Public Space

Midtown Atlanta Plaza Replaces Parking With Public Seating, Art
The formerly car-centric block was redesigned to include wider sidewalks, public seating, and enhanced landscaping in lieu of on-street parking.

Reckless Driving and Illegal Activity Shut Down L.A.’s Newest Bridge
Could the chaos that has plagued the 6th Street Viaduct’s first few weeks signal an opportunity to reimagine its intended uses?

How ‘Hostile Design’ Creates Unwelcoming Spaces
‘Defensive urbanism’ interventions explicitly seek to repel certain, often vulnerable, social groups from public spaces.

The Radical Architecture of Kyiv
Five Ukrainian urbanists discuss the buildings, parks, and neighborhoods that make Kyiv unique.

Portland Extends Pandemic Public Space Programs
PBOT will continue two highly successful COVID-era programs that allowed businesses and community groups to repurpose public spaces for pedestrian-oriented uses and engage with customers in safe, accessible outdoor settings.

Reimagining Public Space in the Post-COVID Era
The pandemic forced a large-scale reexamination of how public spaces and urban form impact public health and equity. Now, policymakers can learn from those innovations to plan for the future of cities.

Where Urban Design And Public Health Intersect
As the pandemic emphasized, the way we design our cities can have lasting impacts on residents' health and wellness.

A New Frontier for Urban Revitalization: Creeks
As more cities embrace small waterways for public and private development opportunities, experts caution about the risks of trusting existing resources on environmental risk along variable waterways.

How to Transform the Humble Strip Mall
One Northern Virginia shopping center illustrates how the auto-centric strip mall can be repurposed to better serve its community.

Miami Beach to Reopen Ocean Drive to Cars
The famous cruising strip was off-limits to cars during the pandemic. Now, the city is letting vehicles return with some pedestrian-oriented compromises.

Massive New Park Coming to the Inland Empire
A 3.5-mile long greenway will bring trails, recreational facilities, and open space to Ontario, in San Bernardino County, California.

How the Pandemic Is Reshaping Cities
The social and economic upheaval of the last two years accelerated a shift in thinking about how we use public space and organize the urban realm.

Reimagining San Francisco for the Post-COVID Era
A San Francisco nonprofit is developing a set of recommendations for making downtown neighborhoods more flexible and welcoming to a more diverse set of users.

How Urban Design Affects Children's Cognitive Development
A European study suggests that good urban design can affect cognitive and motor function development in young children.

A Fight For the Future of People's Park
Community groups are fighting a plan to build student housing in the historic People's Park.

How Street Configuration Impacts Equity
With urban pollution and traffic violence disproportionately affecting communities of color, better management of public space and streets could improve equity in cities.

The Role of Play in Public Space Design
'Playable' public spaces can be a powerful tool for creating vibrant, communal, and equitable cities.

Pedestrian Malls in the 21st Century
The successes and failures of past pedestrian malls can inform the future of pandemic-induced "open streets" programs.

The Car-Free Revolution Continues in Paris
The city continues to reclaim space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Schoolyards as a Solution for Park-Poor Cities
Opening schoolyards to the public could be 'game-changing' for communities lacking in green space.
Pagination
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