Social / Demographics
Bringing a Favela to Life With Vibrant Colors
Two artists have teamed with a favela in Rio de Janeiro to use bright colors to re-frame the slum as a more vibrant area.
Updating Mecca to Handle the Hajj
Millions of religious pilgrims travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia every year for the Hajj. Officials there have been updating the city to better handle the crowds.
People Won't Care if They Can't See the Problem
It's kind of hard to tell, on a day-to-day basis, that humankind is drastically affecting the health of the environment -- a reality that makes arguing for sustainability even more difficult, according to Harry West.
School's in Session for Urban Planning High School
A new high school has opened in East Los Angeles that focuses specifically on urban planning.
Improving Communications About Transit
This post from The City Fix looks at various efforts to increase communication between transit riders and transit providers in Chicago.
Rethinking Detroit
Detroit reporter John Gallagher's new book "Reimagining Detroit" considers what it will take to remake The Motor City into a model that will work for the future.
Debunking Misconceptions About Metro Area Domestic Migration
On his blog, Aaron Renn has done an analysis of 2008 tax return data from metropolitan areas to show where domestic migration is happening. Some of his findings are a bit surprising.
Three Types of Cyclists
A study of cyclists in Ashland, Oregon has found three distinct types of bike riders, the majority of which are interesting in riding, but concerned about safety issues.
The Cultural Reshaping of Los Angeles
In this reflection on the new book "Los Angeles in Maps", James Rojas wonders what shape the city will take in the near and far future.
Invasion of the Chain Stores
As chain stores move into a Brooklyn neighborhood, some locals worry about the loss of local character and small businesses.
Urban Migration Complicates China's Census
Last week, China deployed six million workers for a 10-day effort to count the country's population. A surge in citizens relocating from rural to urban areas makes the task difficult, reports the Economist.
Transit Transformation in New Orleans
Jonna McKone asks, "How can transportation and urban development—from housing to public spaces to landscaping—repair a blighted American city?"
Parks, Walkability and the Role They Play in Obesity
St. Louis' Forest Park is a model of good planning, but inner-city parks are in much worse shape and having an effect on the health of those communities, says a new study.
Lassoing a Plan for El Paso
Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX will be getting 30,000 more troops under the Base Realignment and Closure program, which means a major effort to plan for the added people.
What Makes A City Great? An American Perspective
H.V. Savitch attempts to break down the attributes that make a city great, and concludes that a city need not score high in all the categories in order to achieve greatness.
Geo-Location Still Not Hot
Location-based social networking is all the rage among marketers, investors and tech gurus. Just not among people, who are not flocking to use the geo-locating services.
Slum Redevelopment Drives Real Estate Market In Mumbai
With not much undeveloped land left in Mumbai for fresh developments, the city’s real estate growth will largely be propelled by the success of its many slum redevelopment schemes, according to a recent study.
Shanghai Expo Closes With Focus On "Development through Development"
The Expo’s stated theme was “Better City, Better Life,” and organizers boasted it was the first World’s Fair devoted to the contemplation of cities.
Generation Y Increasingly Uninterested In Car Ownership
New analysis from the CNW group shows that the percentage of new cars sold to 21-34 year-olds hit a high of nearly 38 percent in 1985 but decreased to 27 percent today. The shift is changing life in our cities and manufacturers marketing strategies.
U.S. Hispanic Population Growth Transforms Urban Planning
Jonna McKone looks at how Hispanics are transforming urban spaces and how city planning and transportation policies respond.
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
