Whitney Gould of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel considers the value and opportunities for the renewal of marginal, residual spaces.
"These 'interstitial spaces'...usually the leftovers created by the design of streets or other infrastructure: odd-shaped parcels that nobody takes responsibility for. It's their amorphous, unclaimed quality that makes these places so attractive to designers...." Some designers warn that these overlooked spaces run the risk of overdesign, and suggest instead to enhance the existing, positive qualities of the site. Whitney Gould writes: "You can find...pockets of opportunity all over the city. Once their ownership has been determined and a maintenance plan devised, these accidental spaces can be brought back to life with the help of inspired design, neighborhood collaboration and a little money."
Thanks to Connie Chung
Read the full story: Pockets of orphaned land are opportunities for lively design
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello