Middle East
Abu Dhabi Enlists the Help of Former Vancouver City Planner
Larry Beasley, Vancouver's former chief city planner, was hired to help develop Abu Dhabi's very ambitious Plan 2030.
Revolutions in the Middle East Threaten "Oilquake"
Michael Klare argues that the revolution and turmoil sweeping so many of the Middle Eastern oil-producing nations will bring the age of cheap oil to an end.
The Unlikely Biennale of Landscape Urbanism
A landscape urbanism biennale in an unlikely suburb of Tel Aviv offers its working class citizens a look how their city can change for the better.
New City to Sprout in Qatar Ahead of World Cup
Qatar is building cities from scratch ahead of its hosting duties for the 2022 World Cup. One city to be located near the tournament's final match will house 200,000.
The Public Role of Tahrir Square
A Cairo native who had returned home before the recent unrest and revolution looks at the role of the city's Tahrir Square, and how recent events have given additional meaning to this public space.
Tel-Aviv's New Master Plan Kept Secret From Residents
The Mayor of Tel-Aviv has called the new Master Plan a "constitution for the city," yet local officials have stated they will not comment on the plan until after it is approved by the city council.
UN Vote Against Israeli Settlements Vetoed by US
While calling Israeli settlement construction "folly" the U.S. has nonetheless vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israeli settlement construction as "illegal."
Egypt's Prosperity Lies in Urbanization
New York Time's columnist David Leonhardt contends that what Egypt really needs to do is refocus on urbanism.
Deep Pockets Fund Major Infrastructure in Qatar
More than $200 billion worth of projects are either planned or underway in Qatar, and nearly half of them are infrastructure.
Revolution in Cities is No Accident
With recent uprisings in Cairo and Tunis, we are reminded that the city has been the center of revolutionary action for hundreds of years, according to this piece from Edward L. Glaeser.
The End of "The World"?
Planned as an super-opulent development off the coast of Dubai, the artificial archipelago "The World" appears to be sinking back into the sea.
Military's Rail Mission in Afghanistan
The U.S. war in Afghanistan is also a broad infrastructure building effort, according to military officials who talk about a rail building effort known as the Silk Road Initiative
Take A Ride in Masdar City's PRT
Nick Aster takes a ride on the world's first fully operational trackless "Personal Rapid Transit" system.
Aleppo's Conservation Plan Focuses On Architecture With A Social Vision
Aleppo, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, is undergoing a conservation project that includes the restoration of hundreds of houses, a new park, and rebuilding city streets and services.
Historic Preservation in Syria
Over the last 50 years, preservation in Syria focused on restoring architecturally significant buildings, "sometimes destroyed the communities around them," writes Nicolai Ouroussoff. A plaza in Aleppo represents a change in strategy.
Israel's Urban Outlier
Capitalism and bourgeois values built the city of Tel Aviv, which stands today as an outlier in Israel, according to this article.
A New Saudi Arabia Rises Out of the Desert
An under-20 population of more than 13 million and an eagerness to move the national economy away from oil production have the Saudi government investing heavily in huge new cities that are designed to encourage a 'Western-style modernity.'
Urban Rail Coming to Qatar For World Cup
As Qatar prepares to host the 2022 World Cup, officials there have announced plans to build an urban rail network to link its 12 World Cup venues.
Mass Transit on Track in Tehran
Over the past 30 years, the overgrown Iranian capital has arrived at unhealthy levels of air pollution and traffic congestion, but with the installation of a metro, BRT system, and bike rental program seems to be heading in a new direction.
The State of Development in Abu Dhabi and Doha
Nicolai Ouroussoff, architecture critic for The New York Times, offers this lengthy look at the state of development and design in Abu Dhabi and Doha.
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
