History / Preservation
Cultural Preservation the Bright Side of Dubai's Tough Times
Native of the bustling United Arab Emirates are cheering the global economic slowdown, crediting it for curbing development in its cities that had been blamed for destroying much of their local heritage.
California's Bodysurfing Preserve
The Wedge -- a well-known bodysurfing spot in Newport Beach made famous in the 1966 surf film "The Endless Summer" -- is becoming a part of local history, thanks to a group of bodysurfing preservationists.
When Smog Kills - Museum Opened To Commemorate 1948 Disaster
Sixty years after twenty people died from air pollution spewing from a steel and zinc mill in Donora, PA (just outside Pittsburgh) in perhaps the worst air quality tragedy in the U.S., a museum has opened to commemorate and learn from the tragedy.
Van Der Rohe Plaza Adapted to Ward Off Skateboarders
In a privately-owned plaza designed by Mies van der Rohe in Toronto, owners have sliced into benches to dissuade skateboarding. Some call it an affront to the legendary designer's work.
Kazakhstan: The New Dubai?
Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is reinventing itself as an increasingly wealthy and fast developing country through its architecture.
Adaptively Reusing Brooklyn's Industrial Spaces
Preservationists say that there are better ways to use buildings along Brooklyn's industrial waterfront than to demolish them.
The Experts' Picks for Prettiest Towns in America
Travel writers, photographers, and an urban designer selected by Forbes have named the 20 prettiest towns in America; their varied definitions of "prettiness" are reflected in their choices.
Preserving Land to Save Money
Voters in suburban Minnesota will vote on whether to invest $10 million to preserve a closed golf course. Or they could save the $10 million and allow a developer to build houses. But many say it will be cheaper in the long term to buy now.
Scranton, PA - Not What You Think!
In this election, Scranton has come to symbolize blue-collar America, with visits by all four national candidates, parodied on Saturday Night Live, as well as the scene of NBC’s The Office. But the city is in a turnaround after decades of decline.
Wasting Resources and Destroying History
Preservation of iconic buildings is important for historical reasons as well as environmental one, according to actress and preservationist Diane Keaton.
When A Road Is More Than Just A Road
Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway is one of America’s most 'elegant' roads. Designed by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux to replicate the grand European Boulevards; opened in 1876, it was designated a landmark by NYC 100 years later
Is Farmland Preservation Worthwhile?
Preserving farmland has always been a major issue in the U.S. But as Bill Fulton discusses, the local economic results don't quite justify the efforts.
The Cost of Density
As Toronto's heritage buildings fall to disrepair, new condominiums are slated to go up in their stead, prompting outcry from preservationists.
Neon Signs Fading in Chicago
Chicago preservationists are urging owners of the last of the city's neon signs to keep them intact.
The Humble Beginnings of Mega Chain Stores
Where did today's biggest chain stores got their start? Roger Wade offers background and photos from fifteen mega-chains original locations, from from WalMart to Taco Bell.
The Ephemeral Shopping Mall
Harundale Mall, one of the first enclosed malls built in the country, is now a strip mall. This article contains an examination of its somber decline and the direction in which Harundale--and other malls--may be headed next.
Margot Gayle, Historic Preservationist, Dies at 100
A crusader for preserving New York's cast-iron historic buildings died Sunday at 100. The Times looks back at her legacy.
The First All-Black Town in the U.S.
Founded in the 1880s, Eatonville, FL was the first all-African American town to be incorporated in the U.S. It is also the childhood home of writer Zora Neale Hurston. Today, the community strives to balance its history and the future.
History Trumps Art on San Francisco Waterfront
Over the past few years, San Francisco's waterfront has become home to art pieces like an enormous, cartoony bow and arrow and a giant spider. Labor historians have a different idea: A five-story crane built in the early 1970s for loading coconuts.
A Tale of Two Towns, And What Makes Them 'Authentic'
Rick Cole, city manager of Azusa and now Ventura, reflects on what 'authenticity' really means for towns struggling to balance identity with new development.
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
