Asia-Pacific
China, Japan, other South East Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands countries.
Community Involvement Influenced by Anarchy
This Big City team looks at "small places of anarchy" in Toyko that has taken root in DIY Gardening, Collaborative Mental Mapping and FIXing the Neighborhood.
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.
Creating A Silicon Valley in Russia
Officials in Russia are hoping to create their own version of Silicon Valley by luring tech companies to the Skolkovo innovation hub.
Mag-Lev Project Meets Approval in Japan
Japanese officials recently approved plans to build a 320-mile magnetic levitation train system. The $114 billion project is expected to begin construction in 2014.
A Russia-U.S. Tunnel?
Russian officials are pushing a plan to build a tunnel connecting Russian territory to the United States.
Friday Funny: Crossing the Street in Vietnam Takes Gumption
What crosswalk? Watch this man effortlessly synchronizes his steady gait with the oncoming cavalry of cars, buses, and motorcycles as he crosses a busy street in Vietnam. If there is fear, he sure does a great job not showing it.
Are Slums "Cohesive, Sustainable" and "Here to Stay?"
Paul Mason takes a tour of Manila's 10-year-old Estero de San Miguel slum to test the theory that slums have upsides and finds that understanding the question's realities is as important as trying to find the answer.
Multi-Million Dollar Student Housing in Manhattan
It is not uncommon for wealthy Chinese to spend seven figures - in cash - on real estate "as housing for children studying in New York."
Real Estate Bliss in Singapore
Like the Hamptons for affluent New Yorkers, Singapore emerges as the go-to real estate hot spot - replacing Hong Kong - for wealthy Chinese. "It confers class status in China to say that you own a flat in Singapore," asserts Mohamed Ismail.
Testing the Smart Grid
South Korea is making perhaps the biggest moves towards creating a vast "smart" electricity grid with a test grid of homes equipped with new meters and applications that communicate with each other and the grid.
Theme Parks Booming in Asia
More and more theme parks are being planned across Asia, which is creating new opportunities for designers.
A Liter of Light: Cheap, Sustainable "Bulbs" for Informal Dwellings
In the Philippines, "eco-entrepreneur" Ilac Diaz is spreading an idea from MIT using 2-liter soda bottles and bleach to bring a 60 watt light bulb's worth of light into the building below.
Crops, Greens on Hong Kong's High Rises
The personally rewarding and healthy activity of urban farming continues to solidify a foothold on Hong Kong high rises, in spite of the lack of support from the government.
You Call That Public Art?
South Korea's law mandates developers to commission public art as 1% of the total cost of a proposed project. What the law does not specify is the level of taste that comes with it.
Tokyo to Include Tsunami-Hit Areas in 2020 Olympic Bid
In preparing a bid to host the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo is planning to include areas that were ravaged by the recent tsunami and earthquake.
Japan Moves Forward With Maglev Train
Tsunami, earthquakes, and nuclear radiation in the past, Japan proceeds to build a magnetic train that defies Newton's laws of physics.
Inside Bangkok's "Ghost Tower"
Photojournalist and blogger Dr. Hank Snaffler, Jr. documents the Sathorn Unique, an abandoned skyscraper at the heart of Bangkok.
Prepared for Disaster, But not to Respond
Japan is typically associated with strong disaster preparedness plans, but the devastation following the March tsunami highlights some of the nation's shortcomings in adapting and reacting, according to this piece from Citiwire.
Destroyed by Tsunami, Small Village Considers Move
A small community in tsunami-ravaged Japan considers a plan to move the entire village farther above sea level.
Rebuilding Tsunami-Wrecked Japan As Smart Towns
Panasonic and a group of companies are planning on building a new demonstration "smart town" in Kanagawa Prefecture on a site the tsunami destroyed.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
