Scott Doyon

Walking

The Sidewalk to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

When the vision's all right but the outcomes are all wrong, zoning's often the problem. And the public realm is left holding the bag.

December 15, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Philadelphia

Place Attachment as a Tool for Shaping Change

We fight for what we love. When we’re connected in affection, we’re both more inclined and more empowered to organize.

September 28, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, Here the Day After That

Have NIMBYs and YIMBYs arguing in your neighborhood? Scott Doyon talks residential development.

July 20, 2017 - PlaceShakers

No Walking

The (Irrational) Criminalization of Walking

Why people don't walk much anymore and what we can do about it.

May 16, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Empty Parking Lot

Parking is a Commodity, Not an Experience

Retail across the US is shrinking precipitously. Where does that leave parking? Scott Doyon has pointers on not applying old logic to new dynamics.

April 14, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Placemaking: Geek Niche or the Root of Pretty Much Everything?

Placemaking: what does the term really mean? And how it can most effectively serve the needs of the most people. Scott Doyon shares some ideas.

March 1, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Street Closure

Hey, Buddy: Adult Friendships and the Future of Communities

The ease with which we make friends as adults matters. Not just on a personal level but to the communities that ensure our survival. Scott Doyon takes a crack at explaining.

January 25, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Achieving Community: Let's Get Real

The benefits of authentic community are extensive. Maybe even transcendent. But how do we get to that point? Scott Doyon's latest blog has a few thoughts.

December 8, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Horse Toy

Horsey! Grassroots Public Art Connects People, Past, and Present

Never underestimate the power of whimsy in the built environment. A genuine and unconditional spirit of welcome and inclusion can be found in the most unexpected forms of participatory art.

August 18, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Creative Placemaking: Lead, Follow, AND Get Out of the Way

For governments and institutions, creative placemaking means knowing when to let go. Scott Doyon explains.

May 18, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Moonshine, Basketball, and the Power of Place

Like a random encounter on the street, sometimes disparate ideas converge in interesting ways. Today, Kentucky Mist Moonshine and the Project for Public Spaces shed some light on municipal branding.

April 13, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Making Sense of Community

Most of us Planetizen readers were inadvertently complicit in killing the term "sense of community." Scott Doyon points out where we go from here.

March 1, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Fortunately, Unfortunately: A Children's Primer on Urban Evolution

Scott Doyon rewrote a classic children's book as a history of US cities since World War II. Fortunately, it's a quick read. Unfortunately, it's up to all of us how it ends.

February 10, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Pedestrians

Walkability: Good Money After Bad

"We're investing in walkability," always sounds like an encouraging tagline from local governments...or does it?

November 23, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Porchfest: Your Guide to a DIY Community-Building Good Time

Scott Doyon shares his thoughts on last week's Oakhurst Porchfest. Potentially useful for anyone looking to launch their own version.

October 27, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Seaside Entrance

Thoughts on Seaside at 35

Seaside, Florida: what’s possible when vision, tradition, creativity, adaptation, and, yes, time converge in ways that allow for careful study and consideration.

September 24, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Community Ties in the Era of Isolation

Connectivity may form the bedrock of what we call "resilience" but we're just not all that neighborly these days. Can we become more competitive and lasting by restitching our threadbare community fabric?

August 25, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems: Community Edition

Do we ever reach a point as a community wherein our problems are behind us? Sorry, but no. If anything, it gets more complicated.

June 15, 2015 - PlaceShakers

'General Welfare' for the Next Generation

The "health, safety, and general welfare" of our communities are poorly served by the outcomes of the status quo.

May 19, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Better Streets: Whatchu Whatchu Whatchu Want?

Public support of people-friendly infrastructure is not automatic. Get your streets right by getting the conversation right. (Includes lots of great shareable graphics.)

April 6, 2015 - PlaceShakers

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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