How Gothenburg became a blueprint for the sustainable city

Here's how a Swedish city has become a shining example of a sustainable city and the future of the built environment. Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden. Home…

What is NIMBYism (and is it a problem)?

Where does 'Not in My Backyard' opposition to new development come from, and what are the potential impacts of this philosophy? In the United Kingdom, urban planners have long had…

Forget the 15-minute city – Nordhavn wants you to have everything you need in five

An old industrial harbour in Copenhagen has become the centre of the city's plans for a sustainable future. Here's how it plans to offer its residents access to all their…

What are smart cities (and are they the future of the built environment)?

Are smart cities another marketing buzzword in the built environment, or are they really the future of our urban infrastructure? You may well have heard of smart homes and smart…

Circular cities 101: how do they work?

Applying the circular methodology to our urban planning and infrastructure could be an effective way to reduce the built environment's contribution to the climate crisis. Despite accounting for less than…

All buildings great and small: the spectacular rise of tiny homes

What are tiny homes, and why is this radical approach to homeowning starting to pick up momentum and popularity in the UK? The UK is currently experiencing a housing crisis,…

How can we deal with urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl is significantly impacting society, the economy and the environment. Here’s why (and how) urban planners should address it. The human race is growing exponentially. In November 2022, the…

Urban regeneration, defined: here’s why it matters

Urban regeneration is the process of bringing derelict and deprived cities back to life. Here's how it works, with several examples from across the world. From industrialisation and war to…

Green belt planning: is the grass always greener?

While the concept of the green belt has been a major political talking point in recent months, it's actually been the subject of debate since it was introduced into the…

A guide to 15-minute cities: why are they so controversial?

Why has the 15-minute city urban planning concept become the centre of heated debate, controversy and conspiracy theories? According to research by TUC, the average person spends 59 minutes travelling…

What is urban greening (and how is it creating the cities of the future)?

Urban greening isn’t just making the cities of the future green – it’s helping them become sustainable, too. Here’s how. The built environment is at a crossroads. As a sector,…

Mastering the art of master planning

Could master planning help us mitigate climate change and combat increasing urbanisation, overpopulation and urban sprawl? Despite accounting for less than 2% of the Earth’s surface area, cities are currently…