Seattle

Using Pictures to Think About Cities

How does each of us perceive the city? Using photos of pedestrians in Seattle crosswalks and the highly walkable Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Chuck Wolfe challenges readers to think for themselves about what they see.

February 8, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Seattle Architects Break the Law in Design for Super Green Office Building

When the new headquarters for the Bullitt Foundation opens this April in Seattle, it will be among the first to meet the Living Building Challenge - "the most stringent green standard around." But getting there isn't easy, and may be illegal.

January 25, 2013 - Architizer

Supposed 'War on Cars' Goes Cold

A recent survey gives statistical heft to what many already believe - that despite the rhetorical exuberance of anti-bicycle and anti-transit types, the supposed "war on cars" is just a tired trope that is "wearing a bit thin."

January 24, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Small Houses Find Big Following in Cascadia

In a photo essay on small homes and the people who love them, Sightline Fellow Alyse Nelson explains the attraction of compact living and the ways in which small homeowners are living it up by scaling down.

January 3, 2013 - Sightline Daily

Miami Intermodal Center

A Preview of the Year Ahead in U.S. Transit Projects

Dozens of transit expansion projects will start, continue, or complete construction this year across America. Yonah Freemark delivers a thorough rundown of the exciting year ahead in transit construction and makes note of a dark cloud on the horizon.

January 2, 2013 - the transport politic

In Seattle, Microhousing Provides a Back Door to Added Density

Developers in Seattle have been building ultra-compact apartments to provide alternatives to high housing prices. But these "aPodments," which take advantage of loopholes in codes, could bring negative consequences with the large increase in density.

December 18, 2012 - Grist

Massive Engineering Projects Transform Seattle's Waterfront

The formerly industrial shoreline of Puget Sound will soon undergo $4.5 billion worth of engineering projects that will complete Seattle's waterfront transformation, reports Kirk Johnson.

December 9, 2012 - The New York Times

Ranking North America's Smartest Cities

For those of you who've been anxiously waiting since Boyd Cohen published his list of Europe's smartest cities last month...wait no longer, North America's top 10 smartest cities have been revealed.

December 3, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Seattle: Its Coffee and Its Livability

What might have been a business story about the failure of a local coffee chain - and not a small one at that - to compete against the mighty Starbucks becomes more of a description of what Seattle is all about, and urbanity plays a major role.

October 25, 2012 - The New York Times - U.S.

Can TDRs Save Farms and Open Spaces?

Seattle offers a compelling example of how the transfer of development rights (TDR) can provide a market-based means to kill two smart-growth birds with one stone, writes Claire Thompson.

October 23, 2012 - Grist

In Seattle, a Reborn Park Reflects a Broader Revival

Over the past six years, the Seattle parks department has made great progress in sprucing up Denny Park, the city's oldest, giving new life to the "last stand of big trees amid the city's grit and gray."

October 9, 2012 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Developer Makes Search for Tenants a Popularity Contest

First rolled out last year to help crowdsource ideas for tenants for the renovation of a 4,250 sf building in Washington, D.C., the website Popularise is getting its first tryout outside the district at a new 13-story office building in Seattle.

September 24, 2012 - Seattle Met

Seattle's Clashing, Confusing, and Disjointed Grid

Seattle is a city of grids (plural). Downtown, alone, contains three, making for some pretty interesting transportation challenges. Some argue it's simply part of what makes the city livable.

September 20, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Deal in Place to Build New Arena in Seattle, But Will NBA Return?

A deal was reached this week between Seattle's City Council and a local hedge-fund manager to build a basketball and hockey arena in the Sodo section of the city. But will the deal be enough to lure professional basketball back to the city?

September 13, 2012 - The Seattle Times

4 Major U.S. Cities Publish Data for All to See

A new platform from the U.S. government serves as a central location for Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle to share their municipal data.

August 3, 2012 - Government Technology

Seattle Relaxes Development Standards to Spur Growth

A mixed bag of land-use changes, including relaxed parking standards and an increased threshold for environmental review, were passed by the Seattle City Council this week. Critics complain the legislation favors developers over residents.

July 26, 2012 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Unveils Grand Plans for Its Waterfront, But Who's Going to Pay for it?

Last week, landscape architect James Corner presented a transformative vision for remaking Seattle's waterfront after the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Lynn Thompson describes Corner's plan, and its accompanying funding challenges.

July 18, 2012 - The Seattle Times

Cost, Rather Than Compass, May be Key to Healthy Eating

Efforts to alleviate urban food deserts has focused on the proximity of healthy food choices as a correlating factor for obesity. However, a new study concludes that price, rather than proximity, has a stronger correlation to rates of obesity.

June 20, 2012 - The Washington Post

Is Neighborhood Activism Stifling Community Planning?

Roger Valdez gives his take on the new obstructionism that is dominating public participation and holding up much-needed growth in Seattle and elsewhere.

May 24, 2012 - Crosscut

Designs Unveiled for Seattle's Largest Ever Development

Ariel Rosenstock delivers the details, and slick renderings, of Amazon's new 3 million square-foot downtown Seattle headquarters.

May 12, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper Blog

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.