Middle East
Israelis and Palestinians Find Common Ground on Water
An historic agreement between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians aims to slow the disappearance of the Dead Sea and stabilize the supply of drinking water for all three groups.
Qatar's X-Rated Stadium and the Dangers of Designing "Readable" Buildings
With the help of Buzzfeed, Zaha Hadid's design for Qatar's new Al-Wakrah sports stadium - which happens to bear a resemblance to "lady parts" - went viral this week. Philip Kennicott examines Qatar's "awkward moment".
Record U.S. Oil Production, but How Long Will it Last?
A milestone was reached last month in oil imports: For the first time in 18 years, the U.S. produced more oil than it imported thanks to fracking and reduced consumption. But according to a new IEA report, shale oil growth will peak within a decade.
Cyber Attack Causes Eight-Hour Traffic Jam
Last month, hackers were able to shut down Haifa's Carmel Tunnels toll road, a major thoroughfare in Israel's third-largest city, in two days of cyber attacks. The attacks should come as a warning for our increasingly automated infrastructure.
A Reason to Celebrate More Driving
On these pages we usually tout the developed world's decline in driving and car ownership. But in Saudi Arabia, where women are not allowed to drive, the automobile serves as a vehicle for improving human rights.
10 Cities Most at Risk From Natural Disasters
Natural disasters affect millions of people each year, and cost between $60 billion and $100 billion worldwide. Here are the 10 global cities most at risk.
Ancient Ruins Become Refuges in War-Torn Syria
Its unclear why the "dead cities of Syria" were abandoned by their residents 1500 years ago. But as photographs and a CBS News report attest, these remnants of a prosperous society provide a grim refuge for thousands of Syrians fleeing civil war.
Seven Skyscraper Design Fails
This week, sun rays bouncing off the "Walkie-Talkie" skyscraper in London have caused cars to melt and forced the city to ban parking in the area. Here are 7 other skyscraper design fails that have led to mishaps and disasters for cities.
Can Architecture Play a Role in Creating Middle East Peace?
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is bound up in intersecting issues of place, history and geography, among other things. Two Israeli architects believe architecture and urban design can help lead to an agreeable solution.
Could Saudi Arabia's New Subway Unleash a Social Revolution?
The construction of Riyadh's Metro has ambitious goals to relieve gridlock and reduce obesity. Perhaps more importantly, it aims to grant women the freedom of mobility. “That's a lot to expect from a public transport system,” writes Susanne Koelbl.
Women Cyclists Key to Saudi Arabia's Biking Future
An impending lift of the ban on women cyclists could generate investment in much-needed biking infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
International Aid Lands in the U.S.
Millions of dollars donated by the United Arab Emirates are being used to fund the rebuilding of Joplin, Mo., which was devastated by a tornado in 2011. The handouts represent a "remarkable shift in global economic power."
Livable Cities Awards Enable Healthy Urban Infrastructure
Rain water collection in Yemen, shaded bus shelters in Uganda and a pop-up modular park in Argentina are the legacy of Philips's Livable Cities Awards.
Traditional Homes Get a New Lease on Life in Iran
Thomas Erdbrink spotlights the efforts of the dedicated individuals that are trying to reverse decades of neglect and destruction of the traditional courtyard homes that are a 'cornerstone of Iranian architecture.'
Iran's Annual Pollution Peril
Cold air and windless days have trapped the fumes from millions of cars and hundreds of old factories in Tehran. The air pollution has reached such high levels that officials are advising residents to remain indoors and to avoid downtown areas.
Barrier Threatens Palestine's Ancient Landscape
A Palestinian village near Jerusalem boasts old stone-walled farming terraces and irrigation channels from Roman times, but planners of Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank want to build a route through the rare historical landscape.
Urban Planning Becomes a Weapon in Syrian Civil War
It's still far from clear what the political outcome of Syria's civil war will be. But for the country's built environment, the effects are stunningly evident. Millions of buildings have been damaged or destroyed since March 2011.
World Climate Talks Convene As Emissions Rise
World climate talks convened in oil and gas-rich Qatar on Monday, and many eyes have turned to the U.S. Will it be receptive to a climate treaty in light of the devastation reaped on the Northeast by Superstorm Sandy? Can the world agree to a treaty?
Mecca Builds Up, at the Cost of Its Historic Heritage
A unique blend of religious beliefs, state policies and capitalist interests are reshaping Mecca for the worse, critics argue, at the expense of its most prized cultural assets.
Desalinization Plant Needed to Prevent Gaza from Becoming "Unlivable"
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency warns in a new report that the aquifer underlying Gaza is rapidly depleting, and could be beyond repair by 2020, rendering Gaza "unlivable." Hope may lie in massive investments in a desalinization plant.
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
