Culture

Shot by Shot, Brooklyn Histories Revealed

To build ties to its neighbors, a young arts organization embarked on a sprawling multimedia project exploring the past and present of Williamsburg's Latino community.

February 20, 2015 - Satellite Magazine

Putting a Value on Creative Capital

A new report from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) estimates the impact that all those actors, writers, and artists have on the national economy.

December 6, 2013 - Next City

Building Reflection

Are Cities a Reflection of their Citizens?

As part of Bloomberg BusinessWeek's "Fix This" city planning series, the World Bank's Daniel Hoornweg considers how cities can often be a reflection of the cultural and institutional personalities of their citizens.

November 12, 2012 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Arts Compose a Healthy Economy in Philadelphia

Stephan Salisbury details how the cultural sector in Philadelphia has grown to support the region's economic vitality.

September 26, 2012 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

DreamWorks Takes on Disney with $3.1 Billion Shanghai Project

Seeking to rival the Broadway theater district in New York and the West End in London, DreamWorks Animation SKG recently announced plans to develop a $3.1 billion cultural and entertainment district in Shanghai.

August 13, 2012 - The New York Times

Billboards on Versailles, the Colosseum, or Venice Canals?

As the European financial crisis drags on, money for the continent's numerous architectural and historical resources remains limited. As a result, cities are looking for new revenue streams, including billboards and image rights.

July 13, 2012 - The Washington Post

If I'm eating chowdah I must be in Boston

One of the ways we identify places is by foods for which those places are known. Baltimore – crab. Maine – lobster. Cincinnati – chili. San Francisco – sourdough bread. Vienna – pastry. Even for a city to which you’ve never been, chances are that in your mind that city has some food association.

June 28, 2012 - Lisa Feldstein

The Glass Godzilla in the City

The Museum Tower in Dallas, a giant glass condominium, rears its ugly head as it reflects glaring light onto the site it was named after.

June 26, 2012 - The Design Observer Group

Creating Urban Life Out of Decay

Peter Aspden celebrates the symbolism communicated in the transformation of the detritus of industry into loci for cultural regeneration, as represented by the Tate Modern and its planned expansion.

April 30, 2012 - The Financial Times

Critics Argue Against Public Participation

Public participation is an important part of the urban planning process, says Michael Hooper, as "it improves project outcomes and the likelihood of project success." But lately, some prominent people are saying that it hinders the planning process.

October 27, 2011 - Next American City

A Place for "Potentially Offensive Place Names"

What's in a name? Apparently, reports Kim Severson, some not-so-subtle reminders of a segregated American landscape. And changing them is not easy."The United States Board on Geographic Names, the federal agency that maintains the official names of m

October 7, 2011 - The New York Times

Iceland's Comeback is Based in Place

An extensive profile of the recovering Iceland paints a picture of a place that is overthrowing its boom-time banker's persona and rebuilding on the unique strengths of its culture.

May 13, 2011 - The New York Times

Culture Flight: The Forgotten Villages of Hong Kong

The industrialization of Hong Kong created hundreds of abandoned villages on the outskirts of the city. Today, these rural villages struggle to rejuvenate their economies and preserve their traditions.

January 19, 2011 - The New York Times

The Cultural Reshaping of Los Angeles

In this reflection on the new book "Los Angeles in Maps", James Rojas wonders what shape the city will take in the near and far future.

November 13, 2010 - KCET

Bringing Bookshops Back to the Latin Quarter

Seeing a marked decline in the amount of bookstores in the traditional cultural center of Paris, the city began a program to actively lure them back.

June 8, 2010 - Guardian

The Emerging Arts Center of Texas

Fast Company's annual list of innovative cities highlights Dallas as an emerging hub of culture.

April 27, 2010 - Fast Company

Miami: The Changing Face of America

The city of Miami is the setting of a forthcoming book by novelist Tom Wolfe, whose works have come to define eras in American culture. Some say his selection of Miami as a setting shows that the melting pot city is the face of a changing America.

April 19, 2010 - Guardian

Detroit Cosmopolitanism: An Open Letter to a Ballplayer's Skeptical Wife

When baseball player Johnny Damon signed a contract to play for the Detroit Tigers, his wife voiced concerns about the city not being cosmopolitan enough. This open letter to Mrs. Damon argues that the city has more going for it than many assume.

April 9, 2010 - Model D

The Genesis of Stalemate

Some of my acquaintances believe that climate change may end human life (or at least civilization) and that the only way to save humanity is to massively reduce economic growth and consumption. Other acquaintances believe that climate change is, if not an outright hoax, a minor problem- and that even the slightest attempt to regulate emission-creating industries will itself destroy American civilization.

October 13, 2009 - Michael Lewyn

Cultural Preservation the Bright Side of Dubai's Tough Times

Native of the bustling United Arab Emirates are cheering the global economic slowdown, crediting it for curbing development in its cities that had been blamed for destroying much of their local heritage.

November 15, 2008 - The New York Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.