Technology

Could 'Farming Pods' Be The Water Towers of the Future?

Artist Natalie Jeremijenko's farming pods could be perched atop skylines in the future as a sustainable method of rooftop farming. They will grow fruits and vegetables in hydroponic chambers, allowing sunlight through a clear plastic skin.

June 9, 2010 - Fast Company

A Brief History of International Expositions

As Shanghai aims to bring people together through spectacle, Edwin Heathcote examines the concept behind the festival and questions its relevancy.

June 9, 2010 - Financial Times

Exclusive Bus Lanes Coming To Manhattan's East Side

More changes are coming to Manhattan as auto-space yields to bus-space on First and Second Aves. Will transit users comply with the honor system as boarding will take place from all three doors? The lanes will be 'terra-cotta brown' without barrier.

June 8, 2010 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

The Most Complex Piece of Architecture Created by Mankind

340KM above your head, the first human dwelling beyond Earth's surface has just been completed. Last week, a space shuttle launched on May 14 added the final building block to the $125 billion International Space Station.

June 8, 2010 - Building Design

A 'String' Theory for High Speed Rail

This post from Gizmag looks at Anatoly Unitsky's String Transport Systems, which are trains that operate on above-ground rails at speeds of up to 300 miles per hour -- in theory.

June 6, 2010 - Gizmag

From Idyllic Nature to the Hip, Urban Landscape

Ads for automobiles have depicted their vehicles swooping through dramatic natural landscapes, but as Catherine Lutz and Anne Lutz Fernandez note, car ads have moved into the city.

June 5, 2010 - The Huffington Post

Britain's WiFi Networks Mapped

Search giant Google has mapped the location of every WiFi network in Britain. Some say the collection of this information is a violation of privacy.

June 4, 2010 - Telegraph

San Francisco Considers Demand-Based Parking Prices

San Francisco's transportation agency has proposed the installation of parking meters in a handful of neighborhoods that dynamically change their prices according to the time of day and the related demand.

June 3, 2010 - San Francisco Examiner

Google Sued When Map Leads Pedestrian Into Busy Intersection

A pedestrian in Park City, UT followed her downloaded Google map onto a four-lane road sans sidewalks. She was hit by a motorist before reaching the median. Lauren Rosenberg is seeking $100,000 in a federal lawsuit.

June 2, 2010 - The Guardian

Crunching the Numbers on L.A. Traffic

At the Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control center (ATSAC) near City Hall in Los Angeles, a team of engineers watches traffic flow all over the city, sucking in tons of data to improve transit and automotive circulation.

June 2, 2010 - GOOD Magazine

Moon Base Could Be Built By 2020

Japan has announced plans to build a base on the moon by 2020. The base would be built and used by robots.

June 1, 2010 - Popular Science

FRA Grants Electrification Waiver For Commuter Rail Line - A First

The Federal Railroad Administration does not allow for the mixing of train types for safety reasons, which proved a key obstacle for Caltrain's plan for electrification. As a pilot project,they are allowing the line to utilize electric multiple units

May 30, 2010 - Mercury News via Palo Alto Daily News

Leafs All Gone

Nissan Leafs, that is, and only for the year, though not one of these 19,000 preorders for the all-electric, plug-in car has yet to be shipped. The Leafs shouldn't venture too far from home - the range is 100 miles on a full charge.

May 29, 2010 - The New York Times - Business Day

The Data-Driven Key to Unlocking New York's Congestion

Wired profiles Charles Komanoff, who's hoping to use his immense spreadsheet of New York City traffic data to clear the city's congestion.

May 26, 2010 - Wired

iPhone App Brings Art to the Streets

A new App from the Museum of London uses geo tagging and Google Maps to identify locations seen in their artwork, giving users the ability to see how the historic site used to look.

May 25, 2010 - Creative Review

Best Connected Cities

Metrics provider Ookla rates the cities in the U.S. and around the world on the speed of their internet connection. No.1, no surprise, is San Jose, CA. No. 2?

May 25, 2010 - Gigaom

China's Grand High Speed Rail Plans

China has plans not only to expand its own network of high speed trains, but to build the trains for the rest of the world. They are already giving Japan and Europe a run for their money. Not bad considering their first HSR line opened in 2008.

May 19, 2010 - The Washington Post

Eye in the Sky Maps Ancient Maya

Advanced laser imaging technology known as lidar has proven to be an effective and fast way to map ancient Mayan villages.

May 18, 2010 - The New York Times

LaHood Rides MagLev

The line may only be 12 miles, but the train speeds at 312 mph. The Secretary of Transportation was in Japan as part of the effort to bring high speed rail to the U.S. though it's not clear whether he is in fact considering the maglev technology.

May 17, 2010 - The New York Times - Global Business

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.