Urban Planning
To combat climate change, cities need to tackle sprawl
A new IPCC report offers stark reminder that land use policy needs to be radically changed.
Zoning has become a political lightning rod. Just ask Des Moines
Criticism of the Des Moines 2040 zoning proposal ‘does a disservice’ to what the code change intends to fix.
Houston’s $7 billion solution to gridlock is more highways
A "Texas-sized" expansion of highways finds the sprawling city laying out a blueprint for more cars
Splash Pads Are the New Public Pools
These urban oases offer residents a refuge from the summer singe, provide accessible recreational opportunities, and create a heat-friendly public space.
YIMBY in action: How pro-housing policies became a political rallying cry
Birthed by the housing crisis, can a push to build more homes become the centerpiece of a political coalition?
Why building walkable cities is the key to economic success
New report Foot Traffic Ahead finds walkable urbanism isn’t just sustainable and enjoyable, but more profitable.
This suburban utopia is all about worshipping nature
At Serenbe, biophilic design unlocks an alternative—and idyllic—method of suburban development.
Will New York’s new sea wall protect the city from climate change?
In this video collaboration between Curbed and Vox, we take a closer look at Staten Island’s five-mile wall designed to combat violent storms.
Ikea’s Space10 lab reimagines city life as a high-design commune
Space10 and Copenhagen firm Effekt Architects envision an urban future that’s modular, sustainable, and communal.
This California ghost town began with utopian visions
A developer dreamed of transforming California desert into a futuristic dream city—then came the lawsuits.
Looking at the changing American city through its ballparks
A new book by critic Paul Goldberger traces how baseball and stadium design reflect our changing opinions of cities.
How Mayor Pete used good urbanism to revitalize South Bend
Behind the Rust Belt renaissance overseen by the Dem hopeful is a focus on placemaking and development policies.
Sidewalk Labs’ new app helps designers and planners study how public spaces are used
CommonSpace allows people to conduct surveys about public space usage and then organize those results.
Why U.S. cities need to learn from Copenhagen—fast
By 2025, the Danish capital will be the first city to eliminate fossil fuels. American cities need to do the same.
8 ways cities are transforming urban rooftops
With street-level space at a premium, urban rooftops are underused spaces ripe with potential.
How Seiichi Miyake’s tactile blocks changed cities
Miyake invented tactile blocks that made cities more accessible and easier to navigate.
Sustainable floating neighborhood is a glimpse of the future
Homes are powered by solar panels are come equipped with water pumps that extract heat from the canal’s water.
Could a car-free, Dutch-style city work in Colorado?
The proposed city would house 50,000 people and boast rock walls, ponds, and ski parks.
As cities grow upward and outward, sprawl and land use become key global issues
New report predicts cities will grow by 80 percent by 2030, creating a land-use crisis.
How your online shopping snarls traffic on city streets
This past holiday season saw a 5 percent increase in e-commerce deliveries year over year. That meant more trucks, more stops, and more congestion.
How Minneapolis’s radical zoning plan becomes policy
Advancing the Minneapolis 2040 blueprint will rest on the same community engagement that helped it get passed by city council
10 challenges that will define cities in 2019
From homelessness and housing to big tech and budgets, the forces shaping urbanism in the coming year.
The good, the bad, and the ugly of self-driving cars in 2018
From Uber’s fatal crash to Waymo’s driverless taxies to verrrrrrry slow buses—AVs still have a long way to go.
Cities, on front lines of climate change, can make outsized difference
A new C40 report argues cities can boost the economy while responding to pressing climate change crisis.
Sidewalk Labs’s updated plan for a people-first smart city
More details on streetscape, housing, and privacy protection for the new, tech-first neighborhood.
The Swedish town being moved two miles gets its first new building
The first construction project for the new city center is an appropriately triumphant town hall, designed by Henning Larsen.
What Amazon’s HQ2 will mean for a city’s brand
Can a city hold onto—and control—its identity when a mega-corporation moves in?
What the Amazon HQ2 cities can learn from Seattle
Now the nation’s biggest company town, Seattle has been changed by the retail and tech giant
101 small ways you can improve your city
The least you can do to make a big difference where you live.
London’s ambitious plan: Make half its historic center car-free
A "future-proof" strategy would include a protected bike network, zero-emission zone, and 15 mph speed limit.
Paris’s plan to ban cars from the Seine holds up in court
A new ruling says a two-mile stretch along the river must stay open for walking and biking.
Miami’s Underline underscores potential of park projects
The 10-mile, $120 million transit corridor is poised to change how the city moves.
These tiny prefab cabins let you live anywhere in the world
The cabins are aimed at "urban nomads," an upwardly mobile, city-hopping young professional whose concept of home has spurred a movement of flexible, stylish, hotel-like living arrangements.
The Netherlands is testing a bike lane made from recycled plastic
A new 100-foot stretch of bike lane in Zwolle is made from 70 percent recycled plastic, which includes waste from plastic bottles, festival beer cups, packaging, and plastic furniture.
Stunning $465M park set to transform Tulsa’s riverfront
Set to open on September 8, the Gathering Place is a 66-acre dreamscape of whimsical fun.
Why U.S. cities need more multi-racial, mixed-income neighborhoods
Socioeconomically diverse communities are better for everyone. Can they be created without displacing anyone?
Self-driving car is actually a tiny hotel suite on wheels
Recently named one of three finalists in this year’s Radical Innovation Awards, the Autonomous Travel Suite shuttles travelers in solar-powered, micro hotel rooms.
Here’s what Sidewalk Labs’s Toronto smart city could look like
Sidewalk Toronto features timber towers, dynamic streets, and outdoor spaces that can be used year-round.
15 cities tackling traffic and pollution by curbing cars
We’ve rounded up 15 international cities that are working to reduce emissions, encourage alternative transportation, and get people out of their cars.