History / Preservation
TOD: An Architect's View
The American Institute of Architects discovers that architects are finding work redesigning stations, and that a new focus on transit is driving development.
An Architectural 'Love Letter' to NY
The AIA Guide to New York City was last updated 10 years ago, and the latest version shows an explosion of glassy residential towers. James Russell says the guide is "monumental."
S.F.'s Market Street Railway Celebrates Sesquicentennial
Carl Nolte, the San Francisco Chronicle's historian, writes on the 150-year anniversary of the Market St. Railway that began operation as a 2-car steam train on July 4, 1860, and the evolution of rail on/under Market St including BART & Muni Metro.
Main Streets Revitalized
The Project for Public Spaces has begun to publicize improvements it has made to main streets across the country with a new web feature, reports Kaid Benfield.
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.
Claiming -- Not Reclaiming -- New York's Waterfront
The opening of the Brooklyn Bridge Park and other waterfront attractions in New York has many people rediscovering their waterfront. But as this op-ed argues, the waterfront can't be reclaimed as it was never even claimed in the first place.
Saving Small-Town Movie Theaters
Small town movie theaters are seeing new interest from community members who are fighting -- and volunteering -- to keep them open.
Save the Soleri Amphitheater
Officials in Santa Fe have announced plans to demolish an amphitheater designed by architect Paolo Soleri, the visionary behind the as-yet-unfinished Arcosanti project. David Licata says it deserves to be saved.
Milwaukee's Big List of Wishes
Planners in Milwaukee have announced a slate of plaza and public space improvement projects that they hope will help catalyze urban regeneration in the city.
Mysterious Structures in Flushing
Kirsten Hively of the Architectural League of New York stumbled upon some relics of the 1964 New York World's Fair and became obsessed with understanding their history. The Candela Structures, as they are known,
Jane Jacobs Overkill
Jane Jacobs, often viewed as the patron saint of the progressive urban planning world, maybe be given too much credit, according to this piece from Andrew Manshel.
Is A Burger Stand Worth Preserving?
A 20-stool burger stand in Los Angeles could be eligible for historic preservation status, much to the dismay of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency that shelled out over $5million for the surrounding land.
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.
Radar Uncovers Ancient Egyptian City
Radar imaging has revealed the layout of a now-underground ancient Egyptian city named Avaris.
A Paolo Soleri Structure In Danger
Urban designer Paolo Soleri - best known for his utopian experiment Arcosanti - also designed an open air theater for the Santa Fe Indian School. The campus wants to demolish it, but preservationists are up in arms.
USGS Releases Detailed Map of Land-Cover in U.S.
The U.S. Geological Survey has released a highly detailed map of vegetative land-cover in America, which is expected to assist officials in efforts to preserve wildlife habitats.
Stop Making Cities Look the Same, Say Chinese Scholars
At a forum in Suzhou on Sunday, scholars urged city planners to do something about the monotony of contemporary buildings shooting up in cities across China.
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.
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
