Planning to rent a movie this weekend? Before you do, check out the list of "Ten Great Movies for Placemakers" gathered by the folks at the Project for Public Spaces.
The fine folks from PPS have put together a list of movies that they believe "illustrate Placemaking principles quite beautifully" and they're asking for your suggestions for more. At their Placemaking blog they've collected ten of their favorites, "with explanations of why we think they tell great stories about place."
Included on the list are a lot of classics, such as Ikiru, directed by Akira Kurosawa, in which "A bureaucrat who learns he is dying of stomach cancer unexpectedly finds a sense of purpose in his life by cutting through red tape to get a park built for neighborhood children."
Also included are a couple of more recent films such as Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese, in which "The balletic interplay of people in Hugo's grand train station – travelers, shopkeepers, musicians, lovers – is a thrill to watch. Scorsese has created a place so vibrant, and so real, that you long to step into the screen and inhabit it yourself."
FULL STORY: Ten Great Movies for Placemakers
How Public Spaces Can Better Support Houseless Communities
Project for Public Spaces urges seven tangible actions for public space managers to support unhoused people during the coronavirus pandemic right now, and moving forward.
Project For Public Spaces Launches Initiative to Improve Marketplaces Worldwide
Project for Public Spaces' Market Cities Initiative seeks to understand and addresses challenges faced by the public marketplaces to improve market infrastructure and promote healthy food systems in local communities.
A Twitter Feed that Sings About Placemaking
"My twitter stream is alive with the sound of placemaking," writes Chuck Wolfe. While preparing for this week's Placemaking Week in Vancouver, he explains the importance of PPS-led programming and hopes for various panels, proceedings and events.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)