The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Why Not a Temple to Atheism?

According to Alain de Botton, religion shouldn't get to claim the most beautiful buildings, so he proposes a temple for anything else "positive and good," right in the center of London.

February 2 - Fast Company

Marking the Day Redevelopment Died

A year after Gov. Jerry Brown announced his intent to kill redevelopment and repatriate billions of dollars in tax monies that go to local agencies, the day of reckoning has finally come. Over 400 agencies officially shut down on Feb. 1.

February 2 - California Planning & Development Report

BLOG POST

Faculty Using Web 2.0 to Show Images

<p> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small"> </span> </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Lately as I’ve been trying to help students find information for papers and classes, I’ve stumbled across a few new examples of faculty using the web to give others access to visual data from their research. <br /> </span></span> </p>

February 1 - Ann Forsyth

Letting Fannie and Freddie Off the Hook

Although they played a part in the ensuing financial panic, noted economist Mark Zandi argues why Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac don't deserve to be blamed for the housing bubble.

February 1 - The Washington Post

A Call For Regenerative Cities

Sustainability is not enough. Because so much damage has already been inflicted upon the world's ecosystems, Anna Leidreiter argues for the need for regenerative cities that positively enhance 'ecosystem services.'

February 1 - The Global Urbanist


North America Rethinks Its Strip Malls

As the strip malls ubiquitous across the suburbs of the United States and Canada lose favor and become increasingly derelict, planners and developers debate whether there is anything about the 'retail relics' worth salvaging.

February 1 - France 24

Exploring the Art of Wayfinding

Emily Badger explores the art of environmental graphic design, or wayfinding, and what it takes to strike the right balance between intuitive navigation and individual discovery.

February 1 - The Atlantic Cities


How the Built Environment Became a Leading Cause of Death in the 21st Century

Writing for the Well blog, Jane Brody traces the direct link between 20th century development patterns and the leading causes of disease and death. Put simply, public health is the biggest challenge facing planners today.

February 1 - The New York Times

Thinking About Sustainability on a Global Scale

In an opinion piece, noted economist Jeffrey Sachs explores what it will take to achieve the 'triple bottom line' of sustainable development, which the UN puts at the top of the global agenda.

February 1 - Project Syndicate

Refining the Software of Placemaking

In New York and Washington, Rod Stevens reports on two very different examples of the importance of programming, or "software", to placemaking.

February 1 - Urbanophile

Big Ideas Proposed for Chicago's Navy Pier

Blair Kamin reports on proposals from five teams of celebrated designers vying to re-imagine Navy Pier. They reflect big ideas, and big budgets.

February 1 - Chicago Tribune

Reinventing Los Angeles: Seizing the Transit Opportunity

Ken Bernstein, Principal Planner for the City of L.A., explores how the expansion of transit in Los Angeles is changing how the department approaches its plans and the planning process.

February 1 - The Planning Report

As New York Plants One Million Trees, Benefits—and Some Burdens—Grow

The city’s MillionTrees program fights asthma and global warming. But tightening maintenance budgets, increasingly severe weather and decades-old planting decisions complicate trees’ contribution.

February 1 - City Limits

The Economics of Traffic Jams

Writing in the Economix blog for the <em>New York Times</em>, Nancy Folbre investigates the economic impact of traffic and revives the idea of congestion pricing for Manhattan.

January 31 - The New York Times

Lessons From the World's Great Biking Cities

Christine Grant was fortunate enough to win a fellowship that allowed her to spend six months in the world's most bike-friendly cities. In this article she shares with us the 10 essential lessons she learned along the way.

January 31 - Grist

L.A. Might be Forced to Fix Its Crumbling Sidewalks

A lawsuit based on the Americans With Disabilities Act may leave Los Angeles responsible for over a billion dollars' worth of crumbling sidewalks.

January 31 - Los Angeles Times

A Win For Preservation in Miami

The Miami City Commission will give a nonprofit group the green light to rehabilitate Miami Marine Stadium, an abandoned Modernist landmark that was identified as one of the country's most endangered places in 2009, reports David Sokol.

January 31 - Architectural Record

The Next Best Thing For Those Priced Out in NYC

Jim Rendon has some inventive suggestions for those priced out of the most beloved and exclusive neighborhoods in New York.

January 31 - The New York Times

Mexican Bridge is an Experiment in Social Engineering

A new bridge completed this month is a key element in a $1.5 billion "superhighway" intended to bring economic development and the rule of law to a place now dominated by some of the country’s biggest illegal drug growers and gangsters.

January 31 - The Washington Post

The Story Behind Stanford's Withdrawl from NYC Tech Campus Competition

Did it seem odd when Stanford University withdrew from a competition to build a new $2 billion Applied Sciences and Engineering campus in New York City just as officials were about to decide the winner, and Stanford was the perceived front-runner?

January 31 - The Stanford Daily

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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.

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.