Philippe Demers’ Post

Don’t bother speculating. This phrase is often uttered while facing uncertainty. Consider this perspective instead: Speculation is not just idle daydreaming; it's a disciplined exercise in creativity, a powerful tool for devising novel solutions. History is rich with stories of visionaries who broke barriers and reshaped their fields through speculation and creative thinking. In the heart of New York City, a philosophical battle unfolded between Jane Jacobs, a visionary urbanist, and Robert Moses, a powerful urban planner. Moses envisioned a city shaped by grand infrastructure with neighborhoods yielding to the concrete majesty of urban design. Contrarily, Jacobs championed the vibrancy of city life, envisioning urban environments thriving on human interaction, diversity, and creativity. Their clash came to a head over Greenwich Village, where Moses planned a destructive highway. Jacobs, seeing the potential devastation to the community's social fabric, mobilized opposition, advocating for a city that nurtured human connection and complexity. Through her creative speculation about urban living, grounded in the value of organic, messy human networks, Jacobs halted the expressway project, preserving Greenwich Village's integrity. This victory underscored the transformative power of collective imagination and community engagement in shaping urban futures. Creative Speculation Exercise: Design a Pocket Park that fosters human connection and community spirit, inspired by Jane Jacobs. Choose a Space: Select a neglected or underutilized area in a community. Complete This Statement in Your Mind: The Pocket Park will transform this space from a _____ to ______. Visualize Your Pocket Park: Incorporate elements that encourage interaction. Thought Cloud: Imagine visiting a park that fits within the tiny confines of an actual pocket! Memory Keepsake: Before leaving the Pocket Park, you get a magical item to remember your visit. Tell us what it does in the comments below! #PurposefulDaydreaming #Speculation #Imagination #YonderGPT #AIcollaboration #CloudClub #creativity #pocketpark #humanitycentereddesign

Research is an ongoing process and place matters. As part of our ongoing studies into Active Adult, we continue to find that “place matters.” Often, where a building is located is often as important as what is inside the building. If we are to realize a future where we can truly age-in-community, we need to look beyond the boundaries of our site. Influences such as traffic patterns, proximity of healthcare infrastructure, places for local commerce, cultural and entertainment opportunities, and accessible transit are as important to resident experience as the amenities within a building. Home is important, but the actual house (or building) is only one piece of someone’s experience of home. I have been revisiting a Gensler Research project called “Designing Intergenerational Communities”. This project acted as a foundation for our 2023 project “Beyond Senior Living: Designing Communities for Inclusion” and it remains relevant contributing to our current studies focused on defining Active Adult. In this study, our team created visualizations for two communities (MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and Ivy City in Washington DC) to answer the question: “What elements are essential to make our existing communities livable for all ages?” #seniorliving #seniorlivingdesign #activeaging

Age-forward cities make a difference. The Gensler #research Jeremy Southerland notes below was also published in the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging report titled "Age-Forward Cities for 2030". This report provides even more context around why place matters. https://lnkd.in/eR8cz9Md #seniorlivingdesign #ageless #innovation

Age Friendly Environments Our place - the suburbs, towns and cities we live in can enable or disable us. With an ageing population and more people over 80 years of age live in the community. Environments can enable or disable us - local government and planning are key to think of how to improve accessibility in our communities. Age friendly benefits everyone - people with disabilities, people with young children and prams, grandparents caring for grandchildren, delivery workers and those working into their retirement years. Town planners, social planners, designers- those working on smart cities - this work is worth a read. Great work on age friendly cities at Gensler HT Tama Duffy Day and Jeremy Southerland in reminding us of the body of work that exists to support innovators to do better for longevity. Catherine Bridge Carrie Hamilton GAICD Barrie Harrop Murray Hurps David Lt (Lillo-Trynes) Mark Pesce Catherine Ball Abby Bloom Anne-Marie Elias #agefriendly #localgovernment #planning #planners #smartcities

Rather than just serving vehicles as transportation networks, our streets can be spaces in which to convene, create, and experiment The enhanced roles streets can play include: Streets as Living Rooms: the “third spaces” where communities are forged. Placemaking strategies that create the infrastructure for these meaningful interactions include tactical plazas, parklets, open streets, and sidewalk cafes. Streets as Canvasses: a place for creative expression. Programs that enable these activities include Street Murals, Temporary Art, and Paint Box. Streets as Experiments: public spaces where new tech- nologies are tested and integrated into the built environ- ment. The New Urban Mechanics’ Public Space Invitational, the Kiosk Program, and the Soofa bench initiative are examples of how placemaking can provide space for experimentation. ✍️ City of Boston, Tactical Public Realm Guidelines

Creating community is at the core of all hospitality offerings. When you recognize that you can work from a place of genuine purpose.

𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧'𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜 The design of public spaces, streets, and buildings plays a crucial role in shaping the social fabric of a city. More than just the physical layout and aesthetics, it is about creating spaces that encourage social interaction, promote inclusivity, and foster a sense of community. Cities are full of intricate social networks that help connect people and provide essential resources in times of stress and places where these connections flourish are referred to as social infrastructure. The possibility to build connections and be part of a community is an important element of all good cities and must be addressed in urban planning. Read more at https://lnkd.in/g4hebtwD

Exciting News for Cities! Transform your Vacant Spaces into Art Spaces We convert chronically vacant spaces in downtown areas into vibrant art studios, offering a myriad of benefits for cities: Revitalizing Urban Cores: Zero Empty Spaces breathes new life into neglected areas, revitalizing urban cores and transforming them into bustling cultural hubs. Supporting Local Artists: By providing affordable studio spaces, Zero Empty Spaces supports local artists, empowering them to pursue their craft and contribute to the city's creative ecosystem. Community Engagement: These art studios serve as magnets for community engagement, attracting residents, visitors, and art enthusiasts, fostering a sense of belonging and pride. Economic Catalyst: Transforming vacant spaces into art studios generates economic activity, from increased foot traffic to supporting neighboring tenants, spurring local business growth and driving economic revitalization. Enhancing Aesthetic Appeal: Abandoned storefronts are transformed into activated art studios that are open to the public, enhancing the city's aesthetic appeal and creating visually stunning landmarks and a venue for creative collisions. Zero Empty Spaces is more than just a program—it's a catalyst for positive change, igniting creativity, fostering community connections, and revitalizing our urban landscapes. Drop us a line to learn more about how your city can join forces with us to create vibrant, and inclusive cities for all! #ZeroEmptySpaces #art #downtown #vacancymanagement #ZES #BusinessImprovementDistrict #CommunityRedevelopmentAgency #UrbanRevitalization #mainstreets #InternationalDowntownAssociation #communityempowerment

What?! Design driven collision theory?! ✏️💥. Culture first people..culture first. Check out my musing on social value through design in the link below👇 Gensler

This image showcases a detailed mind map that includes a variety of information related to urban community spaces and amenities. The map depicts the main components of a business, Mosque, public buildings, public services, healthcare institutions, educational facilities, commercial areas, and more. It highlights community mosques, beauty and personal care facilities, libraries, playgrounds, hospitals, shopping malls, schools, sports fields, retail stores, clinics, and specialized healthcare facilities. The map is color-coded with shades of purple, green, and pink, and features interconnected nodes with text describing each area of interest. The layout is organized and visually appealing, making it a comprehensive reference tool for understanding the different aspects of urban community spaces and amenities.