into each Little Free Library makes each example special and unique. A little architectural expertise can't hurt either.
Addressing the Bus Stigma
"Buses should be cool!" transit advocates continue to yell into an uncaring oblivion.
Richard Florida Takes a Detour
One of the most enthusiastic advocates for the urban resurgence, Richard Florida turns his attention to the segregation, inequality, and housing shortages that threaten to tear cities apart in The New Urban Crisis.
Big Data Brings Bespoke Cities
This start-up uses an AI to comb through Google Street View images, matching users with cities that fit their "lifestyle preferences."
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
