World

Global issues, U.N., etc.

GIS Meets Architecture

This article from Architect looks at how GIS is integrating itself into the toolbox of architects.

March 21, 2010 - Architect

The Car Reconsidered

When most people use their cars in urban settings, what sort of vehicle is optimal? MIT's Media Lab asks the question, in their quest to invent the next generation of personal mobility.

March 18, 2010 - Metropolis Magazine

Traffic Accidents Poised to Become the 5th Leading Cause of Death by 2030

The Infrastructurist examines a new infographic published by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of their Global Status Report.

March 13, 2010 - The Infrastructurist

Planners' Mistakes in Framing the Problems of Traffic

This research paper focuses on how land use planners are continuing to plan and develop cities and urban areas in ways that increase traffic and congestion.

March 13, 2010 - Science Direct

Why Architectural Criticism Can't Work

In response to a recent piece criticizing architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff, Places Journal Editor Nancy Levinson extends the criticism to the entire field, questioning whether its global scope is realistic.

March 12, 2010 - Places Journal

Preservation That Allows For Change

Can historic preservation make room for evolution, and even change? UNESCO's Cultural Landscapes designation attempts to leave room for places to evolve without losing their character.

March 11, 2010 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

Understanding Mega-Cities

A new book explores the disconnect between how a "mega-city" region is portrayed through statistics, demographics, etc., and how it is perceived by the public.

March 11, 2010 - re:place Magazine

Billboards: Blight, or Right?

Are billboards visual pollution, or valuable information source? Sao Paolo, Brazil banned billboards in the city in 2007 and is an interesting case study.

March 9, 2010 - Arkinet

Notable Architecture to Watch in 2010

This piece from Business Week lists the most anticipated architecture projects to watch in 2010.

March 9, 2010 - Business Week

The Art of Wayfinding

Slate looks at the history and importance of signage and wayfinding design.

March 8, 2010 - Slate.com

Curing Congestion Through Computing

This piece from Fast Company looks at an effort by IBM to use computer systems to intuitively understand traffic systems and improve the way city infrastructure handles congestion.

March 8, 2010 - Fast Company

22 Model Cities

WebUrbanist collects pictures of city miniatures built by planning departments, for tourist attractions, or by obsessives who go into painstaking detail to recreate Chicago, Moscow, or Tokyo.

March 5, 2010 - WebUrbanist

The New Library, or "Urban Mediaspace"

The public library is being re-imagined as an interactive space with multimedia learning labs, coffee shops and government services.

March 3, 2010 - Miller-McCune

Intelligent Buildings in the Environment

Through digital displays and environmental sensors, new architecture projects are creating a visual way to monitor environmental conditions in specific places.

March 2, 2010 - CNN

Ghosts Good for Business

A number of hotels across the country have found that having a resident ghost is good for the bottom line, attracting tourists and thrillseekers.

March 1, 2010 - USA Today

Earthquakes Threaten Many Third-World Cities

Port-au-Prince is not an outlier. Many other major cities in developing and poor countries lie along earthquake fault lines and are in danger of destruction.

February 27, 2010 - The New York Times

The Underappreciated Cable Car

When people talk about cable cars, they picture San Francisco's quaint trolleys. But cable-propelled transit (CPT) is a viable transportation option in the 21st century, argues Steven Dale.

February 27, 2010 - New Geography

Housing for Haitians

Andres Duany has designed a prefab house specifically for the victims of the Haitian earthquake. 1,000 of them are on their way to the island now.

February 26, 2010 - CNU

Building Cities Out of Pictures

Researchers are working on technology to help create 3D models of buildings and places by using large collections of digital photos.

February 24, 2010 - The New York Times

'Unexpectedly Green' Slums

This article from The Prospect looks at slums and squatter cities. Author Stewart Brand, editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, calls them "unexpectedly green".

February 24, 2010 - Prospect

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.