Europe

In this European country, the Nissan Leaf is the third best seller and Tesla's Model S luxury car is number one. The major reason is not its environmental ethos, which is strong, but because of the perks that EVs receive. What county is it?

January 31, 2014 - The Guardian

An Oxford city councillor would like to bring a Swiss system of erecting "ghost building" profiles to the UK for the first time to help residents and officials understand the scale of proposed projects before granting permits.

January 27, 2014 - The Guardian

As warnings from scientists about our changing planet become more dire, countries are retreating from their prior climate commitments. Once a leader, the European Union is bowing to economic pressures and loosening renewable energy targets.

January 26, 2014 - The New York Times

The publicly held and managed wealth generated by Norway’s taxation of oil and gas extraction now equates to one million Crowns (about $162,000 USD) per capita. Norwegian law only allows the government to draw minimally from this fund every year.

January 15, 2014 - Reuters

In Valencia, workers will begin removing the sparkling mosaic facade that adorns the Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts today. The opera house's crumbling facade is the latest episode to tarnish architect Santiago Calatrava's professional reputation.

January 13, 2014 - The New York Times

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reveals why Americans don't use the healthiest, cleanest form of transportation. Hint: it has to do with the frequent injuries we're trying to avoid.

December 29, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Many of Poland's older, iconic Communist buildings require major renovations and are seen as unwelcome reminders of a bygone time. But many people see them as historic landmarks that merit preservation.

December 29, 2013 - The Economist

Next month, Copenhagen starts its year as European Green Capital. We run down five of the reasons it won the title -- with no references to cycling or Jan Gehl.

December 28, 2013 - Future Cities

During the holiday season, cities go to great lengths to turn their streets, homes and businesses into festive places. But underneath the streets, subways tend to look to same day in and day out. French artists have brought the holidays underground.

December 25, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Concerned that a proposed highway from the Alftanes peninsula to the Reykjavik suburbs will disturb Icelandic elf habitat, an elf lobbying group is joining forces with environmentalists to try to stop the project.

December 25, 2013 - PBS NewsHour

After seven months of work, Víctor Enrich has shared "NHDK", an enchanting exploration of how to rethink the everyday environments that surround us. The project is the artist's latest experiment in digital manipulation and provocation.

December 20, 2013 - Web Urbanist

Rome's new mayor spent two decades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and he's bringing lessons learned while living car-free in the United States to help solve Rome's traffic problems.

December 17, 2013 - philly.com

In Germany's second largest city, a $14 billion experiment will prove whether planners and designers understand what it takes to breathe life into large scale urban redevelopments.

December 17, 2013 - Next City

Las Vegas Sands and its billionaire owner Sheldon G. Adelson have cancelled outlandish plans to build a $30 billion megacasino near Madrid.

December 15, 2013 - The New York Times

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of gardener Andre Le Notre. Eleanor Beardsley traces the legacy of the designer of the gardens at Versailles, whose visionary work influenced many, including landscape architect Peter Walker.

December 10, 2013 - NPR

Is it possible to predict when and how cities will grow? A group of researchers in France say the answer is yes.

December 9, 2013 - Next City

Completed about every 15 years, Madrid's General Urban Plan sets out a long-term vision for the city's development. The newest iteration replaces a "dud" from 1997 that has "dogged the city for years," reports Feargus O'Sullivan.

December 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

With the train's black box showing that the speeding commuter train entered a 30 M.P.H curve at 82 M.P.H, causing the derailment, attention has turned toward the engineer. CNN reports that the engineer admits to "nodding off" before the crash.

December 4, 2013 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

The U.S. Department of State has selected Ann Beha Architects (ABA) to renovate the United States Embassy in Athens, Greece.

November 24, 2013 - Architect Magazine

Should you pay alcoholics in beer? This is the ethical dilemma thrown up by a city project in the famously liberal city of Amsterdam.

November 22, 2013 - Future Cities