This fall feels like a fresh start—and what better way to kick off the new season than with a “Back-to-School” episode? In this first show of the season, I reflect on what it means to keep learning—long after we’ve left the classroom. From Rodney Dangerfield’s Back to School to real-life lessons about humility, curiosity, and growth, this episode explores why being a “learn-it-all” will always beat being a “know-it-all.”

Episode Music: Saved by the 80s by All Good Folks

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Lazer Beam by Matrika

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No Time for Games by Soundroll

The Reflective Urbanist is back for Season Two! After a summer break (and a cake with our logo in icing washed down with TRU blue margaritas), we’re kicking off with a few fresh ideas, a few experiments, and plenty more of what you enjoyed from Season 1. The premiere episode drops September 3—get a sneak peek of the P020: “Back-to-School.”

Teaser music: "Honey, I'm Home" by Giulio Fazio

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It’s the Season 1 finale of The Reflective Urbanist! Join Peter as he reflects on a year of exploring the intersection of stories and big ideas that shape our cities. He shares the lessons learned, celebrates the feedback that has made this journey so rewarding, and sets the stage for what’s to come. Don’t miss this heartfelt wrap-up — and a look at what’s next!

Episode music: Dance of the Hours - Ponchielli by Aura Classica

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Take Peter's poll!

When a capital project hit a deadlock, Peter had to fire an uncooperative architect—or did he? Join him as he shares what happened, and why you should always think several moves ahead in your own endgame.

Episode music: Getting to the Bottom of It by Fernweh Goldfish

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What does a missed train, a cold beer, and a bureaucratic form have in common? The lost decade of I-676.

This episode of The Reflective Urbanist unpacks how a simple lapse in judgment—and the inflexible gears of Weberian bureaucracy—delayed a major highway project for ten years. From Philadelphia to South Jersey and from sociology to spiral-bound proposal fails, it's a story about process, power, and the very human limits of rational systems.

Episode Music: Miami 1987 by Hey Pluto!

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Peter Brown has a new answer to that familiar question—and this time, it starts with market failure, detours through Scandinavian tax policy, and ends with a pony.

If we’re serious about housing everyone, we need to stop blaming developers and start talking about taxes, subsidies, and what kind of country we want to be.

Episode music: Suburban Honeymoon by Christian Larssen
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Why aren’t those greedy developers building more affordable housing? Well, what if the problem isn’t them—it’s us? In this episode, I unpack why pointing fingers at the private sector misses the mark, and how local politics, zoning drama, and good old-fashioned NIMBYism are quietly sabotaging housing solutions. If you've ever said “I support affordable housing, just not there,” this one’s for you.

Episode music: A Charming Day by Albert Behar

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We were the private-sector pros brought in to fix a sluggish city bureaucracy. Confidence? We had it. Experience? Not so much. This episode dives into what happens when political appointees try to move the machine—and what they learn from the civil servants who’ve kept it running all along.

Episode music: 'Excusez-Moi?' by Roo Walker

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When a developer balked at the price of a consultant’s time, he nearly lost a $300,000 grant. In this episode, Peter unpacks a real-life story about urgency, expertise, and the often-misunderstood difference between price and value. It’s a sharp, short take on why what something costs isn’t always what it’s worth—especially when the stakes are high and the deadline’s tonight.

Episode Music: Guitars de France by Jonny Boyle

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Why are Minneapolis signal poles painted green and yellow—Packers colors—in Vikings territory?

It started with a simple design question on a downtown street project... and ended with a new city policy, a Cold War case study, and maybe—just maybe—two lifelong Packers fans in the public works department pulling off the ultimate prank.

This episode, we peel back the layers of city decision-making through a Cold War lens, explore why bureaucratic SOPs can outlast billion-dollar stadiums, and ask: what really drives the choices our cities make?

Tune in to find out why sometimes, the answer to “why?” is just: “Because we’ve always done it that way.”

Episode music: Jump and Jive by All Good Folks

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