• City dreams

    An exhibit promotes a discordant, unsustainable model for growth in the developing world—but we have an opportunity to do better.
    A constant debate within the CNU revolves around the height of buildings. Léon Krier has emphatically stated that buildings in villages, towns, or cities should not be higher than four stories. He notes that low-rise structures are sustainable as they can function solely on human energy without the...Read more

  • Demand supports the ‘missing middle’

    The demand for multifamily and small-lot single-family housing, especially in walkable locations, will continue to rise over the next two decades, according to Arthur C. "Chris" Nelson, of the University of Arizona. This supply and demand mismatch is behind the need for "missing middle" housing,...Read more

  • Two kinds of capacity

    Here's a clever Ian Lockwood cartoon that relates to an article that I wrote this week on " Why street grids have more capacity ." Traditional street networks also have different capacity. Lockwood, an engineer with Toole Design Group, shows the multiple and varied purposes of streets in walkable...Read more

  • Build as if daylight were your first light

    "Build as if daylight were your first light, and artificial light was reserved for the night. The windows you’ll add will also be great for cross ventilation in warmer months. And everything in rooms with light on two sides (including the people) will be more beautiful," advises architect Steve...Read more