• Cutting-edge brain imaging now backs our longstanding belief that places make people happier than things. Memories of specific places are particularly powerful in sparking activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain responsible for emotional responses like feelings of tranquility, a sense of belonging, or the ability to focus. The long list of benefits provided by great places continues to grow.

• Placemaking has been embraced as a path forward for a new generation of grassroots activists throughout Russia who see the power of community in creating and maintaining great places. PPS recently hosted a group of these accomplished activists in our New York office for a in-depth workshop covering topics tailored to their particular placemaking cases and contexts ranging from trust-building in public spaces, to the difficulties faced in securing funding for local projects.

• Soviet-era urban art is disappearing. Murals and mosaics are increasingly being destroyed or covered up in Central Asian cities like Almaty, one of Kazakhstan's largest metropolitan areas. Art in Central Asia often evokes strong images of the region’s political history, a driving force behind the recent covering-up of such pieces. But this political angle is not always the case in these public art installations: In other, less-political examples, imagery from Central Asian folklore adorns the sides of buildings like Hotel Almaty.

Topics: Public Art

• It’s time to end the urban-rural divide. If the goals of the New Urban Agenda are to be accomplished, the movement for more sustainable, equal cities cannot disregard those living on the city periphery and in bordering rural communities. Cities do not face the challenges of rapid urbanization alone: It is often the case that these surrounding communities face a lack of resources and services. Region-wide, participatory planning can be a step in the right direction for a truly inclusive agenda.

  Topics: New Urban Agenda

• Lessons Learned and Shared: Takeaways from "The Placemaking Factor" (Michigan Municipal League Foundation)
• Tashkent City: is 'progress' worth the price being paid in Uzbekistan? (The Guardian)
• The Crosswalk Of The Future Moves And Changes To Prioritize Pedestrians (Fast Company)
• The Persistent Racial Disparities of Motor Vehicle Pollution (Streetsblog USA)

• Conference: Music Cities Convention (Memphis, TN, October 25-27, 2017)
• Conference: ACT Canada Sustainable Mobility Summit 2017 (Region of Peel, CAN, October 29-November 1, 2017)
• Launch: Woodruff Park Heart of the Community Happy Hour (Atlanta, GA, November 2, 2017)
• Conference: Placemaking LatinoAmérica (November 6-9, 2017)
• Conference: UN-Habitat World Urban Forum, Cities 2030 (Kuala Lumpur, February 7-13)

• Fellowship: Center for Urban Pedagogy Public Access Design Fellow (Application Deadline: Oct 23, 2017)