Category: Urbanism
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The American Urbanist
Book Review It is nearly impossible to make it out of a planning program without learning about William Hollingsworth Whyte and his influence on urban design. He studied the intricate weave of social interactions in public spaces which formed the core of a fascinating discussion with author Richard Rein in the latest Booked on Planning…
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Philadelphia’s Iconic Squares
Back in 2017 I wrote a short paper for the International Making Cities Livable Conference titled “A Return to the Town Square.” I spent a lot of time doing research and came up with three case study cities—Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, and the Railyard in Santa Fe, NM. I…
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The 15 Minute City
The latest trend in city planning is the 15 minute city—the idea that everyone should have access to everyday services within a 15 minute walk or bike ride. The 15 minute city is really just cities before cars were invented. Without easy transportation that allowed us to travel long distances quickly we built our cities…
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The Eco District
Scaling down further from my last post on the ecocity, this article dives into the ecodistrict. The ecodistrict, a concept that started in Europe, is based on the idea of achieving greater sustainability impacts through a district scale approach. These districts focus on the relation of energy, transportation, water, and land use and the most…
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The Eco City
Similar to my last post on sustainable cities, an ecocity is one that strives for sustainability and a healthy environment for its citizens and is modeled after the structure and function of natural ecosystems. Cities that strive for this label provide transportation networks for all travelers (transit, bike, pedestrian, and cars), integrate greenspace into the…
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Key Factors in Building Sustainable Cities
What makes a city sustainable? To me a sustainable city depends on a number of factors including land use patterns and growth, transportation, building reuse, energy and building code adoption, and green energy production. The most sustainable city would be one with a dense, urban fabric that supported public transportation as well as bicycle and…
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How Older Neighborhoods Promote Healthier Lifestyles
At one point in time, older neighborhoods, particularly urban centers, would not have been considered healthy. In the 1800s they were quite the opposite with squalid conditions leading to a rise in disease and death. By packing several families into one dimly lit, often damp apartment, public health was bound to decline. Row after row…
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Innovative City Planning: Lessons from Disney’s Utilidors
A city exists, known to most as the the “happiest place on earth,” where “dreams come true.” To parents toting around young kids, it may not be the happiest place on earth, but to a small child it truly is an amazing experience. I was lucky enough to visit during the 25th anniversary many years…
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Lessons from Living in Minneapolis: Urban Planning Insights
I have lived in several cities in the past five years including Lubbock, Texas, Rochester and Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and most recently Minneapolis. Each city has imparted some lasting impressions and I taught me invaluable lessons about how cities function. But of all the cities, Minneapolis has taught me the most. Before I moved to…
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Plazas for Safe Protests
Since the 2016 elections, I have followed the news chronicling the latest demonstrations and protests on a wide range of issues — including immigration, inequality, and women’s rights — and felt inspired by the people who are no longer content with waiting for someone else to make change happen. At the same time, I am…
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The Planning Lady 