Read the latest positive news, breakthroughs, and inspiring stories about urban planning, curated daily by BrightWire.
A British town transformed itself into a living laboratory and discovered its biggest park doesn't just cool itself down. It actually lowers temperatures, reduces noise, and cleans the air for hundreds of feet beyond its borders.
After devastating 2023 earthquakes, Turkey rebuilt 450,000 homes with climate resilience at their core. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan is designing an entirely new city outside Tashkent with water conservation and green energy built in from day one.
Living near parks and trees could slash your dementia risk by a fifth. A 16-year study shows nature near your home protects brain health as we age.
Britain's underperforming major cities could create over 100,000 higher-paid jobs by reaching national averages, benefiting surrounding towns too. New research shows when big cities thrive, neighboring communities share the prosperity through connected job markets and skilled workers.
Four Melbourne councils are joining forces to restore the Yarra River and make it safe for swimming again by 2050, following successful river cleanups in Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen. The beloved waterway, banned for swimming since the 1960s due to pollution, could once again host swimmers within a generation.
Cities across Europe are transforming into "sponge cities" by using green spaces and permeable surfaces to absorb rainwater instead of wasting it. The EU is launching a new Sponge Facility to help more cities adopt this nature-based solution to droughts and floods.
Ghana faces a 1.8 million home shortage, leaving millions without decent housing. Now architects are stepping up with a bold plan to design affordable, dignified homes using local materials and smart design.
One year after New York City started charging drivers to enter lower Manhattan, air pollution inside the zone dropped 13 percent. The first study of America's first congestion pricing program shows cleaner air and fewer traffic jams are possible in big cities.
Auckland's City Rail Link carried more than two million passengers in its first month, with families and sports fans embracing the new underground stations. The transit boom is transforming how New Zealanders move around their largest city.
A decade of adding parks and restoring rivers in Guimarães, Portugal has measurably cooled the city by up to 2.5 degrees Celsius. Scientists used satellite data to prove green spaces can fight urban heat.
City leaders from across Africa gathered in Ethiopia to share bold strategies for transforming their urban centers into thriving economic hubs. The forum focused on digital innovation, tourism growth, and creating millions of jobs through smarter city planning.
In the 1960s, a visionary scientist nearly convinced Minnesota to build a futuristic experimental city under a giant dome in rural Swatara. The wild plan gained backing from major companies and politicians before locals marched to stop it.