Since the beginning of urbanization, cities have been built based upon the technology available at the time. From aquaducts to telephone wires, these advances have enabled cities to expand, both physically and economically, while helping to improve the lives of their residents. Technology is not a panacea, however, and must be seen as a tool

What makes for a good neighborhood? Do you need housing and ground floor retail? A good proportion between the buildings and the street? Cafe seating and street furniture? Or does it just take an engaged community that is willing to shape their street? For years, the Better Block Foundation has been educating, equipping and empowering communities and their leaders

What is the future of the city’s buses and light rail? The SFMTA recently developed two new strategies: one that details what it will take for every San Franciscan to have access to a high level of light rail service, and one that looks at how Muni can better meet the needs of all of

Government services too often fail to put customers first, but a revolutionary movement is changing that, and recent legislation has created an opportunity for the government to reinvent workforce training at the state and local level. Join us to hear how a pioneer in the human-centered design movement is leading a redesign in how we

Many of the reasons that people love cities — their excitement, their opportunity for chance encounters, their capacity to delight and surprise — are due in part to density. But how do you support urban density while also managing residents’ occasional need to use a private vehicle? Come hear about progressive parking policies that support city

The ambitious 7x7x7 collaboration recently engaged seven architectural firms to design seven conceptual case studies for seven schools around California that would enable each campus to reduce energy and water consumption while improving their learning environment. Come see the final case studies — and hear what’s next — from some of the selected teams. + Chad Hamilton /

Slated to open in 2020, Santa Clara County’s new state-of-the-art jail will feature a design focused on mental health treatment, on programs to reduce recidivism and on a centralized re-entry floor to assist inmates with their return to the community. In addition, the facility will make use of key urban design principles befitting its proximity

While long-distance buses that head south from San Francisco to Silicon Valley have caught the media’s attention, growing tech companies within the city are also trying to solve transportation problems for their employees. Come learn about the solutions that these employers are developing, and how changes and investments in the city’s transportation system may be

When cities and agencies determine what to do with land, they have a responsibility to weigh many factors, including what the best use is and which actions result in the greatest good for the public. Each parcel is different, however, and it’s not always easy to decide what’s best. Come hear a series of perspectives