Public Space
Women Unwelcome in French Public Spaces
Suburban Paris plays host to a disturbing trend: no comfortable public spaces for women, especially for women from immigrant and low-income groups.
Occupy Democracy in Parliament Square
A recent protest movement to reuse London’s Parliament Square as a space for political discourse has been met with oppressive policing.
Marshaling a Grab for Public Land in the Western United States
Faced with the prospect of states seizing control of federal lands to potentially sell to private owners, a resident of New Mexico argues against "the land grab out west."
'RiverFit': A Pop-Up Fitness Park in Memphis
Hoping to combat the city's dismal rankings in obesity, public and private partners launched the RiverFit pop-up fitness park along the Mississippi River in September.
'Trees in Hard Landscapes': Guide for High-Performance Urban Infrastructure
A new cross-disciplinary report cites 32 case studies to offer practical solutions for integrating trees into civic spaces and surface car parks.
Security Perimeters Conquering Public Spaces in the Nation's Capital
A recent security breach at the White House is prompting calls from the Secret Service for more security measures in the vicinity of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. According to a recent editorial, such measures would go to far in restricting access.
Court Ruling for Beach-Blocking Billionaire Redeems Public Access
Vinod Khosla, the California billionaire who made news earlier this year for blocking access to a public beach, had his day in court.
CicLAvia: Reclaiming Streets in the Car Capital of America
The second in a series profiling grassroots activism to increase biking among the diverse populations of Los Angeles County. In this installment, Planetizen spoke with Robert Gard, director of communications for CicLAvia.
'Droughtshaming' and the Death of Fun
Laura Bliss provides a summary of the controversy surrounding plans to bring the "Slide the City" event to Temple Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles.
On the Value of Small Spaces in Remaking the Public Realm
San Francisco Chronicle Architecture Critic John King reviews, and celebrates, the recent string of small projects that reclaim public space in the city, calling them "modest works of true ambition."
Key to Successful Parks: More Female Visitors
The example of Holladay Park in Portland is examined for lessons in improving public spaces through the help of private sector consultants.
The Reviews Are In: Philadelphia's New Dilworth Park
Calling it "a suit in a jeans-and-T-shirt world," Philadelphia Inquirer Architecture Critic Inga Saffron's review of the redesigned Dilworth Park in Philadelphia is more criticism than celebration.
Philadelphia's Waterfront Showing Signs of Life
After decades of promises of improvements along the Delaware River In Philadelphia with little to show for it, recent "small but powerful" public improvements are remaking the city's waterfront into a "welcoming, fun place to hang out."
Mystery Solved: White Flags on the Brooklyn Bridge a Celebration of Public Space
Back in July, white flags appeared atop the Brooklyn Bridge, sparking speculation about the meaning of the gesture. Was it about gentrification? Was it a warning of a forthcoming act of terrorism?
What Makes a 'Farmers' Market?'
What constitutes a farmers' market, rather than an outdoor or public market?
California Cracks Down on Beach Blocking Scofflaws
The California Coastal Commission has a powerful new tool to go after homeowners who block access to the state's beaches—the CC can now fine such scofflaws instead of taking them to court.
Street Art Tells the Other Side of the World Cup Story
In the many cities hosting the month-long FIFA World Cup tournament, street artists share their criticisms in vibrant, powerful murals located in public spaces.
Is the 9/11 Memorial a 'Dead Space' in Lower Manhattan?
The grand opening of the 9/11 memorial and museum is derided by critics as a cold, uninviting public space, and 'ritualizing grief on a loop'
How Drinking in New Orleans Debunks Assumptions about Public Behavior
An out-of-towner's visit to New Orleans unravels imposed assumptions about conduct in public places.
How Street Performances Transform Public Spaces
A busking advocate blogs about the benefits of street performances in public spaces and the need to revisit street performance licenses and requirements.
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
