Reconnecting Architects with the Community
The architect should come in a humble way and say: “How can I support the life that is happening here?” This is the only way to be sustainable.
Placemaking
Placemaking in Paris: How Politics Changed the Parisian Landscape
The people of Paris have spoken and they love their public spaces.
Shared Spaces and Slow Zones: Comparing Public Space in Paris and New York
Everyday, high-density global cities are home to millions of pedestrians in their streets. Paradoxically though, many streets and transportation policies continue to place more space and importance on cars rather than people.
Why Social Urbanism Matters for Sharing Cities
So often we see cities as a stage upon which we can rehearse ideas of technology, economics, and placemaking, yet we usually forget to consider what I call a social urbanism.
How to bring life to vacant lots
“Any successful community space must be co-developed by the residents as it will be them who voluntarily manage it and make it successful.”
The Devil is in the Detail
We have embraced a degree of urbanism in our towns and cities. It’s part of an ideological battle that the New Urbanists have won. But, we aren’t all the way there yet.
Brasilia: From Placeless to Place-Centered
Brasilia is a city that favors efficiency over excitement and compartmentalization over multi-use destinations. By design, it eschews Placemaking.
“We Must Care About our Public Spaces”
(We) must care about our public spaces to help encourage others to care about them too.
Public art unites the community
Public art is one of those things that’s more than the sum of its parts. Here in my neighborhood, the humble traffic signal box—a four-foot-tall aluminum cabinet that had never before registered on my radar—seems to be the start of something big.
The case for investing downtown
“Why on earth would we go back in time 70 years to model our current cities on?” Because it worked.
The Social Life of CitiBike Stations
Bike share stations are…natural conversation-starters, attract a stream of diverse users at all times of day & night, and act as casual landmarks that concentrate activity.
Vacant Lot Becomes Community Space
My vision is to give purpose to a vacant lot.