• CNU chapter holds single-stair contest

    Who knew the difference a staircase makes? US requirements that multifamily buildings have more than one staircase damages cities. Amidst calls for reform, CNU Mid-Atlantic is offering a prize for the best single-stair building design for Baltimore.
    Twentieth Century building and zoning codes made walkable cities much more difficult to build. In doing so, they cause many people to live in less healthy environments—as per the strong evidence that walkable places contribute to health , social interactions , and other benefits. The latest code...Read more

  • Resilient urban design: The art and science of transforming cities

    Integrating resilience into urban design encourages a shift in thinking: Resilient urban design should not only facilitate mitigation and adaptation but also ensure that the solutions for both have to be likable to all.
    In recent years, the popularity of “urban resilience” and “resilient cities” has surged in both academic research and policy development, especially with respect to urbanization and climate change. However, the origins and meaning of these terms are ambiguous and vague, with numerous explanations...Read more

  • An innovative street grid proposal

    The Adaptation Village offers a twist on the street grid, consisting mostly of slow-speed, shared-use mews.
    Of all the changes in the built environment in the 20th Century, none had more impact than abandoning the street grid—which occurred in the US around 1950. That one change did more to eliminate walkability long-term, and the effects on public health and safety are dramatic. The street network...Read more

  • Six-point visual check for a better downtown

    When looking at façades, six questions asked together can point you toward new buildings that increase downtown vibrancy.
    Our downtowns are seeing more and more podium buildings (4 over 1’s, 5 over 1’s, pedestal buildings). Given building codes, the demand for housing, and financing it is easy to see why. The problem with a vast majority of what we are seeing is that the buildings are needlessly underperforming. They...Read more