World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
More Evidence that City Living is the Greenest
Ever since David Owen's book Green Metropolis pushed forward the idea that cities are better for the planet, people have been debating if it's really so. New evidence says yes.
The 40 Tools You Need to Build Your Own Civilization
The Global Village Construction Set is a group of farmers and engineers who are developing an set of open-source designs for the forty tools one would need to create a self-sufficient life living off of the land.
Green Buildings in Demand
A new poll of real estate experts reveals that businesses seeking office space are increasingly seeking buildings built with sustainability in mind.
Andres Duany Says LEED and Optimization Driving Up Costs
Speaking at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference last week, Duany said that he fears developers will give up on building sustainably because of overly onerous infrastructure costs required by LEED and other systems.
The Implications of Transit Lingo
What do you think of when you think of the word "route" in relation to transit? What about the word "line"? Jarrett Walker argues that the language used to describe transit can influence how people think about it.
The Mega-Problem for Mega-Cities: Management
Neither technology nor infrastructure shows any limit for how big or how fast cities can grow and more megacities are on the horizon, according to this piece from Richard Dobbs and Jaana Remes.
Did GPS Kill the Lighthouse?
With GPS technology ubiquitous, the lighthouse perched high on a cliff may soon become a relic.
The City of the Future is an Air Hub
New Songdo City in South Korea is the model for new cities, according to Greg Lindsay and John D. Kasarda, who argue that its airport is its most important element.
Friday Funny: Unlocking the "City Planner" Achievement
Apparently in the horror first-person shooter videogame F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin for XBox, you can win a special "City Planner" achievement by -- blowing stuff up.
BRT on the Rise Globally
Bus rapid transit is growing in popularity throughout the world, though implementation is lacking in the U.S.
Multidisciplinary Mega Cities
Building megacities needs to be a multidisciplinary effort, according to architect and designer Sean C. S. Chiao.
Investing in the Future of Air
The demand for air travel may seem to be on the decline, but it's actually rising -- and playing a major role in determining which places are more economically successful.
Smart Cities That Listen
The cities of the future should be "smart" -- equipped with data-collection tools and technologies to improve city functionality -- but being smart also means being a good listener, writes Saskia Sassen.
Infrastructure for Animals
A recent international design competition sought innovative and attractive solutions for allowing wildlife to cross busy highways. The winning designs take various strategies to go over or under the traffic.
A Call for Active, Not Passive, Preservation
In Barcelona, Mario Ballesteros says that now is the time to change the perception of historic preservation from a staid, conservative activity to an active, contemporary approach.
Revolution in Cities is No Accident
With recent uprisings in Cairo and Tunis, we are reminded that the city has been the center of revolutionary action for hundreds of years, according to this piece from Edward L. Glaeser.
The Twisty, Bendy, Far-Out World of Asian Architecture
Barun Roy says that some of the most adventurous, bizarre and impractical architecture is being built in Asia.
The Architecture of Possible Worlds
Karl Chu sees a future of architecture that combines artificial intelligence and biological processes resulting in fantastical organic buildings.
Food, Energy Shortages Loom
Peace and Security professor Michael Klare warns that we are entering a period of global resource scarcity and unrest.
Mayors on the Infrastructure Needs of the U.S.
This TIME video is titled, "What Makes Cities Smart?" But the mayors interviewed - Villariagosa, Daley, Nutter - are mostly obsessed with building public transit and high-speed rail.
Pagination
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