Europe
Unrealized Berlin
A new exhibit in Germany looks at a variety of unrealized and unbuilt plans for Berlin created by 100 different architects and planners.
Huge New District Expands Hamburg's City Center
An ambitious new mixed use district is gradually opening along the Elbe River in Hamburg, Germany. The project is huge in scope, expanding the city center by nearly 40%, and not expected to finish for more than a decade.
Berlin's Former Airport Opens As Park
Decommissioned Tempelhof Airport in Berlin had been the subject of grand plans for reusing the massive space for the last two years. But with little money in city coffers, officials decided to simply open it to the public as-is.
Old Lady Neighborhood Watch
"Vigilant old ladies: another good example of the value of neighborhood social capital (and urban living)."
Fun, Fun, Fun on the Autobahn
Millions of Germans this weekend closed off a 40-mile stretch of autobahn for a banquet and party.
Cities Are Influenced By Theme Parks, World's Fairs, etc.
A exhibit currently at the Centre Pompidou in Paris called "Dreamlands" looks at the lasting and deep influence of themed environments and amusement parks on how we think about cities.
Joseph Stalin Out, Michael Jackson In?
Michael Jackson fans in Prague want to build a statue commemorating the musician in the same park that once housed the world's biggest bust of Joseph Stalin. Some locals aren't happy about the plan.
Rome Modernizes Amid Controversy
Rome, a city steeped in history, is struggling to retain and protect its historical identity as the city modernizes and expands.
"Not Only Hi-Tech, It's Also Lederhosen"
Munich returns to the top of Monocle's most liveable cities for 2010. According to Monocle, Munich is a place where "wealth and prosperity are reinvested in transport, infrastructure and environmental initiatives."
An Urban Forest
A white box labeled "Unlimited Urban Woods" stands in the plaza of a modern office building in Amsterdam. Step inside, and an endless vista of trees stretches out before you.
Dispatch From Denmark
Executive director of the SF Bike Coalition, Leah Shahum on sabbatical in Europe, reports on a bicycle conference that she attended in Copenhagen as well as her impressions of bicycle culture in the Denmark capital in her first Streetsblog dispatch.
Friday Funny: Slide to Work
This video shows a slide installed on a staircase leading down to a subway station in Berlin, making it quick an easy to catch the train on time.
Barcelona Undercuts New York and Los Angeles in Metro Extension
Yonah Freemark explains how Barcelona has managed to get a better deal for its new metro extension than those in New York and Los Angeles.
Paris Plans for Power From Hydroliennes Beneath The Seine
This week, Paris City Hall is launching an appeal to find power companies able to install eight 'hydroliennes' underneath the Seine's celebrated bridges. French power company EDF has already declared the plan interesting.
Jan Gehl's Ten Principals For Liveability
Kaid Benfield introduces Jan Gehl and Walter Hook's principals to promote "environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation worldwide."
Battle Over Closure of Paris Expressways
A political battle is brewing in Paris, where the city's mayor wants to close off sections of roadway along the River Seine, a move that President Nicholas Sarkozy is against.
Architectural Cleansing
Architect Christos Floros of Athens, Greece says that the city is constantly facing "architectural cleansing" as war, rapid population growth, and greed sweep away historic buildings.
Buildings Alone Do Not Constitute Regeneration
The "Bilbao Effect" is the apotheosis of the notion that a struggling post industrial city can be regenerated through set-piece art and design. But Frank Gehry, the architect of the Guggenheim, suspects the gallery was only part of a larger gestalt.
Designing Embassies in an Era of Terror
Embassies are a critical diplomatic tool, but their original emphasis on representing a state has given way to defending the diplomats inside.
Art and Mystery in a Public Space
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has created a magical zen landscape in a plaza at the University of Milan, using stones, fabric, and light.
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
