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Village at USC: Good for the University and Los Angeles
As a planner and a former resident of the North University Park area, I have been very excited about the Village at USC since the proposal was first made public a couple of years ago. After all, this...
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Downtown Schooling
In deciding where to live, most parents with young children typically choose neighborhoods with quality public schools. Unfortunately, most of these schools are located in the suburbs. I say...
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Teaching Planning and Policy: a First-Timer’s Perspective
In his book The Skillful Teacher (2006), Dr. Stephen D. Brookfield states: “Teaching is about making some kind of dent in the world so that the world is different than it was before you practiced your...
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Any Idiot Can Plan?
“Any idiot can plan!” That is the response I have heard some critics and cynics give when asked what AICP stands for. For those of you who are curious, if you do a search for “AICP” on Google, the...
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Canstruction: Promoting Design and Fighting Hunger
While visiting FIGat7th in Downtown Los Angeles over the weekend, I noticed that a giant shoe sculpture made entirely of canned food was on display. I later discovered that the shoe was actually...
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Los Angeles as a Museums Capital
Have you ever considered Los Angeles to be a cultural capital? Or do you think that our city is still like the one portrayed in the movie L.A. Story (1991), which satirizes the city’s culture or lack...
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Images, Instagram, and City Planning
It takes vision to plan and implement creative ideas to improve our communities. Vision as used here refers to a vivid, creative conception or anticipation of what could be. I strongly agree with...
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Los Angeles as a Museums Capital: Part II
Los Angeles is indeed a museums capital. As I shared in a previous article, there are hundreds of museums and art galleries in L.A. County. Over the past few weekends, I visited a few more of the...
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Land Use Law & Order
On January 18, 2013, I attended UCLA Extension’s annual Land Use Law and Planning Conference which covered a wide range of current land use and environmental issues. Held at the historic Millennium...
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Book Review: The Art of Urban Sketching
Have you ever heard of “urban sketching”? Essentially, it is the art of freehand drawing on location at cities where a sketcher lives and/or travels to. I only became aware of it when I stumbled...
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APA Conference: Lessons from Chicago
I was just in Chicago, one of my favorite cities, for the American Planning Association (APA)’s National Planning Conference. Even though I was under the weather, I still enjoyed the conference and...
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What does an Urban Church look like?
Churches and other places of worship are important institutions in our communities that serve multiple roles and needs. While they are generally quite easy to identify due to their unique architecture...
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Amtraking: Traveling by Train
View of Chicago from train Have you ever heard of or watched the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)? It is a classic comedy which stars Steve Martin and John Candy as business travelers who...
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Iron Man and Urban Planning
Are you a fan of the Iron Man movies? I recently watched Iron Man 3, and found the latest installment in the series highly entertaining and somewhat thought-provoking. Since I do not wish to ruin or...
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What’s Up, Doc in Planning?
“What’s up, doc?” Just about everyone knows this as popular cartoon character Bugs Bunny’s catchphrase. It is also what a few people have jokingly said to me after learning that I hold a doctorate in...
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Oscars for Planners: 2013 APA LA Awards Gala
On June 13, 2013, I attended the American Planning Association, Los Angeles or APA LA’s annual Awards Gala which recognized exceptional planning achievements by individuals, cities, and businesses in...
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Who Loves L.A. Architecture?
Do you love Los Angeles and its architecture? Are you crazy about hand-made drawings, three-dimensional models, ambitious plans, and visually stunning graphics? If you answer yes to both questions,...
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Man of Steel and Urban Planning
Have you watched Man of Steel, the latest Superman movie? If you did, please read on. If not, here is my spoiler alert: continue reading only if you don’t mind learning some of the details of the...
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Who Loves L.A. Architecture: Part II
Do you love L.A. architecture? This is a follow-up to my previous article which highlighted three must-see exhibitions for planners, architects, and just about anyone interested in Los Angeles,...
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Thinking about the Park Planning Profession
The American Planning Association (APA) defines planning as “a dynamic profession that works to improve the welfare of people and their communities by creating more convenient, equitable, healthful,...
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