World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
The Good & Bad News Of World Energy Consumption to 2030
A new report from BP projects world energy use for the next 20 years: decreased oil growth but more OPEC-dependent; increased coal, natural gas, and renewable usage; and a major growth in carbon emissions.
Heavy Traffic Means Less Social Streets
Streetfilms looks back at Professor Donald Appleyard's pioneering work observing the social life of streets, which proved that streets with less traffic fostered more social interactions than those with heavy traffic.
The City as "Closed Loop"
Dickson Despommier says that the goal of cities today should be to be a "closed loop" ecosystem, where everything that is needed to support the city - energy, food, etc. - is contained within its borders.
Recycled Urban Design
Urban Fabric, a landscape architecture and urban design firm in Israel, uses recycled tiles, benches and more in their park designs.
Get On The Road Train
Volvo is taking things a step closer to the "driverless car" idea with their "road train" concept: cars can "hook up" to a lead car or bus with a professional driver and ride along in their stream until they need to disembark.
Abandonment and Opportunity in Rural Areas
As the world's population urbanizes, rural areas are being abandoned. But they don't have to sit empty and unused, according to this piece from GOOD.
Hybrid Batteries for Boats and Ferries in the Works
Hybrid technology for marine transportation is a growing industry, as startup business in New Brunswick, Canada attests.
The 'Encyclodictionary" of Planning
The Language of Towns & Cities: A Visual Dictionary, by Dhiru A. Thadani is a doorstopper of a book. Philip Langdon looks at this giant guide to New Urbanist ideas.
Buildings That Tweet
Thomas Schielke, an architectural lighting expert, gives an inclusive overview of building facades that include media from the 1931 addition of color at the top of the Empire State Building to a 2010 building that converts brainwaves to light.
Urban Favorites
The Polis Blog presents a huge list of "urban favorites" -- songs, movies, initiatives and places that explain or highlight the best of the world's urban areas.
What Does It Take to Live in 300 Square Feet?
For ninety days, Ben Brown lived out of a 308-square-foot cottage designed by Marianne Cusato. He discovered that you really needed to be connected to your community when living in tight quarters.
Widening Waistlines Weigh on Developing Cities
Cities across the developing world are dealing more with rising obesity rates as urbanization occurs, reports TheCityFix's Jonna McKone.
From Mega-Cities to Meta-Cities
RThe impact of cities is spreading beyond local and even national borders, argues Robert Neuwirth in this piece from What Matters.
Haiti Landmark Rebuilt
The Marché en Fer, a 19th-century era food market and a favorite Haitian hangout, has reopened its doors to the delight of locals.
Cities to Supplant Nations as Drivers of Future World
Parag Khanna suggests that cities are the building blocks of humanity, and will take increasing control over the future shape of the world in the coming decades.
Wayfinding Symbols Across the World
Metro stations, train stations and streetcar systems have distinct ways of showing how to get from one area to another. TheCityFix's Jonna McKone looks at mass transit systems from Mexico City to Paris and the visual representations used in each one.
How Squatters Will Help Shape the Future
In this piece, Stewart Brand argues that squatter cities will grow greatly over the next few decades, and the world will be better because of it.
Zombie Minimalism
Minimalism, long declared dead, rises from the grave to lumber on, writes Sam Jacob. Can it be stopped?
There Could Be Fungus in Your Walls
...and it could be keeping you warm. Whereas diesel from algae may be a bust, insulation from fungus could be coming soon to a home near you.
Pagination
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
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HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service