Europe

Uproar Over Land Grabs In Spain

The Spanish housing market is under threat from a growing number of accusations that local town councils are abusing their power to claim land for public developments -- and dedicating land to resort communities and golf courses.

April 20, 2007 - Bloomberg

Planning For Megaregions

With the economic, environmental and social fortunes of nearby urban areas increasingly linked, there is growing interest in developing new strategies for large-scale regional planning.

April 19, 2007 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Citizens Use Second Life For Public Input On Design

A residents' association in Paris is inviting locals to share their ideas about redeveloping a garden and public space in the center of the city by creating them in the virtual reality world Second Life.

April 11, 2007 - BBC

Dam Project Revives Struggling Aral Sea

Since the late-1960s, an irrigation project have been slowly draining the entire Aral Sea, located on the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. But a new dam project is bringing the sea's water back, and with it the fish that support the region.

April 11, 2007 - BBC

From Struggling Town To Luxury Resort

A small Swiss village may become a new luxury resort, as Egyptian investors have targeted the site for redevelopment. Many residents were at first apprehensive, but have come to see the redevelopment as a savior for their struggling home

April 10, 2007 - BBC

Catastrophic Drought 50 Years Away For Southwest

Using sophisticated climate models, scientists are predicting a 15 percent loss of surface moisture by 2050. They suspect, but cannot conclude, that global warming is to blame.

April 8, 2007 - Los Angeles Times

Island's Water Supply And Land Threatened By Warming

Global warming is causing significant long- and short-term problems for the highly populated Mediterranean island of Malta, many parts of which would be submerged by rising sea levels, and whose water supply would be contaminated by sea water.

April 5, 2007 - BBC

New TGV Train Sets New Speed Record

A new high-speed rail line exceeded 357 miles per hour in a recent test, nearly matching a record set by magnetic levitation technology.

April 4, 2007 - The New York Times

Will Ikea Revolutionize Housing?

The Swedish furniture company is hoping to capitalize on its design sense and efficient manufacturing to expand the market for prefabricated housing.

April 3, 2007 - The Guardian Unlimited

City Of Lights To Become City Of Bikes

This summer more than 20,500 rental bikes will be available to Parisians at 1,450 bike stations for a faster, cheaper travel alternative.

March 27, 2007 - The Washington Post

The Future of Cities As Told In Belgrade

Bruce Sterling gives an insightful tour around the city of Belgrade and explores the transformation and pressures brought about by globalization.

March 25, 2007 - YouTube

In Paris, the Birthplace of the Mall Attracts New Visitors

Built in 1820s and 1830s, the arcades in Paris were the first enclosed retail centers protecting shoppers from the elements as they browsed a variety of shops.

March 24, 2007 - The New York Times

Mies van der Rohe’s Famous Tugendhat House in Trouble

The modernist house, designated as a World Heritage Site, deteriorates as its owners and the Czech Republic government fight over restoration.

March 23, 2007 - The New York Times

When The Road To The Future Erases The Past

Column McCann laments the loss of Ireland's cultural and environmental heritage as a result of the construction of new motorways.

March 20, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

EU Suggests Speed Limits On Autobahn

The European Union's environment commissioner has suggested that speed limits be placed on Germany's autobahn -- one of the last roadways in the world with sections unhindered by speed limits. The EU says limits would help reduce carbon emissions.

March 19, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

Peer-to-Peer Networking... For Traffic

Just like it's possible to share files using peer-to-peer networking, a German research group envisions enabling cars and bikes to share useful traffic and road condition information with other vehicles.

March 19, 2007 - Chris Steins

Mass Demonstration Opposes St. Petersburg Highrise

Thousands of demonstrators in St. Petersburg call for a halt to the proposed Gazprom headquarters, a high-rise tower that would be taller than New York's Empire State Building.

March 18, 2007 - INTBAU News

New High-Speed Train Debuts In France

The new Paris-Strasbourg TGV line is the continent's fastest high-speed rail link yet, and will connect France with Germany and Eastern Europe.

March 17, 2007 - Der Spiegel

Voters Say Bridge Is More Important Than World Heritage Site Title

Voters have approved construction of a bridge over the Elbe River in Dresden, Germany -- a construction project that puts the city in danger of losing its status as a United Nations World Heritage Site.

March 16, 2007 - Der Spiegel

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.