A Short History of the Public Restroom
How come it's so hard to go in sweet privacy when you're out and about?
How to Plant Trees in the City: It’s Complicated
Trees in cities have the ability to sequester carbon, provide shade, and mitigate flooding. But no one tree fits all environments.
The Permanent Crisis of Infrastructure
Ever since it entered public consciousness in the 1980s, infrastructure has been synonymous with decline.
Uplifting the Masses with Public Parks
Created in Victorian England, the earliest public parks were on a civilizing mission.
How Trees Can Save Lakes From Algae Blooms
In addition to cleaning air pollution, trees absorb excess nutrients from soil, preventing algae blooms in waterways.
When Did We Start Paying to Park Our Cars?
A Curious Reader asks: When and why did parking become monetized?
Why Is It So Much Hotter in the City?
On a sunny day, a city can be several degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside. Could better building materials make cities absorb less heat?
Buzzing In at the “Bee & Bee”
City gardens and hotel rooftops can serve as refuges—and food corridors—for the troubled species.
Our Sinking Cities
From Venice to Tehran to Shanghai, many cities are steadily sinking into the earth. There might not be any way to stop it.