Planning

American Urbanists Fawn Over European Cities. They Should Pay More Attention to Canada.

Sure, Barcelona and Copenhagen are beautiful. But it might make more sense for Americans to study Ottawa and Toronto.

What Scalia Meant For Land-Use Planning

Thirty years ago, in his first big majority opinion -- a land-use case from the California coast -- Antonin Scalia found the colorful and irreverent style that came to distinguish his career on the Supreme Court

The Fight Against “The New Exclusionary Zoning”

What happens when not just neighborhoods but entire cities become gentrified?

A Change in California Might Prompt Other Places to Reconsider Their Approach to Traffic

Andrew Keatts | February 4, 2016 The state may shift from measuring congestion to measuring driving. That slight distinction makes a big difference.

Why Big Cities Have Cube-Shaped Buildings

As cities grow, their buildings get taller, which gives them the potential to become more energy efficient. But only up to a point.

Why Cities Should Embrace "Psychogeography"

Neuroscientist Colin Ellard explains the intersection of psychology, architecture, and urban design

What 2016 Will Look Like for Transit in the Sun Belt

Here’s a snapshot of major projects in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Phoenix, among other places, unfolding in the upcoming year.

Why Transit Oriented Development Doesn’t Need Transit

And why that represents a major opportunity for urbanist advocates.

Forget What You’ve Heard, Houston Really Does Have Zoning (Sort Of)

Space City has a reputation for being the only big American city without zoning. That reputation is undeserved.

You wouldn’t know it, but Rice Village has plenty of parking

Houstonians knows the stress of driving through the shopping district. We think there’s a better way to fix its parking crunch.

Drowning in Data, Cities Need Help

For most of human history, urban planners have had to do their jobs with only the dimmest understanding of what’s going on. Now they have more information than they can handle.

What happens when you let kids build a city?

East End residents used objects to represent police stations and recreation centers they want built in their neighborhood.

Can you design a city by playing with toys? James Rojas thinks so.

Most adults aren’t interested in playing with toys. James Rojas hopes to change their minds. After all, he says, the future of their cities might depend on it.