The Suburban Retrofit Revolution: Fixing Sprawl From Within
How dead malls, parking lots, and transit stations are quietly becoming the walkable neighborhoods suburbs never had
How Bike Lanes Pay for Themselves in Surprising Ways
Protected bike lanes return their cost many times over through health savings, retail growth, and dramatically reduced road wear.
Why Food Trucks Reveal Everything About Urban Innovation
How cities regulate rolling restaurants reveals their capacity for any kind of change
Why Noise Mapping Could Transform Your Neighborhood
Sound data is revealing which neighborhoods suffer most—and which surprisingly simple fixes actually help.
How Pop-Up Shops Revitalize Dead Malls and Empty Storefronts
Empty storefronts don't have to stay empty—temporary retail creates pathways to permanent success
The Playground Design Revolution Making Kids Smarter
Why adventure playgrounds and natural play spaces develop skills that safety-obsessed equipment never could
The Third Place Extinction Destroying Community Life
Why your city's disappearing hangout spots matter more than planners admit, and what actually brings them back
Why Street Vendors Make Cities Safer and More Vibrant
Those food carts and fruit vendors aren't urban clutter—they're creating safety, opportunity, and the street life that makes neighborhoods thrive.
How Tactical Urbanism Lets Citizens Fix Cities Overnight
Discover how paint, planters, and weekend projects let communities prototype city improvements before spending millions on permanent infrastructure.
The Crosswalk Timing Secret That Could Save Your Life
Why your crosswalk signal was designed for cars, not people—and the simple timing fixes that dramatically reduce pedestrian deaths
Why Gentrification Isn't What You Think It Is
Research shows neighborhood change works differently than we assume—and smarter policies can capture benefits while preventing harm
The Building Height Sweet Spot That Makes Cities Livable
Why the world's most beloved neighborhoods rarely exceed eight stories, and what that means for building better cities.
How Stormwater Became Cities' Most Expensive Hidden Problem
The underground infrastructure crisis costing cities trillions—and the nature-based solutions that work better for less
The Street Grid Pattern That Determines Your Commute Time
Why adding road connections beats adding road lanes, and how street patterns lock in your daily delays
The 15-Minute City Concept That's Actually 100 Years Old
Discover why the latest urban planning trend is actually your great-grandmother's everyday reality repackaged for modern cities
The Missing Middle Housing That Could Solve Your City's Crisis
Discover how duplexes and fourplexes could make cities affordable again by reviving the banned housing types that once sheltered entire generations
Why Corner Stores Save Lives and Build Communities
Discover how small shops create safer streets, stronger economies, and why zoning laws accidentally destroyed this urban superpower
The Sidewalk Width Formula That Predicts Neighborhood Success
Discover how the width of sidewalks secretly determines whether neighborhoods become vibrant communities or lonely corridors
What Parking Lots Reveal About Your City's Hidden Priorities
How invisible parking rules secretly determine what your city builds, what everything costs, and why neighborhoods feel the way they do
Why Your City's Worst Intersection Actually Makes Perfect Sense
Discover the hidden logic, historical accidents, and surprising solutions behind urban traffic nightmares that actually make sense
How Alley Activation Transforms Dead Space Into Community Assets
Discover how forgotten urban service corridors become vibrant spaces for housing, nature, and community through creative planning interventions
Why Bus Stops Matter More Than Rail Stations for Urban Equity
Discover how basic bus infrastructure delivers more urban equity than billion-dollar rail projects through coverage, comfort, and quick wins
The Secret Economics of Street Trees That Transform Neighborhoods
Discover how urban trees deliver 3-5x returns through property premiums, infrastructure savings, and neighborhood transformation strategies