World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Republicans Back Urgent Climate Action
Four former EPA heads in Republican administrations, from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush, have penned an op-ed in The Times calling on members of all parties to support President Obama's recent climate initiatives and do more to curtail warming.
Are Cost Estimators Bad at Their Jobs?
San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center is just the latest example of an urban mega-project experiencing an enormous cost overrun. Eric Jaffe examines what the causes of this all too common phenomenon might be.
What is the Ideal Catchment Area for TODs?
The half-mile circle has become the standard metric for focusing planning efforts and judging the impacts of transit-oriented development. A new study examines whether the half-mile circle is an effective predictor of TOD success.
How to Navigate Night Cycling
For those who have embraced cycling for leisure or their daily commute, being comfortable biking at night in urban environs may be the final frontier. Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan offers some tips for navigating darkened streets in style and safety.
Driverless Cars Steer Us Away From a Carless Future
Discussions over the potential benefits and drawbacks of driverless cars seemingly overlook one important question, says Allison Arieff: "[W]hy continue to design and plan for a car-based society?"
Is High-Speed Rail Safe?
For anyone who has ridden in a high-speed train, the idea of a derailment is terrifying. Last week's crash of an Alvia train in Spain made such fears seem less irrational. Yonah Freemark examines whether high-speed rail is a safe mode of travel.
Can You Identify a City Solely by the Location of Its Starbucks?
We've found this week's ultimate time-waster! Slate has developed a map quiz that asks participants to guess which city is being depicted based solely on the geography of its Starbucks locations.
The Impact of Memory on the Experience of Place
Charles Montgomery discusses the findings of a fascinating study on the responses of residents and visitors to different environments in New York, Berlin and Mumbai. The results hint at the impact of experience and memory on how we perceive a place.
'Starchitect': Making Use of an Overused Term
As much as architects and critics may hate the term, "we are going to be stuck with 'starchitect' until everybody with a keyboard agrees to retire it," says Guy Horton. So how can architects - star or not - make the term work for them?
Arctic Ice Melt Could Trigger 'Economic Timebomb'
The unprecedented decline in Arctic sea ice could cause the catastrophic release of methane, imperiling the world's climate and economy, reports a new paper published in the journal Nature.
What Would an Elderly-Friendly City Look Like?
London-based Transport for All bemoans the inaccessibility of our urban environs for older residents. In this article, they ask designer Neil Chambers how he would design a city to 'facilitate an active and flexible lifestyle for the elderly.'
How Will Bike-Centric Urbanism Reshape Our Cities?
For the past half-century, the automobile has played a profound role in shaping the form of our cities and suburbs. A new book examines the effects cycle-centric planning will have on the built environment.
Extreme Heat Is Bad News for Transportation
Extreme temperatures aren’t just a public health concern: they also affect how we get around.
The Unintended Message of the High-Rise Race
Throughout history, cities that built the tallest towers were the newbs and rubes of urbanization, proclaims land use attorney Bill Adams in this light hearted put-down of the architectural race for rarified air.
Reclaiming the Commons Through Civic Participation
As the Occupy Movement, Gezi Park protests, and everyday urban reclamation projects demonstrate, power and politics are embedded in place. As public spaces disappear, reclaiming the commons becomes increasingly important, say Leo Hollis.
A Guide to Capturing Arresting Urban Photos
Vexed in your attempts to capture the true character of a place through photographs? Richard I'Anson shares the secrets to taking great city snapshots.
How Can We Cultivate Transformative Urban Ideas?
Civic Entrepreneurs, or 'Visionistas', are the dedicated, creative, and perhaps a little crazy, citizens who dream up big ideas for transforming a city, or their piece of it. Otis White suggests how we can encourage such dreamers to become doers.
Can the CIA Control Climate Change?
The CIA, in partnership with other U.S. government agencies, is funding a $630,000 scientific study into the plausibility and potential effects of climate engineering to reduce global warming. Let the conspiracy theories begin.
As Tall Tower Trend Goes Global, Africa Aims High
As the planet slowly emerges from the global recession, skyscraper construction is surging once again. One area seeking skyline augmentation is a continent that has heretofore shied away from the height race: Africa.
Architectures for Art and Crime
Art, architecture, and incarceration collide in essays on prison design from the Panopticon to the Golden Gulag.
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
