• Planning for climate change and aging

    Older Americans are the most vulnerable population in a natural disaster and provide the key to making communities more resilient for everyone, argues Danielle Arigoni, author of Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation.
    Danielle Arigoni discusses her new book on how communities with aging populations can prepare for climate change on On the Park Bench . Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation argues that older adults should be the lens through which we view resilient communities. When we plan for those most...Read more

  • On Netflix, Blue Zones highlight the benefits of ‘place’

    New urbanists can be encouraged by the popularity of Blue Zone research and learn from the many place-based factors to longevity, including walkability, social institutions, and local diet—which can be included in plans to boost quality of life.
    Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones debuted on Netflix at the end of August, and critics and the audience have liked the four-part documentary series (100 percent fresh critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and strong audience ratings across many platforms). Throughout the series, new urbanist...Read more

  • The potential of mixed-use health districts

    Experts discuss hospital-oriented development and its dramatic potential to transform cities big and small.
    Hospitals are economic anchors in both large cities and smaller communities, employing 6.7 million people and generating $900 billion in revenue a year, nationwide 1 . While medical centers contribute substantially to jobs and wealth, they typically generate an automobile-oriented built environment...Read more

  • Healthy communities explained in three steps

    University of Miami Professor Joanna Lombard lists the elements of healthy communities—and reports how the built environment may lead to physical and mental wellness through social interaction, physical activity, and connection to nature.
    Three key aspects to cities and towns have a big impact on community and individual health, according to Joanna Lombard of the University of Miami School of Architecture. Lombard summarizes the research on healthy communities in a video interview with urban planner Victor Dover: The greatest...Read more