Public art in the United Kingdom is coming under increasing scrutiny as artists and the public grapple with the question of who should be memorialized in statue form: significant historical figures or ordinary people?
"Tim Knox, director of the Sir John Soane's Museum in London, says major historical figures are being overlooked for 'sentimental' memorials to lesser-known people. He named the monument to the Unknown Construction Worker on London's Tower Hill as an example."
"And former deputy leader of the Labour Party, Lord Hattersley, believes that only great individuals who changed the nation in some way are worthy of prominent memorials."
"While people like Lapper demonstrate a personal courage, says Lord Hattersley, they haven't changed the nation and he would like to see more cultural figures honoured, like Milton, Constable, Turner or Wren."
"'We just don't respect that kind of figure. There are too many military and political figures. In Parliament Square, I'm happy that Mandela is there but [former foreign secretaries] Castlereagh and Canning were not, to me, great men.'"
"The heroics of ordinary people have long been recognised in war memorials, of which there are about 10,000 in the UK. But in recent years the 'unknown soldier' has become more inclusive to recognise the part played by women (Whitehall) and even animals in war (Park Lane)."
"Since the 1960s there has been a new renaissance of public art, says Ian Leith, of the Public Monuments and Sculptures Association, and the range of statues this has produced is something to celebrate."
"'There are all sorts of people, fraternities and ideas going up, quite apart from the completely abstract sculptures.'"
"'There's a diversity of sculptures that's far more democratic and representative to our time than the types of sculptures that were going up 20-30 years ago.'"
FULL STORY: Should statues honour ordinary people?

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions