Landscape Architecture
More Nature in the City? Maybe, Via Public Art
San Francisco, Houston, and Indianapolis are featuring public art installations that mimic and highlight nature in urban areas.
A New Suburb Without Cars
Vauban, Germany is a new suburb that is part of the 'smart planning movement'. It is car-free, i.e. the streets are car-free, while car ownership is allowed but restricted to two garages, and the cost unbundled. Only 30% of families own cars.
Working With Local Business to Take the Poo Out of Parks
Frustrated with dog poop in his neighborhood park, a Denver resident has initiated a program that places locally-sponsored poop bagging and disposal kiosks in parks throughout the city.
At Long Last, A Park on the Passaic?
A park proposed for Newark's Passaic River waterfront has been an unfulfilled vision for at least a decade. But city officials say the Trust for Public Land will help radically speed up plans for a park.
New Plaza Conversion Projects Chosen For New York City
Nine new sites have been selected by New York City's Department of Transportation for conversion into public plazas.
100,000 Playgrounds
Advocacy group KaBOOM have launched a campaign to map play places across the U.S. called 100,000 Playspaces in 100 Days. The goal is to create a useful tool for planners for evaluating networks of parks and recreation.
Under the Bridge: A New Park Surprises in Providence
The park under a new bridge in Providence succeeds in creating an interesting space in the city, and shows that concrete doesn't have to be dull.
Buildings Going Green, On Top At Least
This piece from National Geographic looks at how green roofs are sweeping across the tops of buildings all over the world.
New York's Unprecedented Park
Preconceptions and lofty goals surround New York's soon-to-open High Line park. But the unprecedented inner city rail line conversion leaves much up in the air, according to this piece from The Architect's Newspaper.
Green Roofs May Be Mandated in Toronto
Toronto City Council is planning to vote on a measure that would require green roofs on most buildings over 54,000 square feet, which would make it the first North American city to require green roofs. Developers are opposing the move.
Hooking Up Gardeners and Backyards
Wait times for a plot of land in one of Santa Monica's community gardens have grown so long that officials are instituting a new program to connect gardeners with homeowners willing to share their backyards.
San Antonio Saves The Trees
Officials in San Antonio say they've closed a legal loophole that allowed developers to clear trees for ranching or farming.
Catering to Oakland's Enclaves
A one-size-fits-all urban landscape doesn't mean that different ethnic neighborhoods don't find ways to personalize them. A UC Berkeley graduate student investigates how cultures perceive space.
Downtown LA Park Falls Short as a Whole
According to architecture critic Chris Hawthorne, Downtown Los Angeles' Civic Park does nothing in the way of creating its own identity. Instead, it neglects its image as a whole by being too fixated on its "aesthetic responsibility."
Celebrating Public Art in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's public art program has resulted in a number of new, contemporary works in public spaces, ranging from a futuristic mural called 'Yesterday's Tomorrow' to a giant, seated rabbit.
Olympic Park Still Serving Beijing
The Olympic Forest Park in Beijing is standing out as one of the rare Olympics-related projects to remain in use after the 2008 event. Hu Jie, the park's designer, talks about its planning and the role of public space in Beijing.
'No Small Plans'? Burnham Never Said It
That's just one of the interesting tidbits in this celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Plan of Chicago and Daniel Burnham in The New Yorker.
Designing a Memorial Befitting Burnham
The author of this article expresses their concern for a potential Daniel Burnham memorial that does little to represent his ideas--or good planning.
Top 8 Public Space Design Books
Managing Editor Tim Halbur selects his favorite books for designing and planning public spaces.
Can Brits Design Good Public Space?
This point-counterpoint from Building Design debates whether the British can design good public spaces.
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
