Instead of planning cities around shiny, tomorrowland dreams of our own invention, how about planning them around something we can count on: the needs of people! Complete with a groovy, vintage planning video mash-up.
Scott Doyon does a run down of recent blogs that encourage us to plan for people; not some unproven ideas and untried, futuristic concepts. Doyon encourages us to resist "...[planning] a city around an imagined tomorrow that’s in large parts the same as today, only shinier and more organized. We’re people, not organizing units. And what it takes, at the most basic level, to accommodate us, nurture us, and bring us together is a question already answered."
"We need an urban form proven to adapt to and weather change, progress and the promise of the unexpected. And that form already exists. In fact, it’s been adapting and improving incrementally for 5,000 years."
"The traditional city serves people. And, through thoughtful and ongoing collaboration with those people, it will continue to do so. Whatever the future throws our way."
FULL STORY: Planning for People
EPCOT: The Original 'Smart City'
What can today’s futurists learn from Disney’s unrealized utopia?
Ford Launches City of Tomorrow Challenge in Grand Rapids
The new initiative will fund crowdsourced mobility solutions.
The Sidewalk to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions
When the vision's all right but the outcomes are all wrong, zoning's often the problem. And the public realm is left holding the bag.
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.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Art in Action: USC Event Calls for an Urgent Green Energy Transition
The El Respiro / Respire event at USC uses a large-scale human geochoreography to demand an urgent and equitable transition to green energy, blending art, activism, and community engagement to amplify the message of climate justice.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
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