cities

Pittsburgh skyline at night

Why we can’t quit cities

A historian’s ode to the resilient city, warts and all.

Why we can’t quit cities
Ramlet al-Baida is the only public beach in Lebanon's seaside capital Beirut, in a city with a serious public space shortage.

Beirut’s only public beach is about to be taken over by an exclusive private resort

Beirut’s only public beach is about to be taken over by an exclusive private resort
A cyclist rides past autumn-colored ivy climbing the wall of a building in downtown Copenhagen November 2, 2010.

Trips by bike finally outnumber those taken by car in Copenhagen

Trips by bike finally outnumber those taken by car in Copenhagen
Winter scene of a barn covered in snow

He's lived in small towns across America — and it makes him look for pieces of home

He's lived in small towns across America — and it makes him look for pieces of home
Donald Trump

How Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric divided a city

How Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric divided a city
Cities that work for the 21st century

Cities: The intersection of people and place

Some urban planners say the buzz around “smart cities” is an opportunity to think both enthusiastically and cautiously about the future of development. But while it's the latest trend in urban planning, the fundamental building blocks of cities haven't changed.

Cities: The intersection of people and place
Nowhere for cars in downtown Chicago to go — even with green lights.

Did you get stuck in traffic this morning? They're trying to find out why

Traffic isn't just bad for our moods — it's also hurting the planet. Reporter Daniel Gross delves into the underlying engineering behind traffic jams, and how cleaning them up will also reduce emissions.

Did you get stuck in traffic this morning? They're trying to find out why
Model-maker Michael Paul Smith poses with a model of a passenger train.

These men bring America's past to life — just on a much smaller scale

Hobbyists like Michael Paul Smith and Alan Wolfson specialize in making stunningly details models of America's past, from small-town scenes to the gritty, sometimes obscene streets of 1980s New York.

These men bring America's past to life — just on a much smaller scale
A woman hails a cab outside the Empire State Building in New York City.

Taxi sharing in NYC could be a godsend — but would New Yorkers go for it?

In New York City, sharing a cab with a stranger is about as popular as eating pizza with a knife and fork. Yet a new study by MIT researchers says shared rides could cost half as much, take just a few minutes longer on average and dramatically slow traffic and pollution. But would New Yorkers do it?

Taxi sharing in NYC could be a godsend — but would New Yorkers go for it?

Where are you traveling in 2014? How about one of these?

As I looked at the list of places to travel in 2014, I was inspired to make a visualization presenting some fun city choices.

Where are you traveling in 2014? How about one of these?

It took a beauty queen's murder to get Venezuela's leaders focused on stopping crime

Venezuela's capital, Caracas, has a murder rate 30 times higher than in New York City. And this week's murder of a former Miss Venezuela has Venezuelans outraged and demanding government action.

It took a beauty queen's murder to get Venezuela's leaders focused on stopping crime
Planned housing developments continue to be built on the outskirts of Tijuana. Mexican authorities say they want to promote infill development and sustainable housing.

Mexicans are abandoning their suburban dreams and their 'birdcage' homes

Mexico built tens of thousands of suburban houses to support a home-owning boom, with the hope that cities would expand around these communities. But it's not working out that way. Now the country has 600,000 abandoned homes.

Mexicans are abandoning their suburban dreams and their 'birdcage' homes

Design for the Real World: Cities

Design for the Real World: Cities