United Kingdom

Mini Metro

Friday Fun: Build Your Own 'Mini Metro'

It's been available since September 2013, but news of the "Mini Metro' subway layout game recently hit the web. Finally, a test for all those armchair enthusiasts who think they can make the trains run on time.

March 7, 2014 - Dinosaur Polo Club

Edinburgh

Why Urban History Matters

Chuck Wolfe's recent reconnaissance of Edinburgh provides a foil for his rallying cry: Going forward, let’s not discount the influence of history’s recurring themes in how we redevelop the urban realm.

March 4, 2014 - myurbanist

City Visas: The Right Way to Lure Talent?

Should dying cities like Detroit get their own visa programs to attract skilled foreign workers? What about prosperous cities like New York and London?

February 13, 2014 - Future Cities

An Unflattering Look at Transit Accessibility

A newly released series of animated GIFs provides a powerful visualization of how paltry even the most robust transit systems in the world look to those with special needs.

February 11, 2014 - Mappable

"Stop Mass Immigration" Referendum Passes In Switzerland

The vote to approve restrictions on immigration passed narrowly with 50.3 percent of the vote. The main repercussion may be how it impacts trading with its neighbors in the EU as immigration quotas may invalidate a 1999 treaty allowing free movement.

February 11, 2014 - The New York Times

Debunking London vs. England

The Centre for Cities has released a report called the Cities Outlook 2014, which examines the question of whether London’s success might come at the expense of the rest of the U.K.’s cities.

January 28, 2014 - The Guardian

"Ghost Buildings" Help Stakeholders See the Shape of Things to Come

An Oxford city councillor would like to bring a Swiss system of erecting "ghost building" profiles to the UK for the first time to help residents and officials understand the scale of proposed projects before granting permits.

January 27, 2014 - The Guardian

Friday Funny: Subway Signage Prankster Disrupts Commute Drudgery

There’s a note of melancholy over the human condition in the work of a prankster who has been plastering satirical images and messages around cars on the London Underground.

January 24, 2014 - Prosign

U.K. Could Soon Control Activities in Public Spaces

Although it’s already been dealt one parliamentary setback, the “Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill” is still under consideration in the U.K. Critics are concerned that, if the law passes, there will be no true public space left.

January 21, 2014 - The Architectural Review

An Exceptional Mayor's Mission to Create an "Exemplar Medium-Sized City"

In a week-long series of articles, Citiscope explores how Bristol's eccentric mayor aims to create “an exemplar medium-sized city.” With doses of fun, innovation and fearlessness, the former architect and businessman is changing the city's culture.

January 19, 2014 - Citiscope

London Property Values Tied to Global Events

A new study out of Oxford’s Saïd Business School provides evidence of the influence of external factors, such as foreign wars and environmental crises, on the London housing market.

January 15, 2014 - Quartz

Central Park - Manhattan, New York

Urban Green Spaces Will Make You Happier than Winning the Lottery

A new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology finds that moving to a more-green area can have a long-lasting positive effect on mental health, unlike the short-term jolt from pay rises, promotions or winning the lottery.

January 15, 2014 - BBC News

U.K. Coalition Government Split Over Garden Cities Report Publication

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, half of the UK's coalition government, accuses the Conservatives of withholding a report that identifies sites for two new towns in 'safe' Conservative regions.

January 14, 2014 - BBC News

Could Legos Alleviate Architecture's Gender Imbalance?

With women accounting for only 20% of registered architects in Britain and 8% of professional engineers, the incoming president of the Royal Academy of Engineering has a compelling idea to encourage more women to enter the fields: give girls legos.

January 13, 2014 - The Guardian

Should Britain Scrap its Green Belts to Build Houses?

Housing construction hasn't kept up with Britain's robust population growth. The Economist floats several ideas for spurring development: relax permissions for developing greenfields, incentivize building on brownfields, and tax the value of land.

January 11, 2014 - The Economist

Making the Case for Speeding

Not everyone likes the idea of slowing down, but sometimes advocacy for increased speed limits can come from surprising sources, like the editorial director of a UK journal for architects.

January 8, 2014 - The Architects' Journal

Chinese Developer Invests in London for First Foray into Europe

Chinese developer Greenland Group has purchased the sites of two proposed two high-rise developments in London for £1.2 billion. This is the first acquisition in Europe by Greenland Group, which is one of the largest developers in the world.

January 7, 2014 - Building.Co.Uk

How to Design a City for Blackouts

During the nightly blackouts designed to protect London from aerial attack during World War II, authorities used white paint as a cheap tool for making the city navigable in the darkness. Could London offer lessons for building resilient cities?

January 7, 2014 - Gizmodo

Friday Funny: Hangover Taxi Refreshes Recovering Londoners

We regret we weren't able to deliver this valuable information last month, but apparently a "hangover taxi" stocked with orange juice, sunglasses, and Tylenol has been offering free rides to stricken Londoners.

January 3, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Renderings Released for Elevated Cycling Superhighway in London

Sir Norman Foster has put forth plans for a 135-mile network of elevated cycle pathways dubbed "SkyCycle". In addition to its enormous price tag, the scheme faces practical concerns from cycling advocates.

January 2, 2014 - Daily Mail

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.