Big Benefits to Designing Small Spaces

Whitney Gould of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel considers the value and opportunities for the renewal of marginal, residual spaces.

1 minute read

April 28, 2004, 7:00 AM PDT

By Connie Chung


"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

Monday, April 26, 2004 in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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