Density
It's Spring, and the People Are in Bloom
Kaid Benfield gets philosophical about the turn of the seasons, writing that it's "not just nature that renews itself", but the city floods with people that had been hiding inside through the inclement weather.
Demand Grows for Housing That's Smaller and Closer
The demands of the housing market are shifting to smaller homes that are in denser locations and closer to jobs, according to a new survey from the National Association of Realtors.
Blending Density
Vinayak Bharne proposes that density is often achieved using blunt enforcement of crude tools like "floor-space index", when density can be much more subtly accomplished than just shooting up a tower.
Passing A Master Plan in Densityphobic San Francisco
It's urbanists vs. NIMBYs as San Francisco's Planning Commission prepares to vote on a new master plan that calls for more density and more affordable housing.
Making Room for a Planet of Cities
As cities in developing countries expand, is smart growth the right approach? The conclusions of a new report by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy may surprise you.
A Taller D.C. Would Mean More Transportation Demand
As some voices in Washington D.C. call for increasing the city's building height limit, The Transport Politic looks at what that might mean for transportation demands in the city.
Attacking the Setbacks of Suburbia
Canada's suburbs don't have to be a problem, according to architect Drew Adams, who proposes a plan to densify them by developing unused space.
Back-and-Forth on Downtown Vancouver
The Tyee presents a conversation between two Vancouver urban thinkers about the city's downtown and how some efforts to improve the city's core have worked while others have fallen short.
Pre-America's Biggest City
Per Square Mile recount the history of Cahokia, a Mississipian settlement that was the biggest city in America from about 1250 to 1800.
Enough With the 'Enough with Jane Jacobs' Already!
Was Jane Jacobs a NIMBY? Did she despise density? These sort of reevaluations of Jacobs' legacy are hot at the moment. Roberta Brandes Gratz explains why the naysayers are off base.
Urging Verticality in China's New Cities
Urbanization is taking up a rapid pace in China. Though much of the planning going on is of the cookie-cutter variety, some say the Chinese need to pay more attention to growing their cities vertically.
St. Louis County Looks to Mix Uses
Officials in St. Louis are looking to update the county's zoning codes to allow denser housing, and a greater mix of land uses.
New Governor Moves Into Mixed-Use
California's Governor-elect Jerry Brown will be living part-time in the first modern mixed use project in Sacramento. Jerry's new neighborhood has a WalkScore of 95 and is walkable to the Capitol building.
The Tension Between Density and Place
Looking at a battle earlier this year over a proposed 430-ft. high skyscraper in San Francisco, John Parman says the problem with dense buildings is that they need to work with the surrounding place types.
Growing Density Worries B&B Owner
Vancouver's Cambie Street corridor is targeted for increased density by the city's planning department, with buildings up to 12 stories. A bed-and-breakfast owner who has run her business in the neighborhood since 1972 says enough is enough.
A Very High Density Future for Cities
Architect Peter Weingarten discusses the importance of high-rise buildings, and why the future of cities will be very high density.
Development as Preservation
Preservation laws often ban additions to designated buildings, which can be counterproductive, says Stephen Smith, who argues that incremental add-ons can protect buildings from future redevelopment driven by market forces.
Political Cleavage Intensifies Debate On A More Connected LA
Christopher Hawthorne, the architecture critic at the LA Times the contradictory evidence surrounding LA's machinations toward becomming a post-suburban city. He finds public opinion fractured as the MTA finalizes plans for two Westside subway lines.
New Study Says Young People Want Apartments, Not Houses
A new Canadian study indicates that young people in the U.S. and Canada are trending away from owning their own homes and towards renting apartments.
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
