The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Urban House Boats Offer Escape from City Life
WebUrbanist covers a trend in urban habitats: urban house boats. In this piece they profile three particularly impressive works of architecture.
Effort to "Green" the Empire State Building Paying Off
A $550 million plan to retrofit the Empire State Building pays off by attracting a new high-profile tenant, the social networking giant LinkedIn.com.
The Problem With "Most Livable Cities" Lists
Edwin Heathcote of the Financial Times says that lists of the "Best Cities" often fail because they select cities that are the most "livable", ignoring what makes cities "lovable".
Jane Jacobs' Complex Legacy
On the occasion of Jane Jacobs' birthday (and the international "Jane's Walks" held in her honor), Stephen Wickens muses on Jane Jacobs' legacy and the ways in which her ideas are used -- and misused -- in an age of superficial mass media.
Germany Bets Big on Its Own HSR Network
Eager to see the national train system (the Deutsche Bahn) regain its prestige and reputation for efficiency, the state-owned rail operator has pledged to invest 6 billion euros to acquire 300 of the most advanced high-speed trains in the world.
New Orleans as a Laboratory for Architecture and Urban Planning
An article in <em>The Architect's Newspaper</em> describes post-Katrina redevelopment plans and calls the city a lab for architecture and planning.
The Planner Behind the Parklets
Andres Power, an urban designer for the San Francisco Planning Department, is the driving force behind the city's now-popular Pavement to Park program. Streetsblog's Bryan Goebel sat down to talk with him about the process.
"There Aren't Nearly Enough People Here."
That was David Motzenbecker's thought as he began a public meeting of the Minneapolis Planning Department, which inspired him to re-think how the city engages the public.
Has Canada Botched "the Mother of all Data"?
The 2011 Canadian Census marks a new era in population information: it is now a brief and voluntary household survey, which has led to widespread concern that Canadian public policy will be left fundamentally crippled, writes Sean Kilpatrick.
Philadelphia Leads the Largest Cities in America for Bicycle Mode Share
A new report from The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia shows that Philadelphia's bicycle mode share is more than double that of Chicago's (the big city with the second-greatest share).
More Renters Means Fewer Affordable Options
A new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) says that the number of Americans spending more than 50% of their income on housing is at an all-time high.
Back With A Vengeance: The Mall Returns
The regional mall has been declared dead for a decade, but Elaine Misonzhnik says the behemoths weathered the recession well and are poised for a comeback.
Food Deserts Exaggerated
The "food deserts" problem is receiving heightened attention following the release of the USDA's locator map. But this analysis relies on the suspect premise that suburban supermarkets are superior to small, walkable urban foodsellers.
The Most Bike-Friendly Cities
CNN does a roundup that includes obvious leaders like Amsterdam and some less predictable choices like Chicago and Bogota, Colombia.
The Effect of Light on an Environment
Natural and artificial light have a significant effect on the experience of hospital patients and can actually reduce stress and hospital time, says Rosalyn Cama, an interior designer and researcher specializes in health care design.
Florida's Legislature Torpedos Growth Management in the State
The Senate passed two bills late last week that essentially killed growth management in Florida, eliminating the Dept. of Community Affairs and repealing a law from 1985 that required developers to assess impacts.
Philadelphia Goes Porous
Philadelphia's water department has opened its first street made of porous pavement, which will help city streets safer by absorbing rain water.
Fantastical Canopy Covers Seville Public Space
The Metropol Parasol sweeps majestically up out of the Plaza de la Encarnacion in Seville, Spain. The world's largest wooden structure, it was completed only last month.
The Passion (And Rationality) Of Ed Glaeser
Harvard professor Edward Glaeser's Triumph of the City presents cool-headed analysis that largely confirms the theories that Jane Jacobs first advanced 40 years ago, says Adam Christian.
Buffalo's Plan to Become "the Berkeley of New York"
Once the 8th largest city in the United States, Buffalo, NY is now ranked 70th (with 261,000 residents). After several failed attempts at urban renewal, the city leadership is trying a new approach - namely, to recast Buffalo as a college town.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
