Public Space
Concrete Poems
St. Paul, Minnesota's artist-in-residence has instituted a program where poems are imprinted into sidewalks throughout the city.
Planning a Better Public Space in San Francisco
Planners and parks officials in San Francisco are making moves to reimagine currently underused public space in the heart of the city as a new civic park and gathering place.
Pioneer Square, 25 Years On
Portland's Pioneer Square, designed back in 1983, is still looked t as a model of successful public space design. Landscape Architect Doug Macy looks back on the thought that went into the design.
Parks Are Good For Your Health
Researchers in Scotland have concluded that areas without parks and green space have an increased risk of death and illness.
Neighbors Complain and Cops Crack Down on Outdoor Exercise Hotspot
A grassy median in a tony Santa Monica neighborhood has been a hotspot for local fitness buffs looking for a nice place to workout for years. But residents tired of the constant outdoor gym that invades their street are complaining to the city.
Homeless at the Mall
A reporter goes undercover as a homeless person to find out what happens when the indigent pay a visit to L.A.'s first corporate-controlled public park.
Preserving Land to Save Money
Voters in suburban Minnesota will vote on whether to invest $10 million to preserve a closed golf course. Or they could save the $10 million and allow a developer to build houses. But many say it will be cheaper in the long term to buy now.
A Plea for Pedestrians in Pakistan
In this editorial, Ibne Ahmad of Rawalpindi, Pakistan claims that cars are significantly impacting the quality of life there, and that pedestrians and public space need to be reclaimed for the sake of equality.
Bench Urbanism
Christopher Hume looks at the welcoming power of benches in seating-heavy Montreal, and argues that other cities need to take the simple step of planting more benches to make urban areas more lively and attractive.
Prague Plans Pedestrian Zones, Excludes Homeless
Prague is building on prosperity and tourism by creating new public-private spaces for shopping and entertainment. Detractors are concerned that they are destroying real public space, and are paired with greater control on unwanted users.
Traffic Lanes Turned Pedestrian Plazas
Public plazas have been cropping up along Broadway and Madison Square in New York, occupying spaces that were once traffic lanes.
In Wake of Hurricane, New Beachfront Property Faces Seizure
An obscure law in Texas outlawing buildings on public beachfront could be invoked to seize hundreds of properties. Hurricane Ike has pushed the tide line closer to many homes, making them subject to the law even if they weren't damaged.
A Grand Public Space in Indianapolis
Civic leaders in Indianapolis are considering closing Monument Circle to traffic. Says one, "From a European perspective, this could be one of the great public spaces in America."
Public Space Not So Public in Downtown New York
A new study has found that almost 30% of the public space in New York's financial district has limited access or is completely closed to the public.
The Billboard Industry's War on Trees
Across the country, the billboard industry is fighting to prohibit tree planting on public spaces that might block their billboards.
Downtown Plaza Recovers from the 70s
New London, Connecticut, like many victims of the 1970s, was saddled with a harsh, ineffective public plaza at the heart of its downtown. Planners are working to return the plaza to its historic form.
Facelift Approved For Seattle Center
Broad redevelopment plans have been approved for Seattle Center, the public gathering place first built in 1962 for the World's Fair.
Lamest Land Use of the Week
Pizza is delicious. Crop circles are cool. But what happens when you put them together?
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
