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…

What can you do with an urban planning degree?

If you're looking to study urban planning, here are the various different pathways and career routes you can take once you graduate. Urban planning is one of the most important…

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…

Why start a career in urban planning?

Urban planning is one of the most rewarding and diverse professions in the built environment. Here are several reasons why it may be the ideal career for you. Urban planning…

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…

Groundscrapers: why architects are turning skyscrapers on their side

Does the rise of the groundscraper signal the end of high-rise towers and skyscrapers? Here's why buildings are becoming flatter and wider. With all of the technological advancements we've seen…

Human-centred design 101: here’s what it means for architecture

Applying human-centric design principles to our buildings and structures can have a wide range of benefits for both their occupants and the environment. From air quality and noise pollution to…

Why are buildings being sold for £1?

More and more buildings are being sold for loose change across the world, but is this an anomaly or a sign of things to come? Anyone who has been following…

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…