Pushing back on a version of futurism that imagines cities as a collection of iconic structures devoid of people and interactions.
"The current trajectory of urbanization and city-building is not going to get us where we need to go," writes Ethan Kent. "In fact, if you google 'The Future of Cities,' the images that come up reflect a dominant vision, and a caricatured extrapolation of what is currently being built in the 'most developed' human settlements."
Those caricatures are the impetus for the Future of Places program, led by UN-Habitat and the Project for Public Spaces. The program, as described by the post, wants to shift the thinking about the future of cities away from objects and toward places.
The remainder of the article provides resources and recommendations for how such effects can be achieved, calling especially on past research and products from the Project for Public Spaces.
FULL STORY: A THRIVING FUTURE OF PLACES: PLACEMAKING AS THE NEW URBAN AGENDA
Denver City Summit 2016: Place, Culture, Meaning
Keynote speeches and break-out sessions at this year's Rocky Mountain City Summit implicated the importance of cultural knowledge for planning inclusive and equitable cities.
Countering Car-Orientation
Cities around the world are trying to undo decades of car-oriented planning. Lester Brown takes a look at the trend and finds some models for other global cities to follow.
The Death, Then Life, of Great American Cities
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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