Public Space
Olympic Park Still Serving Beijing
The Olympic Forest Park in Beijing is standing out as one of the rare Olympics-related projects to remain in use after the 2008 event. Hu Jie, the park's designer, talks about its planning and the role of public space in Beijing.
Another Modernist Plaza Reimagined
Philadelphia's Dilworth Plaza is another modernist civic construction that didn't live up to the architect's utopian ideals. A new design aims to create a more park-like atmosphere and improve transit access.
Look South!
A week ago I spent some time with Enrique Peñalosa, urban strategist and provocateur. North Americans don’t often look south for innovation, but Peñalosa made remarkable changes in the public environment as Mayor of the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Nearly impeached for his actions to push cars aside in favor of people, now he is invited to provoke and inspire others. “We have Environmental Impact Statements; why don’t we have Human Impact statements,” is a sampling from last week.
A New Plaza for a New Stadium
Target Field is the forthcoming ballpark for the Minnesota Twins, and the team and their sponsor recently unveiled their plans for the public space in front of the park. Designs include 40 ft. topiary and a giant bronze glove.
Unused Open Spaces
Korean photographer Hosang Park's recent series exposes tiny, unknown 'parks' that are attached to housing developments around the world.
Height-For-Space Strategy Works, Mostly
San Francisco and other cities have historically given developers the incentive to build taller for providing a proportional amount of public space. This article looks at what has worked as well as how it has backfired.
Houston Plaza Faces Re-Redesign
Jones Plaza in Central Houston was redesigned in 2001 to accommodate large concerts and events, but locals objected to the lack of green space. So planners are going back to the drawing board.
Cracking San Francisco's Private/Public Spaces
San Francisco building codes encouraged the creation of privately-owned, publicly-accessible spaces across the downtown. These spaces have gone underused and are little understood. A new report from SPUR attempts to clear the fog.
A Mall Any City Could Love
The long-term planning principles that have made the National Mall a successful and adaptable public space were in the spotlight during the Inauguration. Cities should take a lesson, argues Christopher Hawthorne.
The Death, Then Life, of Great American Cities
On Tuesday, over a million Americans made it to Washington, D.C. to attend President Obama's inauguration. Christopher Hawthorne relates the nation's refreshed optimism to an impending revival of urbanism and public space.
Art Invades New Delhi, Comments On Changing City
Public art installations around New Delhi highlights the challenges of preserving India's heritage amidst development. 'We ask people to think about constructing a modern city and the accompanying extinction and loss,' says artist Ravi Agrawal.
New York City's Ever-Evolving Union Square
Controversy surrounds a $20 million redesign of New York City's Union Square Park.
The Social In Security
The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai are inspiring calls for heightened security and a less open society. Himanshu Burte argues that this is the wrong approach, and that throwing up boundaries would be a mistake.
Friday Funny: Spit City
Officials in Sarasota, Florida have thrown out a 100-year old rule against spitting in public, despite some concerns about public health.
Farmer's Markets Bucking the Trend
Architect Richard Reep argues that farmer's markets in Orlando are creating public space in areas that have all but rejected the idea of common ground.
Patches of Grass Attract Unexpected Users
In Abu Dhabi, medians and 'leftover spaces' are attracting unanticipated users playing soccer, exercising or just hanging out. Planners are grappling with why people use these spaces and the public parks they've designed are less successful.
Mumbai After Terrorist Attacks
As Mumbai recovers from the recent terrorist attacks, social worker Katia Savchuk reflects on how cities can be resilient to terrorism.
'Natural' Vs. Corporate Cultural Districts
Cooltown Studios looks at what makes a shiny new corporate district different from an organically-grown one.
Concrete Poems
St. Paul, Minnesota's artist-in-residence has instituted a program where poems are imprinted into sidewalks throughout the city.
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
