Public Space
Dallas to Consider Smoking Ban in All City Parks
If the city of Dallas bans smoking its parks, it would catch up on a trail blazed (not blazed, rather) by Houston and Frisco.
Boston City Hall Plaza Overhaul Moves Forward
Boston has a plan to transform City Hall Plaza from a neglected opportunity into a year-round entertainment venue.
New Philadelphia Mayor Pitching $300 Million for Parks and Libraries
Investment in public space is shaping up as a signature initiative for new Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.
Imagining the Future Urban Food Market
Public food markets can be key centers of urban commerce and social life. Late last year, a brainstorming event in London considered how they might evolve to accommodate modern lifestyles and technologies.
Philadelphia Alleys Ranked for Makeover
In advance of what may be a wider program, Philadelphia's alleys have been ranked for their aesthetic quality. Those in the "average" range are most suitable for retrofits.
Op-Ed: Over-Regulation Makes Public Spaces Exclusionary
A pointed editorial decries the over-regulation that has followed the renaissance of public spaces in Los Angeles.
Planning Roundtable: What Makes a Good Urban Park?
Are there too many urban parks and plazas? If not, why do some fail? In this collaborative article, several urban planning gurus from different cities respond to these questions. They provide both shared and unique perspectives.
What Makes a Great Public Space?
The question is often asked and answered by urban planners and placemakers. The perspective offered here boils the essential qualities down to centrality, connectivity, and cachet, with a strong dose of urban "commoning."
The Google Street View Perspective on Public Space Transformations
A recent trend in returning the use of streets and other public space to the use of humans and other modes of transportation other than the car is more striking with some historical perspective.
The Battle for Times Square—Why It Matters, Even Outside New York
The piece begins not in New York but three thousand miles west in Seattle with Janette Sadik-Khan explaining how she triumphed over auto interests by taking back precious road space and returning it to the people in the form of plazas and bike lanes.
How Futuristic Renderings Fail Future Cities
Pushing back on a version of futurism that imagines cities as a collection of iconic structures devoid of people and interactions.
6 of the World's Best Public Spaces
An annual competition to recognize public spaces for their economic and social benefit has announced six finalists.
Newly Launched Gehl Institute to Study Public Spaces
Gehl Studio, the leading name in people-first design and one of the most influential forces in planning today, has philanthropic backing for a non-profit that will focus studies and work on the public sphere.
Groundbreaking for 'Plaza De Las Americas' Public Market Space in New York
New York City broke ground recently on the Plaza de Las Americas—a designed public space that will support market uses and pedestrian activity while replacing an existing roadway in the Washington Heights neighborhood.
Redefining Public Spaces for Older People
The elderly population in cities is growing, and research points to the health benefits of an active, connected lifestyle. So why are cities still so inhospitable to aging?
How Cities Criminalize Youth Activities
In an effort to build healthy, active public realms, many cities should considering some of the laws currently on the books that amount to shouting "get off my lawn."
Four Cities Making the Most of Alley Spaces
Urbanful examines four cities making the most of scare public spaces by reactivating their alleys with programming and pedestrian-friendly designs.
Parisian Traffic, Air Pollution Reduction Plan Caught on Political Snag
Parisian clean air politics turn out to be something of a class issue, even for a socialist mayor. The plans are seen as penalizing low income Parisians while benefiting elitist city dwellers who dislike traffic, overshadowing public health benefits.
Paris Expands Big Car Reduction Plans
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo made a game-changing announcement in the name of clean air and walkability
A Census for City Streets
Eric Scharnhorst, project manager at Gehl Architects, argues for a wide-scale census instrument detailing city life, not just pedestrian counts and fatalities.
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 Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
