Land Use

Indonesia Considers New Capital as Jakarta Sinks

As sea levels rise and flooding threatens the foundations on which the city was built, the Indonesian capital of Jakarta is literally sinking into the sea. Now the president is pushing a plan to find a new home for the country's capital.

February 23, 2010 - Agence France Presse

Sustainability Through Schools

Efforts to desegregate schools in the 1970s weakened neighborhood ties. Now, a return to school assignments based on where children live could make communities stronger.

February 22, 2010 - Crosscut.com

Dropping Bombs and Dropping Parking Lots

This post from The Overhead Wire looks at the impact of parking lot sprawl in American downtowns -- and finds a striking resemblance between those downtowns and bomb-ravaged cities from World War Two.

February 22, 2010 - The Overhead Wire

Rail Plans Move Forward in Philadelphia

Plans to create a waterfront rail line in Philadelphia are moving forward, as the city approves funding for environmental studies and early design work.

February 19, 2010 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

American Commutes, in Font Form

Graphic designer Martha Kang McGill took commuting data from several American cities and made an easy-to-compare representation of the information using no more than a font and some colors.

February 19, 2010 - The Infrastructurist

Representing and Understanding the City Graphically

Columnist Jeanne Haffner goes hands-on to learn how graphic representation is used in the day-to-day work of planning.

February 19, 2010 - Next American City

Abandoned Train Infrastructure Becomes Amusement Park

The abandoned infrastructure for an inner-city rail project in Lima, Peru, has been adapted into a playful amusement park.

February 18, 2010 - Treehugger

The Importance of Being Urban

If we are "urbanists," does that mean we're anti-suburban? Or do choice and economics define our choices? Architect Fanis Grammenos reflects on his own history of shelter and the ideology of urbanism.

February 18, 2010 - Fanis Grammenos

Transit-Oriented Housing Safer From Foreclosures

New research from the Natural Resources Defense Council shows that the chance of foreclosure is higher in places with limited access to public transit.

February 17, 2010 - Chicago Sun-Times

The Physical Legacy of Vancouver's Olympics

This piece from Fast Company looks at the legacy that will remain in Vancouver after the Olympics are over.

February 17, 2010 - Fast Company

San Francisco Looks At Converting Parking to Public Space

Inspired by the home-grown Park(ing) Day parking spot conversion event, the city of San Francisco is launching a pilot project to convert street parking in its North Beach neighborhood to outdoor dining areas and public spaces.

February 16, 2010 - San Francisco Chronicle

Zoning Loosened to Help Home Businesses

The rough economy has made code officers negotiators between irked neighbors and entrepreneurs trying to make a living in their living rooms.

February 16, 2010 - Wall Street Journal

Turning a Golf Course into a Public Oasis

National City, CA has only 2 acres of public parks per 1000 residents, as opposed to the national average of 10 acres. A new plan proposes to transform a 44-acre golf course into an innovative new central park.

February 16, 2010 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Tough Choices in Pleasantville, NY

Pleasantville, NY may be affluent and amenity-rich, but it isn't immune to the economic downturn. Now some suggest the town should sacrifice character for economic opportunity.

February 16, 2010 - New York Times

Creating a Network of Bikeways

Mike Lydon discusses the importance of creating "bikeway networks" -- systems of bike lanes and infrastructures that have varied forms for varied situations.

February 14, 2010 - Reconnecting America

Vancouver Tops List of Livable Cities

As the Winter Olympics kick off in Vancouver, the city has been named the world's "most livable city".

February 12, 2010 - Reuters

Looking at America Through its Food

A new demographic tool from the USDA compiles data about food choices and characteristics, allowing the creation of detailed maps. Edible Geography wonders what using food as a metric will tell us about the U.S.

February 12, 2010 - Edible Geography

Times Square Becomes Pedestrian Area Permanently

Pedestrianized area's in Manhattan's Herald Square and Times Square will remain permanently closed to auto traffic.

February 11, 2010 - Crain's New York Business

Florida Amendment Could Shake Up Local Planning

Florida voters are facing an amendment this November that could dramatically reshape the way local planning occurs.

February 9, 2010 - St. Petersburg Times

Is Walkscore A Useful Planning Tool?

The online walkability tool is sexy but not perfect. Real estate site are beginning to use it; could planners use it too? Bill Fulton gives his two cents.

February 9, 2010 - California Planning & Development Report

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.