urban design

The author awaits a bowl of ramen noodles in a Tokyo restaurant.

What the U.S. could learn from Japan about making healthy living easier

5:03pm August 06, 2023

by Yuki Noguchi

On a trip back to her parents' native country, a writer rediscovers what makes it different. The urban design, and a culture that values longevity, make good health come al lot more naturally.

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Girard Children's Community Garden in Washington, D.C. was created on a vacant lot and is now a thriving community space for neighborhood kids, many of whom are from low-income communities of color.

Replacing Vacant Lots With Green Spaces Can Ease Depression In Urban Communities

7:44pm July 20, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

When researchers cleaned up vacant lots and planted grass and trees in poor neighborhoods in Philadelphia, residents' mental health improved.

Songdo, outside Seoul, was envisioned as a futuristic international business hub, drawing residents from all over the world. Instead, this young city has become populated mostly by Koreans.

World News

A South Korean City Designed For The Future Takes On A Life Of Its Own

7:01pm October 02, 2015

by Ari Shapiro

Songdo City was planned as a futuristic international business hub. Instead, it's become popular among Koreans as an attractive residential area. This story is the latest in NPR's Cities Project.

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The twisting Shanghai Tower (right) is the world's second-tallest building and opens soon.

World News

Shanghai Tower: A Crown For The City's Futuristic Skyline

10:40am May 12, 2015

by Frank Langfitt

The 2,073-foot-tall Shanghai Tower, the world's second-tallest building, opens this year. More than just a skyscraper, it's a symbol of Shanghai's — and China's — soaring ambitions.

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Kathy Van Sluyters (left), Barbara Carr and Colleen Dickinson chat on a recently finished sidewalk across from Wildflower Terrace, a mixed-income apartment building in the Mueller development for people ages 55 and over.

National

A Texas Community Takes On Racial Tensions Once Hidden Under The Surface

9:23am March 06, 2015

by John Burnett

People move to Austin's Mueller neighborhood to become part of a progressive community. But some black residents say they haven't always felt welcome — so Mueller decided to do something about it.

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Solar Sunflowers, an art installation, greets visitors to Mueller's commercial and retail hub off of Interstate 35. The panels power a nightly light display and return power to the grid. When the development is complete, five miles of granite trails will

With Porches And Parks, A Texas Community Aims For Urban Utopia

12:25pm February 17, 2015

by John Burnett

Austin's Mueller neighborhood is a new-urbanist dream, designed to be convivial, walkable and energy-efficient. Every house has a porch or stoop, and all the cars are hidden away.

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An artist's conception of the two-way cycle track on Tower Hill. The track is part of London's new plan to boost its bicycle infrastructure.

World News

London Taxi Chief Compares Cyclists To Islamic State Militants

6:12pm February 06, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

Steve McNamara later walked his comments back but says he and his group have been threatened because of their opposition to London's just-approved segregated bike lanes and dedicated traffic signals.

An artist's conception shows the two-way cycle track on Tower Hill. The track is part of London's new plan to boost its bicycle infrastructure.

World News

Bikes Only: London Approves New Cyclist Superhighway Plan

3:00pm February 04, 2015

by Bill Chappell

London Mayor Boris Johnson will change some of London's busiest roads and intersections, in a few cases banning all traffic except cyclists from making turns.