History / Preservation

MoMA Decides to Demolish Folk Art Museum

The stay of execution that was granted to the Museum of American Folk Art after protests from architects and preservationists has been lifted. MoMA has announced plans to demolish the celebrated building to accommodate its expansions plans.

January 9, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

The Portland Building, designed by Michael Graves

Will City Demolish Graves' Pioneering Postmodern Portland Building?

Faced with $95 million in necessary repairs just 32 years after its Michael Graves-designed administrative headquarters was opened, Portland officials are considering razing the nation's first major work of postmodern architecture.

January 8, 2014 - Portland Architecture

Chicago Bungalows

Chicago's Ubiquitous Housing Type Turns 100

As Chicago's population surged in the second decade of the 20th century, one dominant single-family housing type spread across the city. Over the next year the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association will celebrate these distinctive homes.

January 7, 2014 - WBEZ

How to Design a City for Blackouts

During the nightly blackouts designed to protect London from aerial attack during World War II, authorities used white paint as a cheap tool for making the city navigable in the darkness. Could London offer lessons for building resilient cities?

January 7, 2014 - Gizmodo

America's First Female Architect Finally Receives Recognition

Louise Bethune was a trailblazer in architecture, yet her burial place didn't even bear her name for over a century. Buffalo's industry heavyweights honored her with a memorial marker last month.

January 5, 2014 - Fast Co. Design

How Thomas Menino Wove Boston's Neighborhoods into a "Whole City"

Over twenty years in office, Mayor Thomas Menino had a considerable impact on Boston's built environment. For Robert Campbell, the Mayor's most substantial accomplishment was in recapturing "the places in between".

January 3, 2014 - Boston Globe

Pizza Hut and the Legacy of Corporate Architecture

For Americans growing up in the 1980s, the sight of a stand-alone restaurant with board-and-batten siding and a red-tile roof meant one thing: pizza ahead.

January 2, 2014 - The Atlantic Cities

Top 10 City Scandals of 2013

As we bid farewell to 2013, here are the Top 10 scandals that cast a negative light on some global cities this past year.

December 31, 2013 - Future Cities

Planetizen's Most Popular Pieces of 2013

We're looking forward to another stimulating year of news, commentary, and professional development. But before the calendar turns to 2014, we wanted to take a look back at our most popular blog posts, exclusive articles, and news items from 2013.

December 30, 2013 - Jonathan Nettler

Should Poland Preserve Its Communist Relics?

Many of Poland's older, iconic Communist buildings require major renovations and are seen as unwelcome reminders of a bygone time. But many people see them as historic landmarks that merit preservation.

December 29, 2013 - The Economist

2013 Started a New Chapter in L.A.'s Story

Will 2013 be remembered as the year that Los Angeles embraced a new urban identity? Cultural, political, and planning and design-related events over the past year seem to suggest the city is experiencing "an urban reawakening".

December 21, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Seattle Tunnel Boring

What's Blocking Seattle's Tunnel-Boring Behemoth?

Is it a giant rock? What about a sunken ship? Beneath Seattle's waterfront, a mysterious object has halted Bertha, the world's largest tunnel-boring machine. Stumped engineers are unclear on how long a highway tunneling project will be suspended.

December 20, 2013 - The New York Times

Traffic Enforcement Technology Has Its Limits

For the second time in a year, Baltimore has pulled the plug on both its red-light and speed enforcement cameras, paying the contractor $600,000 to do so. Re-evaluation will determine where the city, which now owns most of the cameras, goes next.

December 19, 2013 - Governing

Top Books

Top 10 Books - 2014

Planetizen is pleased to release its twelfth annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2013.

December 11, 2013 - Jonathan Nettler

Ann Beha Architects Will Rehab Gropius's Athens Embassy

The U.S. Department of State has selected Ann Beha Architects (ABA) to renovate the United States Embassy in Athens, Greece.

November 24, 2013 - Architect Magazine

Dallas's Ambivalent Commemoration of a Decisive Day

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Mark Lamster examines Dallas's efforts to commemorate the tragedy. A new memorial is the latest example of the city's "ambivalent response to the events of November 1963."

November 21, 2013 - The Dallas Morning News

Is the VA Doing Enough to Protect Its Historic Properties?

With thousands of historic landmarks in its possession, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs plays a key role in protecting the country's historic heritage. A new study claims the agency is neglecting its duty.

November 20, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Discovery of Ancient Village Complicates Massive Miami Development Project

Archaeologists have discovered what may be "the earliest prehistoric town plan ever found in eastern North America" where the Metropolitan Miami project is to rise. Developers and local officials are discussing how to balance history with progress.

November 18, 2013 - NPR

130 Years on, Boston's Emerald Necklace Still a Model Linear Park

Writer Kaid Benfield used a recent trip the American Society of Landscape Architects annual meeting in Boston to reflect on what that city can teach us about designing urban parks.

November 17, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard Blog

Planning and Public Health's Historic Bond and Disconnection

To meet America's health challenges, planning and public health are becoming reconnected across the country. But a century ago, the fields were "nearly indistinguishable". How did they become disconnected in the first place?

November 10, 2013 - AIArchitect

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.