Austin Icons & Architecture
What downtown Austin icon is famous for hosting the world’s largest urban bat colony?
The Congress Avenue Bridge
What is the name of Austin’s commuter rail line that runs from downtown to Leander?
The Red Line (or Route 550)
This iconic stretch of Guadalupe Street serves as the western border of campus and is known for its high foot traffic, local businesses, and the Capital Metro "Rapid" bus lines.
The Drag
What European city is famous for its extensive bike infrastructure and car-light streets?
Amsterdam
What term describes areas where housing, shops, offices, and entertainment are close together or in the same structure?
Mixed-use development
Scheduled for completion in late 2026, this 1,025-foot "supertall" will become the tallest building in Texas
Waterline
What are the three-digit route numbers for Austin's two longest "Rapid" lines; one serves the North Lamar/South Congress corridor while the other serves Burnet/South Lamar.
801 and 803
Established in 2004, this specific zoning tool allowed for high-density residential development in West Campus, requiring developers to provide affordable housing units in exchange for increased height limits.
University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO)
This proposed 105-mile-long "megacity" in Saudi Arabia seeks to house 9 million people within two parallel, mirrored skyscrapers; its "Zero Gravity Urbanism" concept aims to eliminate cars entirely by ensuring every resident is within a 5-minute walk of all daily needs.
The Line (or NEOM)
This urban planning concept describes a residential area where most daily necessities (like groceries, work, and parks) can be reached by a short walk or bike ride from one's home
15-Minute City (Or Walkability)
Larry Speck’s firm helped design the redevelopment plan for which major downtown Austin facility currently undergoing expansion?
The Austin Convention Center
Long before the Red Line, Austin had a thriving electric streetcar system that began in 1891; it famously centered around this historic neighborhood, which was originally marketed as Austin's first "suburb."
Hyde Park
Who was the architect of UT’s Main Building (the Tower)?
Paul Cret
This city operates the world’s busiest railway station (Shinjuku) and is famous for its private railway companies that stay profitable by owning the department stores and housing built directly on top of its massive station hubs.
Tokyo
Who wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities, a foundational urbanist text?
Jane Jacobs
What major transit expansion plan aims to add light rail, bus rapid transit, and new stations across Austin?
Project Connect
This is the name of CapMetro’s on-demand, app-based microtransit service that picks up passengers in specific neighborhood zones (like Mueller or Dove Springs) for the price of a local bus fare.
Pickup
Though it was once a busy street with cars and parking, this was the year the Speedway Mall project was officially completed, fully transforming the campus artery into a "yellow-brick" pedestrian zone.
2018
Once considered the most dangerous city in the world, this South American "City of Eternal Spring" transformed its poorest hillside slums by installing the world’s first mass-transit cable car system and a massive, 1,200-foot outdoor escalator.
Medellín (Colombia)
What term describes development that prioritizes cars and spreads outward from a city center?
Urban sprawl
Which architect was described as the "Father of Postmodernism" and held the O'Neil Ford Chair in Architecture at UT?
Charles Moore
Before they were retired in 2009, these rubber-tired, trolley-style buses with a green and yellow paint job were a fixture of downtown Austin, providing free or low-cost loops for tourists and commuters alike.
The ’Dillos (or Armadillo Express)
Located along Lady Bird Lake, this 350-acre piece of land owned by the University has been the subject of decades of debate regarding its potential for high-density development versus its current use as student housing and a field laboratory
The Brackenridge Tract
In the mid-19th century, this Catalan engineer designed the iconic Eixample district in Barcelona, featuring octagonal blocks with chamfered corners; he is also credited with coining the very term "urbanization."
Ildefons Cerdà
What planning strategy focuses on building dense, walkable communities centered around transit stations?
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)