
Researchers from the Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning have released a free software program the helps planners design walkable cities. Through data, metrics, and a user-friendly interface, Urbano assesses a city's walkability by measuring how streets are used for certain routes, the distance between specific amenities and residential areas, and demographics data to rate usefulness of services to local residents. "We wanted to create something that would allow architects and urban designers to simulate their designs and get some feedback early in the process," said assistant professor of architecture and lead developer of Urbano Timur Dogan, in a press release. "This lets them make decisions based on facts and data, so they can create the sustainable and livable urban environments of the future." [Cornell University]

Architecture professor and researcher Terri Peters chronicles the emphasis on automation, technology overload, and thumping music at Autodesk University 2019, which took place last month in Las Vegas. [ARCHITECT]
Scientists from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Stockholm University have developed a sustainable material that can capture carbon dioxide. Made of a bio-based hybrid foam, the material combines gelatin and cellulose with carbon dioxide–absorbing zeolites. "Together, this makes a durable, lightweight, stable material with a high reusability," said researcher Walter Rosas Arbelaez in a press release. "We see our results as a very interesting piece of the puzzle in the search for a solution to the complex challenge of being able to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere quickly enough to meet climate goals.” [Chalmers University of Technology]

Despite generating some $1.7 billion in revenue this year, Menlo Park, Calif.–based construction tech giant Katerra has decided to close a 250,000-square-foot facility in Phoenix, which will lead to the layoff of 200 employees. According to a Bloomberg report, this move comes as the company aims to turn an operating profit next year and will refocus production in the company's highly automated manufacturing facility in Tracy, Calif. Despite this closure, Katerra continues to scale with the recent opening of its 270,000-square-foot cross-laminated timber factory in Spokane, Wash., and a forthcoming factory in Texas. [Bloomberg]
Take a closer look at the 2019 AIA COTE Top Ten projects, which represent the pinnacle of green architecture. The criteria for judging them form a holistic approach to sustainability and design that everyone can emulate. [ARCHITECT]
Blaine Brownell, AIA, explores emergent material technologies that change form and their potential application in architecture. [ARCHITECT]