As the summer winds down, here are a list of the five funniest urban planning videos I've found on YouTube over the years, covering news for Planetizen.
As the summer winds down, here are a list of the five funniest urban planning videos I've found on YouTube over the years, covering news for Planetizen.
Aloha from Kauai
At the margin of creativity, video can inject commentary, advocacy, and even satire into planning. Activist Koohan Paik has gained notoriety for "Discover Kauai," a satirical look at the effects of sprawl on the Garden Island that sets images of big boxes and fast food outlets against Kauai's peaks, palms, and cultural traditions. "The video took the island by storm," says Paik. "It was a successful catalyst in galvanizing community action against development."
Discover Kauai (2007)
America's Most Popular City?
Metropopular is an animated short film about what the cities of America would say to one another if they could talk. Frantic about a popularity contest in which these cities are competing, they jockey for top position while arguing between themselves. The film is directed by Jonah Hall and produced by Jason Heapy and Laura Lockwood, and is a PDI/DreamWorks film.
Metropopular (2001)
A Tight Fit
This clip recorded in 2007 by a tourist who decided not to get on a busy commuter Saikyo train in Tokyo shows the downside of high transit ridership. The background commentary by the tourist, "Dan" is almost as humorous as the video itself.
Off to Work (2007)
Pedestrian Congestion Charge?
"You are now entering Edinburgh City Centre's new Pedestrian Congestion Charging Zone. All pedestrians entering this section of The Royal Mile will have £1.00 automatically deducted from their mobile telephone account." What happens when Producer Richard DeDomenici implements a fake pedestrian congestion fee along Edinburgh's Royal Mile?
Pedestrian Congestion Charge (2005)
The Ultimate In Transit-Oriented Development
My all-time favorite video -- one where you can't help but be amazed by human ingenuity and resourcefulness -- is this video appropriately called "Flexible Urban Planning" (2007). Although the author, energizerbonny, doesn't identify the location, a colleague says that the train looks like it's in Thailand.
Flexible Urban Planning (2007)
Did I miss your favorite humorous planning video? Please share your favorite.
The Planning Meeting Everyone's Talking About
The world of planning hearings and the pandemic realities of Zoom meetings collided in spectacular fashion in the tiny town of Handforth Parish in the United Kingdom.
Watch: How Soviet Planners Created a Different Kind of City
The latest video from City Beautiful looks at the legacy of planning from the Soviet Union.
Video: Urban Planning Trends to Watch in 2020
Here's your "tl;dr" treatment of the "Urban Planning Trends to Watch in 2020" article published by Planetizen earlier this year.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
