What's better than a great plaza in the summer? Some compelling public art to go along with it.
Is there a difference between civic art and public art? Lots of urbanists tend to use those terms to mean entirely different things, while people in the art world usually find them more or less synonymous. Hazel Borys uses a few pics from Chicago to discuss.
"Exceptionally important is this distinction between urban design as civic art and the public art work. 'Public art is art in any media that has been planned and executed with the intention of being staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all. Public art is significant within the art world, amongst curators, commissioning bodies and practitioners of public art, to whom it signifies a working practice of site specificity, community involvement and collaboration.'"
However, urbanists use the term civic art to mean anything from regional, city, and neighborhood plans to the architectural ornament of the building to an entire building as sculpture. Clearly distinguishing between the terminology will help to fully value public art's role in placemaking.
Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor in the AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park. Image credit: Hazel Borys, CreativeCommons Sharealike License by Attribution
FULL STORY: Celebrating Public Art: Chicago in the summer
Where 2024 Presidential Candidates Stand on 12 Issues Important to Urban Planners
Whether you’re yet undecided or have already cast your early vote, here is a roundup of the key positions of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on important urban planning policies.
Amtrak Expanding Service in California’s Central Valley
Amtrak is planning a major expansion to the passenger rail lines connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
Progressive Planning in Ideologically Conservative Communities
Planners must work in diverse political environments including conservative jurisdictions that are skeptical of new issues and perspectives. Here are ways to reconcile conflicting goals.
Washington Voters Keep Carbon Tax
An initiative that would have ended the state’s “cap and invest” program failed, leaving the program in place.
The Future of Electric Vehicles Under Trump
Will Elon Musk’s influence temper Trump’s anti-EV stance?
Central Ohio Voters Pass Transit Levy
The new sales tax will fund improved bus service, rapid transit projects, and ‘transit -supportive’ infrastructure.
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.
University of Southern California
City of Meridian
University of Calgary
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Detroit Regional Partnership
San Joaquin LAFCo
City of South Portland