• Influential urbanist Robertson dies

    Jaquelin Robertson, described by The New York Times as a “passionate urbanist,” an influential academic, and one of the designers of Celebration, Florida, died on last Saturday at the age of 87. Together with Alexander Cooper, Robertson formed the architecture and urban design firm Cooper,...Read more

  • Bold plan and code map a city's future

    The Bastrop, Texas, Building Block Code uses a street grid with the goal of environmental and fiscal sustainability. The plan won a merit award for Simplecity Design in the Emerging Projects category of the 2020 CNU Charter Awards.
    The new Bastrop Building Block Code (B3) requires a street grid for new development in the growing Texas city of nearly 10,000 residents, located about 30 miles from Austin. Since B3’s adoption in November of 2019, multiple creative and innovative projects have used the code, which was recognized...Read more

  • ‘Pattern zone’ enables quality infill development

    The Midtown Pattern Zone in Bryan, Texas, is designed to raise the level of design for economical infill. The zone won a merit award for the Infill Group and Miller Boskus Lack Architects in the Emerging Projects category of the 2020 CNU Charter Awards.
    The fast-growing City of Bryan, Texas, located next to Texas A&M University, was experiencing problems with “stealth dorms” and low-quality, rent-by-the-room housing in the 1.6-square-mile Midtown area. The city is seeking to raise housing quality without adding to the burdens of small...Read more

  • A model of New Urbanism in Panama

    The La Fontana District, designed by Moule & Polyzoides, contrasts with sprawl and uncontrolled infill that has damaged the historic city of David, Panama. The plan won a merit award in the Emerging Projects category of the 2020 CNU Charter Awards.
    La Fontana District is a 96-acre new district located to the west of the historic city of David, Panama, on a site facing the Pan-American Highway, which stretches from Alaska to Argentina. Over the decades, uncontrolled infill development and random sprawl have eroded the urban form and ecology of...Read more