World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
The Most Bike-Friendly Cities
CNN does a roundup that includes obvious leaders like Amsterdam and some less predictable choices like Chicago and Bogota, Colombia.
The Effect of Light on an Environment
Natural and artificial light have a significant effect on the experience of hospital patients and can actually reduce stress and hospital time, says Rosalyn Cama, an interior designer and researcher specializes in health care design.
The Passion (And Rationality) Of Ed Glaeser
Harvard professor Edward Glaeser's Triumph of the City presents cool-headed analysis that largely confirms the theories that Jane Jacobs first advanced 40 years ago, says Adam Christian.
PWC Ranks Top "Cities of Opportunity"
PricewaterhouseCoopers recently published the fourth edition of Cities of Opportunity. The report rates 26 cities in a range of categories (including transportation and infrastructure, for example) and then comes up with a master ranking.
How Universities Affect their Local Economies
The UK-based Centre for Cities published a short report about the several ways that universities can affect local economic performance.
U.S. Mayors Get Crash Course in Planning
Tom Wright, Executive Director of the Regional Plan Association, traces the history of the Mayors' Institute on City Design from its creation 25 years ago to last week's conference which was attended by some of the country's most important mayors.
Kotkin Decries "Cramming and Concentration"
Joel Kotkin says that despite the fashion for density among urban planners, the future relies on "dispersion" and focusing on developing small and mid-range cities.
Maintaining a Public Sphere in Sentient Cities
Cities are becoming smarter, as buildings and infrastructures become retrofitted with sensory technology. The question this raises is how this will change our perception of the public sphere, according to Martijn de Waal.
New World Population Peak Forecasted: 10.1 Billion
The U.N.'s population division has increased their world population projection, previously set to peak at mid-century at 9 billion. Now they say it will continue growing to reach 10.1 billion by 2100, with Africa tripling its numbers.
Why I Decided To Go To Planning School
Planetizen intern Victor Negrete explains how he made the choice to attend planning school, and the thought process he went through deciding which schools to apply for, and ultimately to attend.
Electric Roads for Electric Cars
One of the problems with switching to electric cars is the range of the vehicles per charge. But what if the roads themselves provided a constant charge, like a third rail?
A New Strategy for Shrinking Cities
In this article, Roberta Brandes Gratz argues that demolition-based strategies are not an effective way for shrinking cities to promote revitalization. Instead, she cites a recent auction of blighted homes in New Orleans as a better alternative.
Seattle's Answer to Affordable Housing
Zach Patton details the effects of Seattle's zoning regulation which allows for the construction of "backyard cottages." These cottages, writes the author, are a viable way to increase urban density and provide affordable housing.
A Philosophical Basis for New Urbanism
Raymond Hain says the arguments in favor of New Urbanism are often "murky", and design is in the eye of the beholder. but is there a deeper, philosophical foundation for New Urbanism?
New Design Guidelines for U.S. Embassies
The US State Department Bureau of Overseas Building Operations plans to release new guidelines for design excellence to inform the architecture of embassies around the world.
How Far Will People Walk?
Planners have embraced "1/4th of a mile" as the official distance that people are willing to walk to take transit. But why is that the measure, and is it accurate?
New Tools for Broke Cities
Howard Blackson looks at new tools for fixing cities, including form-based codes, plans for complexities (neighborhoods, urban patterns, architecture), classification of character, and funding systems.
Abandoned Power Plants, Amusement Parks, and More
Device Magazine features photos of places with deserted technology like the former Soviet nuclear submarine base in Balaklava, Ukraine and a ship graveyard in Lisbon, Portugal.
Immigration and Economic Competitiveness
Immigrant populations can be valuable assets to communities. This post from The Atlantic looks at how different countries' openness to immigrants benefits their economic development.
Understanding the World's Urban Transition
Two writers from different parts of the world collaborate to expound on the evolution of places and how best to understand the changes underway in the urban world.
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
