Y Combinator project would build new city using new technology, urban policies

Y Combinator, a startup accelerator and investment firm that helped produce Airbnb and Dropbox has turned its attention to urban planning.

The firm plans to solicit proposals for research into construction methods, power sources, driverless cars, and even examine concepts of zoning and property rights. The project’s intent is to develop ways to reduce housing expenses by 90% and to develop a city code of laws simple enough to fit on 100 pages of text.

The project would eventually produce a prototype city. Initial applications are due July 30, and researchers may be hired this year. The firm is already thinking about possible locations, according to reports.

If plans unfold successfully, the project would be a showcase for new urban policy ideas.

Since early 2020, Americans have been forced to sequester themselves in their homes with outdoor activities, in most cases, being the sole respite for social distancing. And many of people are going back to the basics with a quintessential outdoor activity: biking. Bike sales absolutely skyrocketed during the pandemic, growing by 69% in 2020.

Resiliency | Jun 24, 2021

Oceanographer John Englander talks resiliency and buildings [new on HorizonTV]

New on HorizonTV, oceanographer John Englander discusses his latest book, which warns that, regardless of resilience efforts, sea levels will rise by meters in the coming decades. Adaptation, he says, is the key to future building design and construction.

Nelson Mandela Park green space in Rotterdam

Urban Planning | May 3, 2021

SWA/Balsley unveils Nelson Mandela Park Master Plan for Rotterdam

The conceptual plan provides much-needed central neighborhood and civic open space in the city’s South Maashaven district.

The Weekly Show, Apr 29, 2021: COVID-19's impact on campus planning, and bird management strategies

University Buildings | Apr 29, 2021

The Weekly Show, April 29, 2021: COVID-19's impact on campus planning, and bird management strategies

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C Senior Editor John Caulfield interviews a duo of industry experts on 1) how campus planning has changed during the pandemic and 2) managing bird infestations on construction sites and completed buildings.

Abandoned train depot in Detroit will be part of new mobility innovation district under development.

Urban Planning | Dec 6, 2020

Ford lays out plans for mobility innovation district in Detroit

Its centerpiece is an abandoned train depot whose architecture and decay reflect two sides of this city’s past.

Resiliency | Nov 5, 2020

CRE investors are concerned that cities aren’t resilient enough for climate change

A new ULI-Heitman report states that the biggest challenge to valuation is measuring urban risk mitigation.

Multifamily Housing | Oct 22, 2020

The Weekly show: Universal design in multifamily housing, reimagining urban spaces, back to campus trends

BD+C editors speak with experts from KTGY Architecture + Planning, LS3P, and Omgivning on the October 22 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.