Public Space, Interrupted

The Project for Public Spaces has compiled a "how-to" list for re-claiming your community's public spaces.

2 minute read

June 19, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT

By Emily Williams


Borrowing a page from Fast Company's recent list "7 Ways to Disrupt Your Industry", which focused on various ways that firms can create opportunities for new growth and improved customer service, the nonprofit planning, design and educational organization Project for Public Spaces has released their own list titled "7 Ways to Disrupt Your Public Space", geared towards the reshaping of public areas with people, not design, in mind. "Placemaking" is the mission of this organization, which they see as an inherently disruptive approach that, "tosses out the idea that an architect or planner is more of an expert about how a place should be used than the people who are going to use it."

The simple but informative list is intended for anyone seeking to enhance the social capital or value of spaces in their communities.

One of the tips is to "Dramatically reduce complexity", which affirms the belief that "less is more", in this case in regards to decreasing programmed activities in favor of more spontaneous, natural space sharing.

Another tip on the list is "Make Stupid Places Smart", which encourages the use of Digital Placemaking which, as the organization states, is "the integration of social media into Placemaking practices, which are community-centered, encouraging public participation, collaboration, and transparency."

PPS's list offers easily adaptable and all-inclusive guidelines for creating more sociable and interactive public spaces. As tip number 7, "Make loyalty dramatically easier than disloyalty" states, "When people can meet their needs for socialization and relaxation right in their own neighborhood, they keep coming back, engendering a deeper sense of community as social ties grow stronger..."

Thursday, June 14, 2012 in Project For Public Spaces

Large historic homes and white picket fences line a street.

The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia

Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.

March 23, 2023 - The Washington Post

Buses in downtown Seattle on the dedicated 3rd Avenue bus lanes

Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations

An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.

March 28, 2023 - Axios

Amtrak Acela Express train passing through Harrison station in Newark, New Jersey

‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts

Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.

March 28, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

A row of Victorian homes in San Francisco, California

San Francisco Rents Cheaper Now Than in 2020

Though ‘cheap’ is a relative term.

March 30 - San Francisco Examiner

25 mph speed limit sign partially obscured by red and orange fall leaves

Study: Seattle’s Lower Speed Limits Reduced Crash Injuries

A change in the city’s speed limits has been shown to reduce the likelihood of injuries during collisions.

March 30 - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Couple embracing happily in front of home with "SOLD" sign

Millennials Now Majority Homeowners

Just over half of people in the ‘Y’ generation now own homes, but the largest generation also continues to dominate the rental market.

March 30 - RentCafé

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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.