Urban Omnibus is an online publication of The Architectural League of New York. They are devoted to “observing, understanding, and shaping the city.” Word limit for feature articles is 2500 words. According to their pitch guide, rates begin at $350 for an interview and $500 for a feature and increase in accordance with the complexity and demands of the project.
Archinect is a website for “progressive-design oriented students, architects, educators, and fans.” They are a source for news, event listings, discussions, and job opportunities. According to a payment report, they paid $0.15 per word. To contact them, refer to this page.
Places Journal is a resource for “contemporary architecture, landscape, and urbanism.” They are looking for lively and original writing. They publish interdisciplinary scholarship, essays, narrative journalism, criticism, multimedia work, and photography. Most of their articles are 1,000 to 6,000 words long. According to one payment report, they paid $0.30 per word for a 4,000-word feature. For details, refer to their submission guidelines.
Architectural Digest is a monthly magazine celebrating international design talents, inspiring decorating ideas, innovative homes, travel, and culture. They publish nine international editions, and have “immeasurable influence in the world of interior design.” According to a payment report, they pay $0.56 per word. They are not always accepting pitches. To learn more, refer to this page.
The Avery Review is a digital journal that is “dedicated to thinking about books, buildings, and other architectural media.” It is a project of the Office of Publications at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. They are looking for reviews and critical essays about books, buildings, and other architectural media. Their essays are usually 3,000 to 4,500 words long. According to their pitch guide, they pay $400 for essays. To learn more, refer to this page.
Fine Homebuilding is a bimonthly magazine for “builders, architects, contractors, owner/builders, and others who are involved in building new houses or reviving old ones.” What makes their magazine unique is that a majority of their articles are “written by people who actually do the work they write about.” According to their pitch guide, they pay their writers a starting rate of $150 for each published magazine page. They also reimburse for preapproved expenses for materials and incidentals.
Metropolis is a magazine focused on architecture and design. Their “editorial scope spans design at all scales—from the smallest products to city planning.” They are interested in project stories, case studies, profiles, interviews, commentary, analytical pieces, trend stores, and opinion pieces. According to an old payment report, they paid $1.14 per word. To pitch them, refer to this page.
Next City covers urban policy, planning, housing, economic development, transportation, tech, environmental sustainability, arts and urban culture, health and safety, and design. According to their pitch guide, they pay $100 to $200 honorarium for op-eds 700 and 1,200 words in length and a flat rate for freelance stories of $400. To learn more, refer to this page.
Planning covers news and analyses of events in planning (including suburban, rural, and small-town planning, environmental planning, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, social planning, and urban design). Word range for feature articles is typically 2,500 words, book reviews 500 to 700 words and news stories 500 words. According to their contributor guidelines, writers can expect to be paid between $100 and $1,000 for articles, depending on length, and $50 to $300 for photographs and drawings.