• Novel idea: Modular house that’s cute

    Good design is a low priority for houses made in a factory, but some architects and developers are trying to change the industry with a simple cottage that features a nicely detailed porch and roof lines.
    Why do factory-built houses tend to look ugly ? Why can’t they be cute , like a cottage that would fit into a walkable neighborhood? New urbanists have been wrestling with that question for many years. Bruce Tolar, an architect based in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, asks: “Would you rather have a...Read more

  • French village hit by sudden (Twitter) storm

    A viral Tweet highlights a village type that would be useful to analyze and replicate, and also touched a nerve.
    Architect Steve Mouzon was looking out the window on the approach to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, and took a photo from what looks to be about a thousand feet up of a perfect village in the countryside, near a modern expressway. Mouzon’s Tweet accompanying the photo shown at the top of this...Read more

  • Reflecting back, looking forward

    The top articles for 2022 have a lot to say about the world of city building and where we are headed for the new year.
    It’s the time of year to reflect back and look forward on the world of city building and urban design. Public Square is my window to the immediate past and future—specifically the meaning of the most popular articles (I’m picking 5, a literal handful of stories, a number that I believe is related...Read more

  • South Main gets the recognition it deserves

    The unique Colorado mountain community has had its difficulties, including an attack from an online magazine, but the latest recognition highlights how much the designers and developers have gotten right.
    The Urban Guild announced its 2022 design awards , including one for Excellence to the Surf Hotel in South Main, Bueva Vista, Colorado, designed by Craft Design Studio. I first reported on South Main in Buena Vista, Colorado, 18 years ago—when a young brother and sister duo set out to build a...Read more