Public Space
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Public Libraries May Be More Relevant Than Ever
Libraries around the country are expanding their services in an effort to become ‘third spaces’ for the community.
Neurodivergence and the City
Researchers are starting to understand how people with conditions like autism experience cities differently — and how to design for the neurodiverse brain.
Building Secure Yet Welcoming Public Spaces
Strategies for securing public spaces from vehicle attacks and other acts of terrorism without sacrificing accessible, vibrant urban places.
Opinion: Delivery Robots Need Regulation Now
Ride-hailing and scooter companies blindsided cities. They shouldn’t let delivery robots do the same.
Charlestown, Indiana Announces City Square Improvement Project
Charlestown, Indiana announces a City Square Improvement Project after its Redevelopment Commission acquires a vacant 20-year-old building in the Jennings Plaza downtown.
Opinion: Public Restrooms Shouldn’t Be Starbucks’ Problem
The outrage over the chain’s decision to limit the use of its bathrooms should prompt more questions about why the U.S. lacks public restrooms.
Parks as Community Lifelines: Supporting Residents During Times of Crisis
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation demonstrates how parks serve as vital community infrastructure by adapting to crises, offering public health services, disaster relief, and essential support for residents in need.
I Help Plan Cap Parks; Here’s What Austin Can Learn from Other Cities
How freeway capping projects can literally and metaphorically bridge urban divides.
Lost and Found: Fighting Loneliness With Parks and Third Places
To combat the epidemic of loneliness, Susan Henderson's evocative photos of “third places” reflect on how these spaces have evolved and their importance in fostering connection.
Transforming Communities Through Parks: Lessons from Lewisville
Lewisville, Texas, demonstrates how equitable planning and community-driven efforts can transform underserved areas by enhancing park access and promoting social and recreational equity.
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
The city’s updated Shade Master Plan calls for trees and built structures at bus stops to protect residents from heat.
San Francisco Development Centers Pedestrians, Public Space
The Mission Rock project eliminates street parking, replacing it with public seating and landscaping.
How Urban Design Can Benefit Parents and Kids
Designing thoughtful, child-friendly public spaces can ease the burdens of modern parenting and offer safe spaces for children to learn self-reliance and resilience.
One Year Into Brazil’s ‘Hostile Architecture’ Ban
A recent law prohibits ‘defensive’ architecture designed to keep people away from buildings or public spaces.
The Story of Eastman Clock Plaza in Downtown Cranford
How a small plaza in Cranford, New Jersey became a community beacon.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
Singapore: A Model for Longevity and Quality of Life
Singapore's remarkable rise in life expectancy, driven by government policies on health, green spaces, and social cohesion, has earned it the distinction of being named the world's sixth “Blue Zone.”
Exposition Park’s $351.5 Million Transformation
This revitalization will create vital green spaces, improve accessibility, and enhance connections with community, making Exposition Park a central hub for recreation and culture in Los Angeles.
Reimagining the Space Beneath Houston’s Freeways
Opportunities abound for Houston to capitalize on otherwise unused space beneath its wide network of freeways.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
