The Periodic Table of City Planning Elements

Break out the Bunsen burner: Ric Stephens has broken down the science of city planning into this handy chart of elements.

1 minute read

May 6, 2010, 5:00 AM PDT

By Ric Stephens

Click the image to see a larger version in a new window.

Ric Stephens writes, "Much of my work in the past several years has been overseas, so I use symbols rather than text for maps and plans. I am also focusing on systems approaches to land use and planning with individual elements ignores the true value of their relationships. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Of course, this is way too serious a line of thinking for something that is meant to be fun."


Ric Stephens is a Senior Project Manager for Cogan Owens Cogan in Portland, Oregon. He also is a planning advisor for international development with his own practice, Stephens Planning & Design. He teaches at Portland State University and serves on the Beaverton Planning Commission.

This poster is part of a series of planning parodies with movie posters, games and others some of which are online at http//www.stephensplanning.com/media.htm


portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

2 hours ago - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Blue train on coastal rail in Southern California.

SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line

Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.

March 7 - The New York Times

Woman and two children sit on bench at public transit stop waiting for tram with stroller next to them.

Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?

‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.

March 7 - Streetsblog USA

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.

Write for Planetizen