Asia-Pacific

China, Japan, other South East Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands countries.

Korea Prevents Crime Through Environmental Design

CPTED -- crime prevention through environmental design -- is catching on in Korea as a way to improve security.

August 21, 2009 - Joong Ang Daily

Why Public Transit Doesn't Work In The U.S.

Gas taxes, parking charges, toll roads - these are the ingredients to making transit successful, according to experts who state that it's not enough to offer good transit - driving must become more expensive. Add to that high density land use.

August 10, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

U.S. Behind in Drive for Clean Energy

China, South Korea and Japan are all investing teh equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy technologies, while the U.S. is debating a mere 1.2 billion in the Waxman-Markey bill.

July 29, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Unearthing Buried Waterways

Cities from San Antonio to Singapore are resuscitating waterways that once lay buried under rivers of concrete.

July 18, 2009 - The New York Times

Taking Tuk-Tuk to Task

Tuk-tuks are mechanized rickshaws - a cheaper alternative to taxis - that can be found throughout the developing world, from Latin America to Africa to southeast Asia and India. Environmental think-tank Enviu is trying to reduce rickshaw emissions.

July 18, 2009 - New York Times

Let's Take the Shweeb!

A New Zealand inventor has built a track for the world's first human-powered monorail called the Shweeb as part of an amusement park [Video]

July 12, 2009 - CTV

Does Destroying a Building Erase History?

The Nakagin Capsule Tower, designed in Tokyo in 1972 as part of the Japanese Metabolism movement in architecture, is facing destruction. Residents of the building have voted to demolish it and replace it with a modern structure.

July 8, 2009 - The New York Times

Happy Water

Levels of lithium in the municipal water of Oita prefecture in Japan have been linked to lower rates of suicide, according to a new study.

May 6, 2009 - BBC

Japan's Stimulus Package Lowers Highway Tolls To Stimulate Travel

Japan's four major highway operators will drastically lower their tolls, thanks to a generous government economic stimulus package aimed to encourage motoring during the major holidays. The operators are preparing for the enormous traffic jams.

May 5, 2009 - Bloomberg.com

Russia Plans Bridge to Nowhere

The Russian government is building a 2-mile bridge from Vladivostok to a tiny island in preparation for the 2012 Asia Pacific Economic Summit. Many in the country say the $1 billion plan is a waste of money and a bridge to nowhere.

April 27, 2009 - The New York Times

How the Road Construction Industry is Destroying Japan

How the "road tribes" — the impenetrable scrum of bureaucrats, politicians and industry that benefit from an ever-expanding program of road construction — are literally paving the road to national ruin in Japan.

April 25, 2009 - Japan Times

Japan's Bullet Trains to Top 310 MPH by 2025

High speed train technology is progressing at a rapid pace in Japan, where mag-lev bullet trains are planned to travel at speeds of more than 310 miles per hour by the year 2025.

March 25, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Green Economy Coming Despite Downturn

Good green jobs are on the way - just not right away due to recession. Stimulus funds - not just from U.S. but many nations are investing in their economies by targeting renewable energy, smart electricity grids, energy efficiency, and more.

March 17, 2009 - Financial Times - Business & The Environment

World's Most Successful Subway?

This video takes a look at what may be the world's best subway system - Hong Kong's MTR. Riders hold shares in the public-private entity. And, as the video explains, it is profitable.

March 15, 2009 - World Focus

A Building Boom with a Human Cost

This piece from Next American City looks at the human toll major building projects are taking on construction workers in China, Dubai and other rapidly developing places.

March 13, 2009 - Next American City

Can A Pedestrian-Only Street Go Back to Having Buses?

Manners Mall in Wellington, NZ, has been closed to all vehicles since the seventies. The City Council wants to restore buses through the walkway to improve service.

February 16, 2009 - The Dominion Post

Protesters Killed in Battle Over Redevelopment in Korea

Violent activists threw gasoline bombs from the top of a building in Seoul, protesting forced evictions to make way for new development. Police stormed the building, and the resulting fire killed six.

February 16, 2009 - The Los Angeles Times

Designing A Virtual Public Square

When Sony was preparing to build a virtual meeting space for Playstation 3 users, they took the unusual step of hiring a real-world architect, Kenji Ikemoto.

January 27, 2009 - Business Week

Young, Japanese, and Car-Free

Young Japanese men and women are ditching the car as a status symbol, sparking concern for car companies.

January 7, 2009 - The Oregonian

Preserving Jakarta's Historic Core

Modern Jakarta has turned its back on its historic core, founded in 1619 by Dutch colonists. A handful of people are now trying to save the historic streets and building from ruin.

December 29, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

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.