Los Angeles

A Petri Dish for Dreams

That's how architect Brenda Levin, FAIA, describes her adopted city of Los Angeles, where she's spent the last 30 years helping the city's urban form evolve.

November 12, 2010 - The Planning Report

Developing A Coexistence Between High Speed Rail and L.A.

Los Angeles architect Roger Sherman is trying to help guide the car-centric L.A. area into harmonious coexistence with the state's planned high speed rail.

November 12, 2010 - AIA

Doing More With Less in Los Angeles

In a recent press release, L.A. Director of Planning Michael LoGrande announced that he is reorganizing their reduced staff to "focus on and master critical functions."

November 8, 2010 - Los Angeles Department of City Planning

Elections Could Sabotage L.A.'s 30/10 Plan

Christopher Hawthorne at the L.A. Times says that the Republican rise to power will likely spell doom for Mayor Villaraigosa's request for a federal loan to speed up transit construction. Still, he writes, the work will go on.

November 5, 2010 - The Los Angeles Times

Political Cleavage Intensifies Debate On A More Connected LA

Christopher Hawthorne, the architecture critic at the LA Times the contradictory evidence surrounding LA's machinations toward becomming a post-suburban city. He finds public opinion fractured as the MTA finalizes plans for two Westside subway lines.

October 31, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

L.A.'s 'Subway to the Sea' Gets Close

The L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board has selected a route for its long planned Westside extension of the city's subway system. It falls a little short of hopes for a "Subway to the Sea".

October 29, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

The 'Negligible' Building Safety Benefit of Helipads

In the second part of a series looking at codes in L.A. that require tall buildings to have flat roofs for helicopter landing, Curbed LA discusses a new building that has been exempted from the code and whether more are likely to follow.

October 27, 2010 - Curbed LA

The Fire Department Code That Flat-Tops L.A.'s Skyline

All buildings in Los Angeles taller than 75 feet are required to have a flat surface on the roof where helicopters can land, according to a fire department-mandated code. Now leaders are thinking about updating that code -- and the city's skyline.

October 26, 2010 - Curbed LA

LA Weighs New Design Guidelines

Some critics say the proposed voluntary measures don’t have teeth, while others worry they lay the groundwork for overdevelopment.

October 26, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

The Conflicted Culture of Los Angeles

Christopher Hawthorne reflects on the simultaneous rise of bicycle culture and anti-transit NIMBYs. Can Angelenos come together to move forward when it comes to transportation and the built environment?

October 25, 2010 - The Los Angeles Times

Time-Based or Distance-Based Transit Fares: Is One Better Than the Other?

Is there a difference between the two most common fare structures in public transit?

October 23, 2010 - TheCityFix

A Post-Sprawl Los Angeles

CNN's Richard Quest takes an incredulous look at the changes brewing in Los Angeles as downtown revitalizes and the city densifies.

October 10, 2010 - CNN

New Report Proposes Ways to Combat L.A.'s "Food Deserts"

A new report from The Los Angeles Food Policy Task Force calls for the government to take steps to increase accessibility to local, healthy food in urban areas.

October 6, 2010 - Good

Finding Safe Places For Homeless To Park

Venice Beach (City of LA) is the latest community to restrict overnight parking of vehicle-dwelling homeless residents, including those living in RVs. It's a growing problem, especially in areas with inviting climates and tolerant political attitude

October 6, 2010 - The New York Times - U.S.

A Central Park Emerges in Downtown Los Angeles

Authorities in Los Angeles are working on a grand plan to unify the city's core with a new Downtown Civic Park Project.

September 26, 2010 - Design Under Sky

Beijing Teams With L.A. to Fight Congestion

The transportation agencies of Los Angeles and Beijing -- two of the world's most congested cities -- are joining forces to address their traffic issues.

September 16, 2010 - The Source

L.A.'s New Subway Not A Huge Traffic Solution

A new report from the Los Angeles transit authority shows that construction of a new subway connecting the west side of the city would cause only a small reduction in car traffic.

September 10, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Backing the Infrastructure Bank

The Los Angeles Times is standing behind President Barack Obama's recently announced infrastructure bank proposal, but not just because it could boost transit in L.A.

September 9, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Cities With the Most Pedestrian Deaths

GOOD Magazine has an infographic illustrating the world cities with the most pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents. Unsurprisingly, 3 American cities are at the top of the list.

September 5, 2010 - GOOD Magazine

Bus Riders Union Blasts L.A.'s 30/10 Plan

A proposal in L.A. to use recently approved funding to push 30 years of transportation projects into the next decade has elicited a protest from the city's Bus Riders Union.

September 1, 2010 - Streetsblog L.A.

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.