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While the pandemic has revealed public space for what it is—a fundamental and under-appreciated piece of physical, social, and economic infrastructure—the processes that shape our public spaces have also left too many communities behind.
Today, we are excited to announce that Project for Public Spaces is shifting our organizational focus to address this vital need by forming corporate social responsibility partnerships that offer more communities the chance to create, transform, and sustain their public spaces. Read more. |
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| Notice anything new? Project for Public Spaces has launched a new brand to reflect our new strategic direction! Read the article above to learn more. |
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Superblocks, Supercharged: Building upon the city’s well-known superblocks program, Barcelona launched a ten-year plan to reclaim city streets from cars, including making one in three Eixample streets “green zones” and creating 21 public squares (CityLab). Could the pressure of a pandemic finally bring superblocks to the United States (StreetsBlog)?
The 15-Minute Utopia: From Paris to Portland, cities are attempting to give residents everything they need within a few minutes of their front doors without hopping into a car. But can it work—without leaving anyone out (Bloomberg Businessweek)?
Disinvested: A half-century after the uprisings of 1968, a once-thriving retail strip in Chicago’s East Garfield Park stands as a testament to how government and private industry let Main Streets in Black neighborhoods crumble (ProPublica).
Indoor Public Places Still Pose a Risk: Restaurants, gyms, cafes, and other crowded indoor venues accounted for 8 out of 10 new infections in the early months of the US coronavirus epidemic, according to a new analysis that could help officials around the world now considering curfews, partial lockdowns, and other measures in response to renewed outbreaks (New York Times).
A COVID Call to Action for a Winter Nation: Since the start of the pandemic, city parks around Canada have played a key role in keeping residents safe, connected, and happy. Now, with winter nearly upon us, Canadian nonprofit Park People has identified three key priorities that would make a profound impact on Canadians’ mental and physical health in the coming season (Park People).
City Park Use Can Weather the Winter: Why do some people continue to use parks during the winter? A new study by researchers at Columbia University has answers: convenience, nature, and a sense of calm or awe ( State of the Planet).
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Here is our roundup of 10 inspiring placemaking ideas from the week:
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The arts-based placemaking helping Twin Cities districts rebuild after the recent uprisings (StarTribune)
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The role of creative placemaking in equitable development (Urban Land)
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A socially distant downtown transformation in Reynosa, Mexico (UN-Habitat)
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A new hub in an old school for Philadelphia’s young Black entrepreneurs, artists, and creators (Next City)
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An introduction to creating dementia-friendly public spaces (Greater Greater Washington)
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Nine ways outdoor dining will change New York City (New York Times)
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A new memorial for Native American veterans in Washington, DC (WJLA)
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Seven reasons for optimism about the future of cities after COVID-19 (City Observatory)
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America’s first ad hoc COVID memorials (Curbed)
- A popular Michigan downtown that plans to ‘heat the streets’ to help restaurants survive winter (MLive)
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For the first week in our new brand, we wanted to share an oldie but a goodie that focused on placemaking for libraries, one of the most trusted institutions in most American communities.
In 2013, Redbox, Project for Public Spaces, and OCLC partnered for Outside the Box, an initiative that brought free new programming and amenities to 27 community libraries in two years. Through the program, library staff, volunteers, and local partners planned and hosted fun, free events for kids and families that expanded library programming outdoors and included kayak lessons, arts and craft activities, kite flying, harvest fairs, and—of course, movies! Read more.
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