I've always wanted, but never quite had the cred, to go to Burning Man. Instead, I went to this year's rendition of National Park(ing) Day in the hopes that it would provide a reasonable, if diminuative, substitute in temporary parks across the country. Creative minds can do a lot with 180 square feet, especially when there are straight-laced passers-by to shock and paradigms to subvert.
in the hopes that it would provide a reasonable, if diminuative, substitute in temporary
parks across the country. Creative minds can do a lot with 180 square
feet, especially when there are straight-laced passers-by to shock and
paradigms to subvert.
rather by an art collective, and there's something delicious about the marriage of art and asphalt. I imagine that many
of the over 400 events that took place last week (about double that of
last year) included all sorts of crazy stuff, in addition to more
mundane but well meaning patches of sod and picnic chairs. There were
probably DJs, acid trips, and naked fire eaters in San Francisco, where
Rebar founded the first event in 2005, and perhaps equal measures of whimsy took place at the two-dozen events in Los Angeles and New York (which is, as we know, the capital of the creative economy).
Tatlin's unbuilt Monument to the Third International in front of a Starbucks.)
despite its historic, pedestrian-friendly streetscape, the nation's tenth-largest
metro area had all of one Parking Day event. The venerable Trust for
Public Land helped coordinate the national Parking Day effort with a
list of cities and a handy map, and they were the official sponsor of
Boston's site, strategically located in front of what is generally
considered one of the most atrocious public spaces in all the United
States: Boston City Hall and its plaza, which is the most dehumanizing
expanse of pavement I've seen since Tienamen Square.
that their rendition in Boston was a bit too corporate. TPL saw fit to get permits and official police barriers
as would any regular group of demonstrators outside of City Hall, which
is all well and good. Their name is on the event, and they need to keep
the city happy (even while implicitly pointing out its shortcomings).But for most of the time I was there, the participants -- a pleasant bunch of students and urbanists -- outnumbered the onlookers. A scene, it was not.
reclaiming ugly spaces, or any public space, is that it doesn't have to be sanctioned, nor
should it priviledge only one kind of use. For the right number of
quarters, any citizen can lay claim to those 180 square feet -- for a
car, a park, or anything else -- without adhering to convention. To get Bostonians -- or most people, for that matter -- to
understand the potential to reclaim, redesign, and repurpose the urban
landscape into something a little more human is going to require
something a bit more revolutionary than sod, potted plants, and swapped
stories of compost and grad school.
Vladimir Tatlin had in mind, but it may yet require a revolution.
A Historic Investment in LA County’s Parks and Open Spaces
Los Angeles County has launched its largest-ever competitive grant program, investing $58 million to expand park access, enhance climate resilience, and support community-driven projects in the areas that need them most.
Innovative Park Agencies Receive National Recognition
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) recently announced the recipients of this year’s awards for innovation in health and wellness, equity, conservation, and park design.
Regenerating and Healing Land Through Parks
Through thoughtful planning and restoration efforts, parks can help heal degraded land, meeting multiple community needs, improving soil quality, restoring native vegetation, and creating habitats for wildlife.
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.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
Brightline Florida files for bankruptcy
The transit company is over $5 billion in debt.
St. Louis Metro to test if single-car trains can reduce operating costs, maintain rider satisfaction
The pilot program will run from October to spring 2027, and begin with one single-car train operating on Metrolink’s Red and Blue lines.
Pennsylvania is building data centers in abandoned mines
Housing data centers in mines provides an alternative to destroying local forests and may spare residents from data centers’ noise and air pollution.
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.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
