History / Preservation
Roads Not Taken: Reimagining a Different Seattle
In 1851 the City of Seattle could have been a vastly different place if alternative development decisions had been made that took the original inhabitants, nature, and topography into consideration.
Save the Local: Neighbors in England Rally to Protect Their Pubs
With pubs across the country closing at an alarming rate, communities across England are using a recently adopted law to save their local pubs.
Op-Ed: It's Time to Rethink Cleveland's Strategy of Managed Decline
Cleveland is a thought leader in bulldozing houses, according to a recent op-ed on Cleveland.com, but it's time to imagine a new paradigm.
Triangular Plazas: Flexible, Outdoor Rooms With Meaningful Uses
We often think of plazas as rectangular spaces, but unique geometries can create unexpected delight when a few simple criteria are met.
National Trust's 'ReUrbanism' Initiative Puts Adaptive Reuse Front and Center
The National Trust for Historic Preservation's ReUrbanism initiative has hit the ground running.
About City Gates and Gateways, With a Political Gloss
A year of political obsession with walls along national borders has Chuck Wolfe contemplating city gates of the past and present. Using the foil of proposed border walls, he examines the historic role of city gates, modern gateways, and more.
Preserving Las Vegas' Midcentury Residential Neighborhoods
In a region infamous for blowing everything up and starting over again, a growing constituency is interested in preserving the residential neighborhoods of yesteryear.
Going For the Gold: When Town Planning Was an Olympic Competition
In the first half of the 20th century, the Olympic games actually had a medal competition for town planning.
To Bring Water to the Village, Teach Villagers About Water
In Nicaragua, villagers' access to freshwater resources is sometimes impeded by a gap in coordination between the self-governing indigenous communities present there. WaterAid worked with locals in one village to change just that.
Friday Eye Candy: Tour Downtown L.A. Before Urban Renewal
The New Yorker has produced a video comparing the streets of Downtown Los Angeles on either side of a 70-year span of history.
A Case Study of Rural Gentrification
Concepts like erasure, greenfield development, and easements figure into this story about a rural community on the fringes of suburban development in Maryland's Montgomery County.
Alleys as a Community Asset
Often overlooked, alleys can be transformed into valuable community spaces
Supreme Court to Decide on Interpretations of Historic Preservation
A brief by the Cato Institute describes historic preservation laws as arbitrary and ambiguous. A case before the Supreme Court could decide on either side of the issue.
Philadelphia Discovers the Difficulties of Restoring a Wood-Paved Street
A failed 2012 restoration of South Camac, meant to last five years, only made it until 2015. Now it will have to wait until 2017 to see the historic street paved in wood again.
The Biggest Stories from Five Years of Independence Days
Here's what the Planetizen audience was reading on the July 4ths of yesteryear.
Debate: Why Did Trams Die in the 20th Century?
A Toronto professor pushes against Christian Wolmar's assertion that the tram's demise can be connected to anti-worker policy. For one thing, trams never went away in some cities.
What 6,000 Years of Population Data Looks Like
We can now watch 6,000 years of urban settlements and movements unfold on our computer screens.
Manhattan Developers Go 0-2 in Recent Preservation Battles
Local advocates have won a string of political victories against developers in New York City.
1,100 Waldorf Astoria Hotel Rooms to Make Way for Condos
A Chinese company has sent a dramatic signal about the evolution of New York, moving forward with a plan to convert most of the rooms in the famous Waldorf Astoria into condominiums.
Building a Thriving Economy in Downtown L.A.’s Historic Fashion District
As Downtown L.A. sees an impressive renaissance, learn how the Fashion District in L.A. spurred growth through piloting the first-ever "Business Improvement District" program.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
