History / Preservation
Can A Strip Mall Be Worthy of Historic Preservation?
The Arlington, VA County Board is voting in July on naming 23 properties as 'essential' to preserve. Among those chosen are two strip malls.
Misinterpreting Metrics in List of 'Dying' Cities
In this post on The Infrastructurist, Peter Kageyama looks at a recent listing of 10 "dying" cities, and how the metrics used to rate these places can be and have been misinterpreted.
The Olympic Aftermath in Athens
This piece from Domus goes on a tour of Athens with local architect Andreas Angelidakis, who reflects on the city's lasting and negative impacts from hosting the Olympics.
The Importance of Corners
Chuck Wolfe focuses on the role of the urban corner, terming it "the central place of urban life".
High Rises: One Size That Doesn't Fit All
Two big names are calling for more high rise development and less of the historic preservation efforts that have often prevented it in dense urban areas. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Inga Saffron says they're wrong.
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.
The True History of America's Interstate Highways
The Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways was actually the idea of an earlier president, according to this history of highways posted on The Infrastructurist.
Sideways Train Bridges as Precursors to Skyscrapers
The early skyscrapers were inspired by the idea of turning steel train bridges on their sides. This episode of 99% Invisible explains.
Section 2 of NY's High Line Park Opens
A slideshow from Good Magazine highlights the newly opened section of the popular High Line Park in NYC.
More Evidence That Preserved Buildings are Greener Than New Ones
New studies are proving that replacing already built buildings with new, energy-efficient ones is not good environmental sense.
Could Detroit Rise Again?
Detroit has become our most notorious story of urban collapse. But reporter Matthew Power suggests that we consider the city's official motto: "It shall rise from the ashes."
The History Of the Push for Interstate Highways
"The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways" by journalist Earl Swift examines the movement to build interstate highways well before Pres. Eisenhower's landmark legislation.
Le Corbusier Buildings Rejected From World Heritage List
A consultant has recommended to UNESCO that they reject a proposal to include 19 buildings designed by French architect Le Corbusier on their list of world heritage sites.
Urban Exploration Misinterpreted
Urban explorer and urban ethnographer Bradley L. Garrett argues that the act of urban exploration has become increasingly misunderstood, and misinterpreted through the lens of a recent popular fascination with ruin fetishism.
The Campsite as Place
This piece from Places delves into the history of the campsite, their use of space, and their role in modern culture.
Understanding the Freeways of L.A.
In the latest installment of a year-long series about Los Angeles-focused books, Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne reads the 1981 book "L.A. Freeway: An Appreciative Essay," by David Brodsly.
Proposed Mega Project Would Curtain Iconic Hollywood Building
Revived plans to build a large mixed-use development in Hollywood next to an iconic building are awakening some concerns about the potential loss of historic character.
The Secret City that Helped the U.S. Build the Bomb
A city built secretly by the U.S. government to be a center for the design and development of the atomic bomb still stands today as an interestingly urban piece of U.S. history.
Tug-of-War Between Preservation and Progress
Rem Koolhaas laments the expansion of historic preservation, saying that inevitably "We will preserve things before they are even finished."
New Zealand's Hillside Sign Idea Irks Hollywood
The city of Wellington, an emerging center for filmmaking in New Zealand, is considering a plans to build a hillside sign with the word "Wellywood" -- an homage to the famous "Hollywood" sign. Hollywood is not flattered.
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
