• Urbanists in the land of Walmart

    CNU is on the last day of its annual Congress, CNU 34, which is taking place in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) this year. One of the fastest-growing regions in the US, NWA's economy is driven by its status as home to major corporations, including Walmart. More than 1,200 urbanists gathered in Bentonville...Read more

  • A vision of housing, public space for Baltimore

    Madison Crescent shows how infill development can offer housing solutions in historic cities. A University of Maryland, College Park design team won a Student Merit Award in the Neighborhood, District, and Corridor category of the 2026 CNU Charter Awards.
    Madison Crescent proposes a new use for a six-acre infill parcel in Baltimore that currently includes a former elementary school and community building slated for demolition. It shows how infill development in historic cities can create high-quality public space and unite diverse neighborhoods...Read more

  • Reclaiming a Main Street as a walkable center for growth

    A CNU Legacy Project shows how a historic Main Street can be reclaimed for pedestrian activity and a center for new growth that preserves the countryside in a fast-growing region, Northwest Arkansas.
    Cave Springs, Arkansas, is a City by jurisdiction but a village in physical terms, surrounded by suburbanizing countryside. It is close to the airport in Northwest Arkansas, one of the fastest-growing regions in the US, which is why Cave Springs is experiencing tremendous pressure for growth. The...Read more

  • Turning a bridge into a civic amenity

    Hybrid Bridge turns utilitarian infrastructure into a compelling, multifunctional civic space. The Addis Ababa River City Research Project of Tulane’s architectural school won a Student Merit Award from the 2026 Charter Award jury.
    Hybrid Bridge proposes a multilevel, mixed-use bridge across the Upper Kebena River in the Kazanchis neighborhood of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The seven-acre academic project includes a public market, residential uses, and connections to the riverfront from the surrounding neighborhoods...Read more