Billboards deployed by IBM in France actually make themselves useful as they invade public spaces, and seek to inspire ideas for improving cities.
"Technology company IBM has launched a series of outdoor ads that also function as useful surfaces you can sit on, take cover under or pull your bag or push your stroller over instead of carrying it over steps," writes Leah Gonzalez. Developed with Ogilvy & Mather France, as part of IBM's People For Smarter Cities project, [t]he project aims to encourage ‘smarter thinking’ when it comes to coming up with solutions for the city," says Gonzalez.
FULL STORY: IBM Billboards Double as City Furniture
Regulating Car Ads to Discourage Unsafe Driving
Dangerous driving is a common feature of U.S. car ads, but other countries have banned this advertising because it glorifies reckless behavior.
Wisconsin Ad Campaign Ridicules Illinois to Attract Millennials
A critique of the "Wisconsin: It's more you" ad campaign serves as a lesson for anyone who throws the word Millennial around like a magic talisman.
Toward Better Advertising Campaigns for Transit
A few ideas on how advertisements could do a better job of selling public transit to the public.
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