03 April 2024
Gizmodo on planning controversy?
29 March 2024
Parque Central
Gustafson Porter + Bowman's Parque Central in Valencia is a great example of what can be done above railyards. When we go to Valencia, water will be a constant part of the conversation so it is no surprise that their use in the park integrates multiple ways to reference water.
27 March 2024
Sagrada Familia
Gaudi's great church, Sagrada Familia, is slated for completion in 2026. As such, CNN took a closer look at it. The article includes a fun twist when it says that, "the construction of the church was carried out illegally for 137 years."
Improving your portfolio
ArchiFolio has some nice tips on things to consider when making your portfolio.
26 March 2024
20 March 2024
Code is Law
In the way that Zoning regs shape more than is at first obvious, coding shapes cyberspace. This is a classic piece from Harvard Magazine in 2000 that still holds up: Code is Law.
18 March 2024
15 February 2024
14 February 2024
Preventable auto accident deaths
The planning community has lots of ongoing conversations about improving road safety (including how to reduce our reliance on this dangerous infrastructure). But it is worth taking note when a more public outlet notices. This week, I was struck by the way that Vox wrote about the plague of fatal accidents in the Global South. But notice that they mention that the US is another hotspot too.
13 February 2024
Wildlife Photos
Have you heard of Tzahi Finkelstein? He is an amazing wildlife photographer whose photo of a turtle and a dragonfly has gotten a lot of attention recently.
05 February 2024
Global groundwater
Groundwater problems aren't just an issue in New Jersey. A new paper in Nature shows the irregular patterns of this global crisis. While the paper tracks alarming levels of groundwater decline in many areas around the world, it also notes some places where the trend or slowing and even a few places experiencing increases in groundwater.
01 February 2024
Big news, if true
The Port Authority says they are ready to make a $10 Billion overhaul of their infamous bus terminal. The new images are pretty amazing, but will it really feel like that when built?
29 January 2024
Finding lost cities with LiDAR
There has been a flurry of news recently about the successes of using LiDAR to uncover lost ancient cities without the destructive clearing that was required in the past.
The BBC announces, The discovery of the Americas' long-lost 'Rome'.
The New Scientist details the findings calling it A mysterious civilisation built a network of cities and roads in the Amazon between 3000 and 1500 years ago, and then disappeared.
And for the science community, the prestigious journal showcased a richly illustrated peer-reviewed LiDAR paper on its cover about Two Thousand Years of Garden Urbanism in the Upper Amazon.
26 January 2024
A Single Small Map Is Enough For A Lifetime
Noema has published a wonderful essay espousing the benefits of exploring the seemingly-mundane local landscapes around you. Take a few minutes to read Alastair Humphreys' A Single Small Map is Enough for a Lifetime. But then get out and see something. (and you might want to load Seek on your phone before your go)
24 January 2024
23 January 2024
Sample Topo Maps
A special thanks goes out to Mike Siegel and the Rutgers Cartography Lab. This is a great resource for students and for pros. A national resource is the Libre Map Project, but it is a bit harder for first time users.
18 January 2024
Declining bird species
Many bird species are in decline. The Washington post article is beautifully illustrated. It isn't good news, but it is worth reading as the details help is understand it better.
The article includes a tool that lets you map out the increase or decrease of a species. If you need good news, look up the map for Bald Eagles. But many common species are shown in decline.