Urban Planning
How Cities Can Serve Citizens Best Amid a Glut of New Transport Technology
City planners will need to focus on equity and flexibility, while refusing to buckle to venture capital.
Urban Forests Are More Vital Than Ever. Why Aren't We Managing Them Better?
Forest managers in cities need more data on climate change, pests, and other factors, and they spend much of their time and funding on invasive species.
Why Detroit's Plan to Reforest Its Streets Ran Into Roadblocks
Many citizens pushed back against a government-backed urban greening program due to an abiding mistrust of the city and its officials.
Why Human Composting Might Be the Green Alternative to Conventional Burials
The process turns the human body into nutrient-rich soil naturally in about 30 days, and it could soon be legalized in Washington State.
The Movement for Urban Tree Expansion Is Growing
In Austin, Texas, and King County, Washington, private companies can now offset their carbon emissions by funding tree-planting in their local cityscape.
How Bad Policy Ends Up on Our Sidewalks
From scooter start-ups to public-health issues, sidewalks have long been a dumping ground for all kinds of policy failures.
What the Last Frontier of Manhattan Says About the Economics of Housing
Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in U.S. history, is being built during a time when New Yorkers worry about the burdensome cost of housing. Will the megaproject alleviate the city's housing pressure?
Promoting a More Inclusive Bicycle Advocacy Movement
A conversation with urban anthropologist Adonia Lugo about the lack of diversity in bike advocacy, urban infrastructure, and how laws to prevent crashes can adversely affect communities of color.
Finding Community in the World's 'Smartest City'
In South Korea's high-tech metropolis, human connections are few and far between.
Can Cosmopolitanism Survive in an Age of Populism and Urbanization?
In his new book, Building and Dwelling: Ethics for the City, designer-scholar Richard Sennett asks a pretty simple and pressing question: How do we live together now?
America's Urban Trees Are Disappearing
We're losing about 36 million trees every year, according to a new study.
Just How Many Americans Are at Risk for a 100-Year Flood?
A new report shows that FEMA's flood hazard maps may be dangerously outdated.
Is It Time for U.S. Cities to Consider Implementing Congestion Charges?
New York City could soon be the first American urban center to implement this strategy to ease congestion and speed up commute times.
Does Light Pollution Increase the Spread of Disease?
Many issues are exacerbated by light pollution, and new research suggests the spread of West Nile virus may be another one.
Long Beach Is Trying to Beat the Heat
Sea-level rise is often a primary concern for communities coping with climate change, but in Long Beach the government is worried more about the heat.
The Intersection of Design and Social Justice in Black America
A conversation with Michelle Joan Wilkinson about the exhibit she curated for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.
How Urbanism Can Help Houston Recover From Hurricane Harvey
Here are three policies that officials should adopt to help the sprawling city keep housing affordable after a terrible storm.
How California Can Mitigate Future Wildfire Damage
We have a pretty good idea of why some structures are more vulnerable to fire than others, but will those in power act on that information?
Can Google Finally Create a Successful 'Smart City'?
Many have attempted, and failed, to integrate technology into urban planning. and now Sidewalk Labs is trying it again in Toronto.
Can Innovative Knowledge Systems Help Cities Prepare for Natural Disasters?
Recent extreme weather events show how the outdated and imperfect information systems used by cities exacerbates the devastation.
Can a Team of Architects and Planners Fix New York City's Trash Problem?
The Zero Waste Guidelines are aimed at helping the city reach its goal of sending no garbage to landfills by 2030.
What Tokyo Can Teach Us About Designing a City for Mental Health
A new report assesses how Tokyo's infrastructure affects residents' emotional well-being, offering lessons for other cities.
Sean Chen's Dream of a Better Future
"If I can one day visit a place and say that I helped make it a more livable and beautiful place, I'll be happy," says Chen, who's on our list of this year's most exciting young thinkers.
Is New Mexico’s Massive New Housing Development Primed for Failure?
Fighting sprawl in Albuquerque’s South Valley.