History / Preservation

Los Angeles Streetlights

Los Angeles Changes Color

Adam Rogers chronicles Los Angeles' long and intimate relationship with the electric light. The city's recent choice to adopt LED streetlights has transformed a classic nighttime into something new.

November 24, 2015 - BOOM: A Journal of California

Some Transportation Funding Gimmicks Are Worse than Others

Carl Davis of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy wants a gas tax increase, not gimmicks, to fund the 6-year transportation bill. Not likely. As bad as they are, they are better than resorting to a repatriation tax, notes the press release.

November 23, 2015 - Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Palo Alto to Protect Single-Story, Eichler-Tract Neighborhood

The Palo Alto city council has approved one neighborhood's request to prevent the construction of two-story homes.

November 13, 2015 - Palo Alto Weekly

Memphis and the Origins of the Crosstown Concourse

In an interview with Crosstown Concourse's Todd Richardson, Thriving Cities explores the challenges of revitalizing and transforming Memphis' old Sears Roebuck Building.

November 3, 2015 - Thriving Cities Blog

Control Room

Technologies for Understanding Cities

Researchers are examining technologies that can aid in understanding many aspects of our cities, from how citizens interact in plan making, where residents use social media, and how to understand our changing communities.

October 29, 2015 - Jennifer Evans-Cowley

Gateway Arch

Happy 50th Birthday to the St. Louis Gateway Arch

One of the country's most recognizable and beloved architectural flourishes has many sordid stories to tell. Today is also its 50th birthday.

October 28, 2015 - Reuters

Newark and New York

Only 10 miles separate New York City and Newark, New Jersey, but the two can seem worlds apart. Damon Rich, who moved from New York in 2008 to lead Newark's planning office, speaks about how his work there has shaped his perception of both cities.

October 27, 2015 - Satellite Magazine

Construction

The Hidden Costs of Building Green

New green buildings may be de riguer, but preservation does less harm.

October 26, 2015 - Boston Society of Architects

Philadelphia

Preservation in Philly Is Attracting a Younger Generation

Young historic-preservation minded Philadelphians are organized and ready to protect the history of their city.

October 21, 2015 - PlanPhilly

Old Bologna, Piazza Maggiore

What Makes a Great Public Space?

The question is often asked and answered by urban planners and placemakers. The perspective offered here boils the essential qualities down to centrality, connectivity, and cachet, with a strong dose of urban "commoning."

October 18, 2015 - Dean Saitta

High Line with Denari

On the Perpetual Crisis of American Cities

A long and ranging article in the New Yorker surveys non-fiction, art, and other manifestations of intellectualism for insight into the plight of the city—to always be cast in some manner of morality tale.

October 8, 2015 - The New Yorker

Dallas skyline

Dallas Delays Controversial Downtown Demolitions

In what is described as a "Penn Station moment," Dallas has approved a demolition delay ordinance for historic buildings downtown. This is an uncharacteristic victory for preservation.

October 7, 2015 - The Dallas Morning News

Northwest Portland Hostel

The Charms of 'Illegal Neighborhoods'

A longtime resident of an old, eclectic neighborhood reflects on what makes the area so desirable and why new places like it are effectively outlawed today.

October 2, 2015 - City Observatory City Commentary

Friday Eye Candy: Explore Manhattan in 1609

A new online interactive project allows new access to the history of Manhattan before Dutch settlers began taking residence on the island in 1609

October 2, 2015 - CityLab

The old and the new

Once in the Great City of Detroit

A new book by Washington Post associate editor David Maraniss examines the glory years of Detroit.

September 28, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Seaside Entrance

Thoughts on Seaside at 35

Seaside, Florida: what’s possible when vision, tradition, creativity, adaptation, and, yes, time converge in ways that allow for careful study and consideration.

September 24, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Tin Pan Alley in London

Small Clubs Make Creative Hubs: the Importance of Live Music Venues

Cities like London are losing their creative edge because the small music venues that foster it are being pushed out.

September 17, 2015 - The Guardian

Chapultepec Fountain

Reinventing a Storied Thoroughfare in Mexico City

A team of designers will convert one Mexico City's most dangerous highways into an urban oasis.

September 10, 2015 - ASLA's The Dirt blog

Woman in Bike Lane, Toronto, Canada

Embracing the Bicyclist as One of Us

In his new book, James Longhurst asks: "Why are most American cities still so ill-prepared to handle cyclists?"

September 8, 2015 - The Urban Edge

NPR Headquarters

10 of the Best Adaptive Reuse Projects

A list of adaptive reuse projects completed in the last five years includes a diverse collection of breweries turned hotels, a dry dock turned into a museum, and much more.

September 3, 2015 - Urban Land Magazine

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.