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.
Ouroussoff says the new project focuses as much on restoring community life as on the buildings that contain it, a major change from historical precedent:
"The role of postwar urban planning in the rise of fundamentalism is well documented. In the 1950s and '60s nationalist governments in countries like Egypt, Syria and Iraq typically viewed the congested alleys and cramped interiors of historic centers not as exotic destinations for tourists but as evidence of a backward culture to be erased. Planners carved broad avenues through dense cities, much as Haussmann had before them in Paris. Families that had lived a compartmentalized existence - with men often segregated from women in two- or three-story courtyard houses - were forced into high-rises with little privacy, while the wealthy fled for villas in newly created suburbs."
FULL STORY: Preserving Heritage, and the Fabric of Life, in Syria
And Then There Was One
Donald Trump ran on an "America First" platform for president. The latest news from the climate talks in Bonn, Germany, though, shows that it is now "America Alone" in terms of nations who haven't adopted the Paris climate agreement.
Ancient Ruins Become Refuges in War-Torn Syria
Its unclear why the "dead cities of Syria" were abandoned by their residents 1500 years ago. But as photographs and a CBS News report attest, these remnants of a prosperous society provide a grim refuge for thousands of Syrians fleeing civil war.
Syrian Uprising Threatens Survival of Treasured Historic Landmarks
Christian Sahner reports on the devastating destruction of historical sites that has befallen Syria since the beginning of the opposition uprising 18 months ago, and urges international communities to take action to protect them from further harm.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service