Higher density living is changing the way neighbouring works in Canada
Before we draw conclusions about the implications of social isolation, we should check our expectations of how, when and why neighbouring does or does not happen.
The Conversation > Urban planningCan earth-covered houses protect us from bushfires? Even if they’re a solution, it’s not risk-free
Buildings can be engineered to resist bushfires, but we can’t engineer the many aspects of human behaviour and decision-making that will still put lives at risk.
The Conversation > Urban planningDelhi’s electronic bazaars are one of the city’s last non-elite commercial spaces
Contemporary characterisations of squatters and street vendors as a “nuisance” reproduces colonial urbanism ideas of hygiene and order.
The Conversation > Urban planningLabour scaling back its £28 billion green pledge will impact UK housing – and public health
Too often government policy is not designed with the long-term in mind. Instead, short-term economic outcomes and political gains are prioritised - to the detriment of public health.
The Conversation > Urban planningGhana: Kumasi city’s unplanned boom is destroying two rivers – sewage, heavy metals and chemical pollution detected
The inability of city authorities to enforce land-use regulations has allowed people to carry out ecologically unfriendly activities along the water bodies.
The Conversation > Urban planningDespite legislative progress, accessible cities remain elusive
Decades of activism have resulted in legislation and infrastructure to make cities more accessible, but the lived experiences of disabled residents shows there’s still a long way to go.
The Conversation > Urban planningThe YIMBY movement is spreading around the world. What does it mean for Australia's housing crisis?
Australia’s housing crisis shows no sign of abating, but planning reforms to increase supply is only part of the solution.
The Conversation > Urban planningHealthy cities aren't a question of boring or exciting buildings but about creating better public space
From lit-up orbs to bland office blocks, cities are full of buildings that people do or do not like. What really shapes how they live – for better or for worse – is urban planning.
The Conversation > Urban planningHow the retailing contest between CBDs, shopping centres and online will reshape our cities
The four Cs – convenience, choice, competitive prices and COVID-19 – will decide the retail battle and how it affects the structure and function of our cities.
The Conversation > Urban planningWhat is pattern book development and how can it help ease the housing crisis?
Pattern book housing has been proposed as a way to speed up housing supply in New South Wales. It certainly worked in the past.
The Conversation > Urban planningMore vulnerable people live in Philadelphia neighborhoods that are less green and get hotter
An interdisciplinary group of researchers at Penn State ran computer models on two Philadelphia census tracts. The neighborhood with more vulnerable residents was also hotter.
The Conversation > Urban planningWhy Canada's Smart Cities Challenge is missing the mark
The Canadian federal government is pursuing the idea of “smart cities,” but in the wrong way.
The Conversation > Urban planningSchool portables aren't a solution to student overcrowding, but a symptom of it
Normalizing temporary structures as permanent educational facilities undermines the goal of providing quality public education to all children.
The Conversation > Urban planning'Beauty' in architecture can't be enforced -- but design competitions could help architects strive for it
The UK government aims to enforce beauty through the planning system’s design codes. But intangible qualities like beauty are best achieved by challenging architects – not constraining them.
The Conversation > Urban planningJapanese manhole covers are painted with flowers, bridges, mountains and mascots -- and now they're for sale
These popular street ornaments speak to a 1960s urban planning philosophy as well as to the commodification of nostalgia.
The Conversation > Urban planningWhat are roundabouts? A transportation engineer explains the safety benefits of these circular intersections
Whether you call them rotaries, traffic circles or roundabouts, they offer a safer alternative to the four-way stop. But the modern roundabout has been decades in the making.
The Conversation > Urban planningBuilding on the greenbelt is central to solving the housing crisis – just look at how the edges of cities have changed
The way we develop urban peripheries is central to tackling both the housing crisis and the climate emergency.
The Conversation > Urban planningStudent housing crisis: Municipal bylaws have created roadblocks for decades
Local governments have far too often been let off the hook for approaches that discreetly limit where students may live.
The Conversation > Urban planningSilicon Valley investors want to create a new city – is 'California Forever’ a utopian dream or just smart business?
A controversial new city project in northern California has echoes of past utopian plans – but idealism and commercial reality have always been uneasy partners.
The Conversation > Urban planningHalifax's new development projects must not repeat the wrongs done to racialized communities
African Nova Scotians have historically suffered the negative consequences of urban redevelopment. New projects in Halifax must involve genuine engagement with racialized communities.
The Conversation > Urban planning