World

Global issues, U.N., etc.

Major Cities Throughout History

Cities have existed since about 5000 B.C. This post from Business Insider looks at some of the most important cities throughout history.

April 27, 2011 - Business Insider

Recession-Defying Green Roofs

Despite the continued struggles of the U.S. economy, green roofs have proliferated with the market increasing 30% from the previous year.

April 27, 2011 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

Leading Thinkers in Urban Planning & Technology

Planetizen founding Editor Chris Steins offers his evaluation of the top 25 thinkers at the intersection of planning and technology.

April 26, 2011 - Chris Steins

Using Adaptive Reuse as a Tool for Urban Redevelopment

Architect Alan Pullman talks about how adaptive reuse and green architecture can be used to revitalize urban neighborhoods and springboard economic growth, using a recent project to demonstrate.

April 26, 2011 - Buildipedia.com

Bikenomics and the Energy Crisis

Writing for Grist, Elly Blue explains that part of the solution to the oil/energy crisis in the United States is to approach the issue as a transportation issue, not a geopolitical one. She especially advocates for increased bike use.

April 26, 2011 - Grist

Reinventing Madrid

The completed Madrid Rio Project will transform a highway into a large urban park, and is just part of the ambitious agenda of Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, an agenda that earned him the nickname "the pharaoh."

April 26, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

The Yin and Yang of Urban Redevelopment in Hong Kong

Researchers from the University of Washington trace the history and development of Hong Kong, the skyscraper capital of the world, from reclamation of waterfront land in the 1800's to contentious urban renewal projects today.

April 25, 2011 - Metropolis Magazine

An Interview With the Director of NYC's Active Design Program

Joyce Lee discusses NYC's Active Design Guidelines and how they address the relationship between urban form and public health.

April 25, 2011 - THE DIRT

Growth and Decline in the World's 590 Most Populated Cities

This interactive visualization presents population data and projections for the world's 590 most populated, showing how their populations compare to one another over time.

April 25, 2011 - Visualizing

Skyscrapers of the Future

The 2011 eVolo Skyscraper Competition turned up some unusual and futuristic designs for future skyscrapers and other structures, from a reimagined Hoover Dam to a Ferris Wheel-shaped wind turbine.

April 24, 2011 - Popular Science

The Need for 'Blue Urbanism'

In a world heavily composed of and reliant on water, how we treat our oceans should be a major aspect of the way we think about planning and living on this planet, according to Timothy Beatley.

April 22, 2011 - Places

City Attempts to Find "The Right Price for Parking"

This week the city of San Francisco will launch its SFpark Program in an attempt to appropriately price street parking and reduce traffic due to people cruising for available parking spaces.

April 21, 2011 - StreetFilms.org

High-Speed BUS Travels at 150 MPH

Wubbo Ockels, a Dutch physicist and astronaut, has designed and built a prototype high-speed bus as an alternative to high-speed rail. (VIDEO)

April 21, 2011 - The Antiplanner

Urban Farming on Brownfield Sites

At a national conference on brownfields, representatives from the EPA outlined how to safely farm an urban garden on top of a contaminated site.

April 21, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

International Resolution on the Need For Quality Public Spaces

UN-HABITAT (United Nations Human Settlement Programme) recently adopted its first ever resolution on public space, encouraging equity and the development of quality public spaces.

April 21, 2011 - Project for Public Spaces blog

Volkswagen Concept E-Scooter Could be Future Bike Share Vehicle

At the Shanghai Motor Show, Volkswagen debuted its concept E-Scooter, which has a range of 25 miles per charge. Of more interest to urbanists is their intention to use the vehicle in a "bike-sharing" system.

April 20, 2011 - Autocar

The LEED Silver, Prefab, Quick-to-Build Apartment Building

When one thinks of prefab, its usually a lowslung modernist building sitting by itself on a lot. A group of designers and engineers are debuting a plan for multi-story prefabricated buildings.

April 20, 2011 - Fast Company

Edward Glaeser and Green Cities

Another look at Edward Glaeser's provocative new book Triumph of the City, this time by reporter Mary Newsom and with a focus on Glaeser's opinions on the city and the environment.

April 19, 2011 - One Earth

Legible London Gets People Walking

New pedestrian signs installed throughout London aim to encourage more people to walk by providing them with information on walking times and local attractions.

April 18, 2011 - This Big City

Greenfield Economics Explained

Aaron Renn of Urbanophile explains the allure of "greenfield economics" and that the process of urban and suburban decay is cyclical in nature.

April 18, 2011 - Urbanophile

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.