The Next Big Thing: "Sit-able Cities"

Drawing on the tradition of observers of urban, human conduct, Wolfe suggests that complementing the "walkable" with a more purposeful focus on the "sit-able" would lead to a more holistic and enhanced understanding of place, over and above implementation of pop-up and tactical urbanism tools:

[S]it-able places are key, interdisciplinary focal points where the delight of “placemaking” and cultural traditions of “watching the world go by” merge with the sometimes conflicting domains of law and politics, economic development, public safety, gentrification and the homeless.

Noting how perceptions of public safety, "sit and lie" ordinances, and related social justice issues are often at the center of political and downtown revitalization debates,  Wolfe concludes:

[A] greater focus on the sit-able is an invitation to rich discussion and ready illustration based on human tradition...  A focus on “sit-abilty” could be a game-changer, and encourage a richer conversation about why, ironically, we sometimes have second thoughts about a rest stop in the reinvented, walkable cities of today.