Many architecture firms are still struggling, but the industry, a bellwether for planning and the larger economy, has recovered a little from the lows of the spring and summer months.

"Last month fewer architecture firms reported a decline in billings, up slightly from previous months, but still lagging behind pre-pandemic numbers," reports Paul Petrunia of the latest figures from Architecture Billings Index released by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
"The AIA's Architecture Billings Index (ABI) report for the month of September shows a score of 47.0, indicating that a little over half of firms are continuing to see a decline in revenue, up from 40.0 in August," adds Petrunia. "The reported number of inquiries, however, are promising, up to 57.2 compared to 51.6 in August."
The article includes regional and sector breakdowns, and projections for how the dust will settled when the year finally ends. Information about the office status (i.e., work from home or not) is also included.
For more on the recent trends in the ABI, see previous coverage from Planetizen:
- Bottom Falls Out on Architecture Billings Index (April 24, 2020)
- The Architecture Billings Index Was Strong on the Eve of the Pandemic (March 20, 2020)
- Bad News From the Architectural Billings Index (September 24, 2019)
FULL STORY: September sees modest improvement in Architecture Billings Index relative to recent months

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Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
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NYC Open Streets Organizers Call for City Support
The number of open streets projects has dropped year after year as volunteer groups struggle to fund and staff them.

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SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.
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