Urban Design

From the creators of the wildly popular 99% Invisible podcast, comes a guidebook to the unnoticed yet essential elements of our cities. Narrated by Roman Mars, with a bonus Q&A and a Full Episode of 99% Invisible. Have you ever wondered what those bright, squiggly graffiti marks on the sidewalk...

In this no-holds-barred treatise, Donald Shoup argues that free parking has contributed to auto dependence, rapid urban sprawl, extravagant energy use, and a host of other problems. Planners mandate free parking to alleviate congestion but end up distorting transportation choices, debasing urban design, damaging the economy, and degrading the environment. Ubiquitous free parking helps explain why our cities sprawl on a scale fit more for cars than for people. But it doesn't have to be this way.

After decades of unchecked sprawl, more people than ever are moving back to the city. Dense urban living has been prescribed as a panacea for the environmental and resource crises of our time. But is it better or worse for our happiness? Are subways, sidewalks, and tower dwelling improvements on the car dependence of sprawl?

Segregation by Design draws on more than 100 years of quantitative and qualitative data from thousands of American cities to explore how local governments generate race and class segregation. Starting in the early 20th century, cities have used their power of land use control to determine the location and availability of housing, amenities (such as parks), and negative land uses (such as garbage dumps). The result has been segregation - first within cities and more recently between them.

In this groundbreaking history of the modern American metropolis, Richard Rothstein explodes the myth that America's cities came to be racially divided through de facto segregation - that is, through individual prejudices, income differences, or the actions of private institutions like banks and real estate agencies. Rather, he incontrovertibly makes clear that it was de jure segregation - the laws and policy decisions passed by local, state, and federal governments - that actually promoted the discriminatory patterns that continue to this day.

How Real Estate Developers Think considers developers from three different perspectives. Brown profiles the careers of individual developers to illustrate the character of the entrepreneur; considers the roles played by innovation, design, marketing, and sales in the production of real estate; and examines the risks and rewards that motivate developers as people.

Jane Jacobs and the Human City: Exploring the Principles of Human-Centered Urban Design is a powerful exploration of one of the most influential urban thinkers of the twentieth century. Jane Jacobs changed the way the world understands cities by insisting that real urban vitality comes from people—their interactions, diversity, and daily lives—not from abstract blueprints or top-down planning. This book introduces Jacobs’s life and legacy while connecting her ideas to the modern framework of human-centered design. From her defense of sidewalks and public spaces to her critique of ...

Urban planning is a craft learned through practice. Planners make rapid decisions that have an immediate impact on the ground - the width of streets, the minimum size of land parcels, the heights of buildings. The language they use to describe their objectives is qualitative - “sustainable,” “livable,” “resilient” - often with no link to measurable outcomes. Urban economics, on the other hand, is a quantitative science, based on theories, models, and empirical evidence largely developed in academic settings.

Cities are birthplaces of civilization; centers of culture, trade, and progress; cauldrons of opportunity - and the home of 80 percent of the world's population by 2050. As the 21st century progresses, metropolitan areas will bear the brunt of global megatrends such as climate change, natural resource depletion, population growth, income inequality, mass migrations, and education and health disparities, among many others.

**Transform Your Urban Environment Discover the Power of Community by Design** Step into a world where urban spaces become vibrant, inclusive, and alive with possibility. "Community by Design" is not just another book about urban planning; it is a manifesto for a revolutionary approach to designing environments that breathe life into every street corner and every neighborhood. This comprehensive guide transcends the traditional boundaries of urban design to explore how we can create thriving communities that cater to the diverse needs of residents. From historical influences to futuristic ...

After smartphones, smart TVs, smart windows, and other smart products on the horizon, smart cities were the next logical step in trying to create a better, brighter, more sustainable, and economically sound future. A relatively new term, smart cities conjures images of a cooperative, wired, prosperous utopia where citizens of all classes achieve a high quality of life. In this audiobook, we look at the qualities needed for future cities to survive and thrive.

Step into a world where less is infinitely more, where silence speaks volumes, and space itself becomes the protagonist of a story that shapes the fabric of communities and the essence of urban living. "The Essence of Space" is a transformative journey through the philosophy of minimalist architecture – a quiet yet powerful force in the environment we dwell in. Embark on a narrative that begins with the core principles of minimalist design, where the art of subtraction creates a sanctuary of tranquility amongst the tumultuous urban sprawl. As you traverse the chapters, you'll explore how ...

When Conrad learns his father has perfected a way to create demonic clones of living people, he realizes it's only a matter of time before the Overworld falls once again to Victus. The Arcane Council is already in flux, and Max's father, Xander, is running for primus. If he wins, it will give Victus another solid rung to climb to the top. Several ministers already seem in favor, and with a little push, the entire council could belong to Victus.

A novel about an unlikely pair of lonely outsiders--one human, one AI--on an adventure to save the great American city of Metropolis written by "one of the most exciting new voices in fiction" (Charles Yu) *Named one of the best books of the month by Library Journal ("Debut of the Month"), The...

Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he cofounded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem.

Discover the transformative power of urban green spaces in "Scaling Up," an insightful new eBook that unveils the secrets to creating and expanding vibrant green networks in cities around the world. With urbanization rising, the need for sustainable, healthy environments has never been more crucial. This book guides you through a comprehensive journey, beginning with a single park and growing into a thriving urban oasis. Start by understanding the visionary concept of green networks. Learn what makes a network green and explore the historical roots of urban green spaces. Then, delve into ...

Nearly every US city would like to be more walkable - for reasons of health, wealth, and the environment - yet few are taking the proper steps to get there. The goals are often clear, but the path is seldom easy. Jeff Speck’s follow-up to his best-selling Walkable City is the resource that cities and citizens need to usher in an era of renewed street life. Walkable City Rules is a doer’s guide to making change in cities, and making it now.

How to we make sense of our surroundings and give a place meaning? What does a ‘sense of place’ signify? The Psychology of Place explores a wide range of studies of buildings, cities and regions that answer these questions. The book is widely regarded as the most fruitful statement of the psychological theories that help us to understand our transactions with the built and natural environments. Still frequently studied and cited 40 years after it was first published this ebook now makes this important work generally available.

Overwhelmed by clutter? Tired of constantly tidying up? Discover a path from chaos to calm with expert decluttering strategies tailored to busy moms. Clearing Clutter, Creating Joy is your essential companion on the journey to reclaiming your space and sense of calm. This comprehensive guide gives you inspiration and practical tools to transform your home into a tranquil sanctuary. Written by Michelle Urban, an expert in home organization and decluttering, the book offers strategies tailored specifically to busy moms. Whether you're new to decluttering or have struggled with it before, ...

In this wide-ranging, character-driven audiobook, science-journalist Emily Anthes takes us on an adventure into the buildings in which we spend our days, exploring the profound and sometimes unexpected ways that they shape our lives. Drawing on cutting-edge research, she probes the painkilling power of a well-placed window and examines how the right office layout can expand our social networks.