Europe
The Potato (Oh Wait, Planning) Famine Rises Again
With a new rural planning policy, thousands of backlogged development applications, and severe job cuts, Northern Ireland's planning industry could be facing a grim future ahead.
Bringing Bookshops Back to the Latin Quarter
Seeing a marked decline in the amount of bookstores in the traditional cultural center of Paris, the city began a program to actively lure them back.
Automakers Working to Improve MPG Through Traffic Signals
BMW and Audi are studying ways to improve fuel efficiency using strategies that outside of the vehicle.
Free Courses to Improve Russia's Cities
To help change the pattern of development in Russian cities, free courses are being offered to local architects about solving the problems facing the countries growing urban areas.
Shrinking and Aging Population Poses Problems for Germany
Emigration is up and the birth rate is dropping in Germany, where people are starting to worry about what a shrinking and aging population will mean for the country's future.
Tear Down the Corviale! New Urbanism Comes to Rome
Nikos Salingaros presents the case for demolishing a modernist eyesore in Rome and replacing it with a high-density, mixed-use New Urbanist neighborhood.
Reconquering the Banks of Paris
Paris plans to eventually phase out automobiles in the city center in order to create a pedestrian friendly riverbank.
Considering "Eneropa"
Rem Koolhaas and his practice have released a vision of Europe 50 years from now, connected by an extensive smart grid and utilizing solar, wind and other green technologies to power the continent.
"Rezoning Madness" in Ireland
Local authorities throughout Ireland have rezoned ag land into residential at a ridiculous rate, according to a recent study that shows a demand for fewer than 300,000 units where 800,000 units are now allowed.
Kids in Train-ing
Trains across the former Soviet Union have peculiar staff: kids. Wired's Autopia blog explains.
A Precarious Playground
A new Parisian park would cause American parents to go apoplectic, with a precarious slopes and a lack of rubber bumpers. It is the latest incarnation of the "adventure playground, says Alexander Trevi of Pruned.
Redesigning a Plaza in Paris
The City of Paris is looking to update the historic Place de la Republique, and is running a closed competition to find the right design. Barcelona-based Mateo Arquitectura gives us a glimpse at their ideas for the space.
Spinning for Dinner
A hotel in Copenhagen offers $40 meal vouchers for anyone who produces 10 watt hours of electricity using their wired-up stationery bicycles.
Small Towns Seek to Buy Back Energy Infrastructure
Small German towns that had sold off their energy utilities to large corporations in the 1990s are trying to buy them back. They want to be back in on the lucrative energy market, but have large and formidable opponents.
Dublin's Bike Sharing System Finding Early Success
A new bike sharing system in Dublin is turning out to be a surprise success in the Irish city.
How To Design Your Own Speed Bump - In German
A German homeowner is frustrated with the traffic in his neighborhood, so he designs and installs his own speed bump for his street. While there are no English subtitles, the pictures and sounds illustrate the directions and results all too well.
Barcelona Residents Make Major Planning Decision By Popular Vote
Barcelona, Spain is planning a redesign of La Diagonal, an important boulevard, and is asking citizens to make the final choice between two alternatives or no change at all.
People Rarely Leave 6-Mile Circle
In a study in Europe using cellphone GPS data, researchers discovered that people rarely leave a six-mile area around where they live. GPS cellphone data is being used for a host of urban planning studies like this.
New Argument for Public Transit: Better for Texting?
In a recent piece in Wired, Clive Thompson suggests that the solution to the problem of texting while driving is not to stop texting, but to stop driving. The popularity of texting is a good reason to support public transit.
Spain's High Speed Rail Uses Luxury to Lure
Spain's high speed rail system is consistently beating out airlines for inter-city travel. But it's not through low prices.
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
