• Traditional design enhances the public realm

    The General Assembly Building in Richmond is typical of the architecture of the late Robert A.M. Stern, adding a new iconic building to an important urban site.
    The recent General Assembly Building (GAB) in Richmond, Virginia, is a great example of the unique work of Robert A.M. Stern, the influential traditional architect who died Thanksgiving Day. The Urban Guild recognized the building, located on Richmond’s historic Capitol Square, for Design...Read more

  • In 2026, let’s resolve to save pedestrian lives

    A relatively small number of locations account for a large share of pedestrian mortality; we know what to do, so let's do something about it.
    Pedestrian deaths are a ghoulish topic; it’s easier to avert our eyes. But they indicate that something has gone seriously wrong with planning and the public realm. Pedestrian deaths have risen steadily for a decade and a half—to 7,314 in 2023, from 4,302 in 2010. The good news is that if we care,...Read more

  • Top 10 Public Square articles in 2025

    The most-read pieces in Public Square: A CNU Journal say a lot about the topics capturing the attention of urbanists today. These include retrofitting suburbs, a proposed new city, density, fighting loneliness, turning a mall into a town center, and Leon Krier. 1) Proposed: A new California city —“...Read more

  • Benefits of urbanism outweigh costs

    An analysis of the Miami 21 zoning code, a bold policy move that bets on urbanism, shows that its focus on walkability drives higher demand for neighborhood living.
    Miami, Florida, was the first major city to adopt a Transect and form-based code (FBC) for the entire City, called Miami 21, in 2010. A study by a West Virginia University economics professor provides evidence that Miami 21 is based on sound principles—that the benefits of urbanism outweigh the...Read more