New public spaces don’t only need the right design. They need bold leadership to make them happen. In too many cases, leaders timidly back down from golden opportunities. But sometimes leaders stand up in the face of opposition and do what’s right… with tremendous results. Here’s how they do it.
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The Plaza Perspective now features a large library of public space photos: The Public Space Image Collection. These photos reveal how public space can change lives. In this article, we select some highlights from the Collection.
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Pedestrianizing streets is most cities’ best bet for creating excellent public spaces. We address the 5 most common objections to pedestrianization and suggest a way to give good public space ideas a fair shot.
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Public space is crucial wherever people live. But how can we create it in wide downtown streets? We visit Winter Village in Bryant Park, New York, for ideas.
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In these times of division and isolation, we need a lively public realm more than ever. And making new social spaces come alive doesn’t have to be mired in bureaucracy. Let’s see how it can be done by exploring Europe’s many quick and easy social space installations.
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Our Let’s Explore series explores a notable place from an urban design perspective. In this installment, we visit the charming Putnam Plaza in Petaluma, a small town 60 miles north of San Francisco.
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Every year, 15,000 Parisians gather for the Dîner en Blanc (White Dinner). When friends and I here in California found out, we took the concept to cliffs, hilltops, and monuments and discovered the potential of public space. You can change the world by dining where no one has dined before and have enormous fun. Here’s our story.
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Got a minute? Opponents are trying to derail an exciting new public space project. Sign the Lower Stockton Improvement Project petition and show your support for an exciting new car-free street in San Francisco. Out-of-towners are also encouraged to sign this petition.
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Duboce Park in San Francisco feels like a real sanctuary and the locals love it. But why? There’s something that surrounds almost every modern public space but which doesn’t surround this one. We find out what it is.
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Welcome to the Let’s Explore series, where we explore a notable place from an urban design perspective, seeing how its layout and design influences the experience of being there. In this installment, we visit Patricia’s Green, one of San Francisco’s best public spaces.
A chance conversation five years ago has led to community-made benches on almost every street in our neighborhood. And the benches have taught us many unexpected lessons about great communities.
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What’s Hot in Public Space highlights recent news reports around the world about projects to reclaim public space for people. In this installment, we focus exclusively on San Francisco, where multiple proposed public spaces are edging toward reality.
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