China
Urban Planning on Display
A look at a Shanghai museum focusing on urban planning.
The Growing Danger For Chinese Pedestrians
Walking and biking in becoming increasingly dangerous in many Chinese cities. This article looks at what some cities are doing to discourage these traditional forms of transport, and what they can do to make the streets safer.
Beijing's 'Conservation' Plans Bend Definition
Beijing is in the midst of a wide-scale revitalization effort to prepare itself for the 2008 Olympic games. Included in this effort is a citywide conservation plan targeting 25 areas in the city. But the term "conservation" is loosely defined.
Chinese Farmers Challenge Land Policies
Rural farmers in China want legal ownership rights for the state-owned lands they farm.
Thinking Beyond the Olympics in Beijing
With the 2008 Olympics heading to Beijing, Chinese officials are looking at ways to reduce pollution and improve air quality by the time the games begin. But locals are also starting to think about life after the games.
Chinese Farmers Lead Revolt Against Polluters
Echoing the peasant revolutions that led to the creation of modern China, farmers are rising up against the factories they accuse of contaminating rivers and destroying their livelihoods.
Historic Sites Disappearing As Three Gorges Reservoir Rises
The reservoir at China's Three Gorges Dam will fill to capacity this year, flooding more than 400 square miles of land, including some precious historic sites.
China Abandons Yangtze Dam Plans
The dam would have forced the flooding of one of China's most visited tourist sites and displaced more than 100,000. Plans are still in the works for a hydropower dam on the river, but the exact location is uncertain.
A Deadly Catch
China is the world's fish capital, but extreme pollution has made much of its fishing waters and catches toxic.
The Expanding Subway of Beijing
This blog post from Wired takes a look at the expanding subway system of Beijing, China -- a system that is expected to become the world's second largest by 2015.
China Moves To Protect Farmland With Higher Taxes
To stem the loss of farmland to development, the Chinese government is raising taxes on non-farmed arable land by 500%.
Paradise Lost In Shangri-La
Officially named in 2001, this small town in China's Yunnan Province is struggling to cope with over 2 million visitors a year. It's becoming a "high altitude hell."
Changing Tides In Chinese Planning
Metropolis Magazine talks with Chinese architect and planner Huasheng Sun about how the two fields have changed as the country transitioned from communism to a more capitalist society.
Greening China's 'SuperBlocks'
Rapid economic and physical development are posing problems for China's environment. But a new eco-friendly development model may soon replace the heavily resource-reliant "SuperBlock" development pattern.
Chinese City Imposes Bike Lane Requirements
Bike lanes will be required for all new roads built in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, according to government officials. The city is hoping to get more people out of cars and onto bikes.
From Red to Green: China's Awkward Embrace of Alternative Energy
China's rapid development is creating a demand for electricity that far outpaces the ability of suppliers to insert alternative energy sources -- those with fewer greenhouse gas emissions -- into the supply chain.
Three Gorges Dam Accelerating Urbanization?
The controversial Three Gorges Dam project has displaced millions of people, and is about to displace millions more; but some wonder if official explanations about protecting sensitive areas and accelerating urbanization are accurate.
Rapid Growth Dries Up Water Supplies
Rapid growth and expansion are bringing economic prosperity to the Chinese city of Shijiazhuang, but it is steadily swallowing the area's water supplies.
Beijing's Bicycle Rental System Has Long Way To Go
In one of the most congested cities in the world, one entrepreneur is hoping to etch away at the problem with his fledgling bicycle rental business. Currently there are 500 bikes in the system, but the owner has plans for more than 50,000 by 2009.
Should Hong Kong And Shenzhen Merge?
Government planners in China are proposing a megacity merger between Hong Kong and neighboring Shenzhen to create a metropolis of more than 20 million people, but some fear the metropolis would be too big.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
