North America
Curing 'Nature Deficit Disorder'
With more and more children living in urban and suburban environments and surrounded by electronic distractions, fewer kids are experiencing nature.
Author Identifies A Back-To-The-Core Trend
Seattle planner, architect and journalist Mark Hinshaw's new book, "True Urbanism," explains the theories behind why droves of people are abandoning the suburbs and flocking to dense, diverse urban environments.
Architects Redefining The Religious Institution
Architype Review profiles 8 new and renovated Religious institutions in the words of their design teams.
Misplaced Concerns Over North American Superhighway
This commentary looks at the paranoia surrounding plans to construct a superhighway from Mexico to Canada, and claims that conspiracy theories about its intentions are hindering public policy.
McMansions Equivalent To 'SUVs That Run for 100 Years'
The ever-growing size of American homes means that, regardless of how "green" the construction techniques, they will be rapacious users of energy for decades to come.
Is Transportation Infrastructure The Basis Of A North American Union?
Plans to construct a trans-Texas highway corridor have theorists speculating that this transportation infrastructure is the first step in a secret plan to create a North American union between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Don't Say 'Density', Say 'Walkability'
The concept of increasing density has been given a negative connotation of causing crowdedness and eliminating privacy. This article argues that people will respond more favorably to plans that improve walkability.
The Best North American Neighborhoods
The Project for Public Spaces has released its list of the five best neighborhoods in North America.
Free Public Transit Now!
It's time to remove the fare box and watch how fare-free transit can transform society, writes Dave Olsen.
A Taco Stand in Every Neighborhood
A trip to Baja California -- with its ubiquitous taco stands -- inspires one resident of a New Urbanist community to deal with his neighborhood's lack of eateries by developing a plan for a taco stand.
How Retiring Baby Boomers Will Transform Traditional Models of Senior Living
The idea of aging in community honors the elder stage of life as one with gifts and challenges. It encourages creation of caring neighborhoods and networks that provide for affordable, quality housing to support future needs and new opportunities.
UnSprawl Case Study: Southside In Greensboro, N.C.
Greensboro's Southside neighborhood, a 10-acre revitalization project, features restored historic homes, live-work units, corner retail, a central transit stop, and a metamorphosis of the once-blighted neighborhood into a vibrant community.
A New Model For Urban Infill
When residents of Denver's Curtis Park neighborhood learned of a plan to build an apartment complex on a small lot, they formed the Curtis Park Investors Group (CPIG) to purchase the land. Then they built something else.
The Arts and Austin's Second Street District
Austin's artists, arts organizations, and creative businesses contribute to the vibrancy, help define the identity, and sustain and grow the city's diverse cultures, especially in the burgeoning Second Street District.
Friday Funny: Vicious, Intractable Neighborhood Development War Inspires Mirth
Think your neighborhood disputes are rancorous? With ample swearing, The Onion pokes diabolical fun at NIMBYism and "short-sighted, profit-oriented renewal."
The Housing Facade Is Just A Facade
This column bemoans the stark architectural differences between the insides and outsides of suburban houses.
Architects Redefining The Public Library
Architype profiles 8 new and renovated urban public libraries in the words of their design teams.
Envisioning Bike Lanes On Your Street
If bicyclists were allotted pathways just as pedestrians are, then biking in U.S. cities could become as viable a mode of transportation as it is in Europe.
Sending Toronto's Mayor To The Chicago School
Toronto, Canada's largest city, could learn a lot by looking at Chicago, writes Margaret Wente.
Placemaking and Public Libraries
As public libraries take on more roles in their communities -- including acting as key public spaces -- librarians are adopting "placemaking" into their facility and service planning.
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
