10 Best Public Spaces

From Amsterdam, to Brazil, to St. Louis, the Project for Public Spaces adds 10 urban locations to its list of Great Public Places.

1 minute read

August 4, 2005, 9:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Whether it be a street, market, square, building, park, or musuem, all such public spaces can significantly add to the life of a city. The Project for Public Spaces has once again added locations from all of the above to its annual list of great public spaces, and explains why.

Among the top 10 spaces:

  • Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC
  • The City Museum, St. Louis, MO
  • Jardin Juarez and Market Hall, Juchitan, Mexico
  • Museum of Modern Art Interior and Sculpture Garden, New York, NY
  • Devon Street, Chicago, IL

    What makes a place great? PPS offers their criteria:
  • It is accessible and well-connected to other important places in the area.
  • The space is comfortable and projects a good image.
  • People are drawn to participate in activities there.
  • It is a sociable place where people like to gather, visiting it again and again.
  • Thanks to Mike Lydon

    Wednesday, August 3, 2005 in Project For Public Spaces

    portrait of professional woman

    I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

    I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

    Mary G., Urban Planner

    Get top-rated, practical training

    Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

    Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

    Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

    April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

    Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

    Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

    A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

    April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

    Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

    The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

    More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

    April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

    Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

    Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

    The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

    5 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

    Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

    BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

    The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

    7 hours ago - Public Domain

    Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

    Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

    Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

    April 20 - Smart Cities Dive