Public Spaces

Many of famed landscape architect Lawrence Halprin's optimistic 1970s public spaces are being updated and reconsidered. Historic preservationists fight back, but supporters say, "It's a living, breathing space, not a museum."

June 6, 2008 - The Hook (Charlottesville, VA)

William Fulton reflects on the lasting impact of L.A. developer Robert Maguire III on the city.

June 4, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Downtown Knoxville has seen many improvements in recent years. This column calls on the city to be careful how it lets private interests use downtown's new public spaces.

June 1, 2008 - Metro Pulse

Columnist E. Thomas McClanahan reviews a new public space in Kansas City, and finds a lot to like in the urban design.

May 28, 2008 - The Kansas City Star

A provocative new exhibition at the New York Public Library challenges new bans on taking pictures in public space, and proposes the idea that photography is in some ways an exercise of eminent domain.

May 23, 2008 - The New York Times

At one time, Oklahoma City is doing two things many cities have only hoped to: the city's getting rid of one of its aging inner-city highways and replacing it with a park.

May 22, 2008 - USA Today

Flashing lights on the walls on train tunnels that display a 15-second video to passengers have been introduced in L.A., bringing new revenue to the area's transit agency, but bothering some riders. Some say the ads intrude on public space.

May 15, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Pubilc art should be guided by public input, according to this commentary.

May 13, 2008 - The Guardian

A Los Angeles activist and artist has taken to placing street signs mimicking the city's no parking signs on traffic islands, declaring them parks.

May 11, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Cairo's first new green space in more than 100 years has opened -- on top of a 500-year old garbage dump.

May 7, 2008 - NPR

To build a sense of community and improve long neglected but heavily used bus stops, a community group in South Los Angeles has begun creating colorful outdoor living rooms to give residents a place to sit and chat.

May 4, 2008 - The New York Times

Vacant lots and underutilized dirt patches are the the romping grounds of a new breed of activists. Known as "guerrilla gardeners", groups of people all over the world are reclaiming their cities' public spaces and landscapes by planting seeds.

April 27, 2008 - The Guardian

Many viewers may not fully appreciate movies as a visual story-telling medium, but that fact came home to me dramatically the other night while watching “Juno,” the off beat, smart and funny film that just snagged a best screenplay Oscar. The deliberate use of architecture and public spaces, in particular, was quite effective although you probably won’t find these references in plot summaries or synopses.

April 21, 2008 - Samuel Staley

From public transit to public parks to public space, this past week brought a lot of interesting and innovative ideas in the world of urban planning.

April 18, 2008 - Nate Berg

Using laser technology, two artists have created a new type of "temporary graffiti" -- light shows that use public places as canvasses for their laser art.

April 18, 2008 - Time

Three years after Irvine, California's "Great Park" was approved, development of the planned public spaces, homes and businesses has struggled to move forward. The housing crisis is being blamed for the lack of action.

April 17, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Short on funding, Toronto's waterfront parks agency is considering a plan to sell the naming rights to the park's amenities, allowing corporate sponsors to add their name to such public features as walkways and play areas.

April 12, 2008 - The Canadian Press

With one of the world's higher rates of air pollution, Mexico City is cracking down on one type of emission: cigarette smoke. Smoking has been banned in all public places in the city, including office buildings and restaurants.

April 12, 2008 - Reuters

This article from Orion looks at an "urban wilderness" in Brooklyn that is being reclaimed and reused by locals.

April 3, 2008 - Orion

Redevelopment plans for Washington D.C. highlight the increased emphasis on public spaces.

March 31, 2008 - The Washington Post