• A new model for walkable community colleges

    An innovative plan in Northwest Arkansas would convert a commuter campus to a 24-hour college community.
    Enrollment is declining at higher education institutions nationwide—community colleges, which grew by 4 percent in 2025, are an exception. Many students are turning to community colleges to avoid high student debt and get training in in-demand fields. Community colleges also tend to be the most...Read more

  • Mixed-use village planned at rural crossroads

    The first CNU 2026 Legacy Project creates a plan for a mixed-use village in growing Northwest Arkansas.
    A plan was created for a 61-acre walkable, mixed-use village in Elm Springs, Arkansas, during a charrette this week. Located just west of the City of Springdale in the growing Northwest Arkansas metro area, Elm Springs downtown currently consists of commercial and industrial buildings at the...Read more

  • CNU kicks off its 2026 Legacy Projects

    Three urban design projects this month aim to leave a lasting mark on Northwest Arkansas, the site of CNU 34 in May.
    CNU kicks off its 2026 Legacy Projects this coming week in Northwest Arkansas (NWA). They start with a charrette at Elm Springs, a small town to the west of Springdale, one of the region’s primary cities. The New Urbanist team led by TSW Design , with support from ZVA and DPZ, will work with the...Read more

  • 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