Lauren Hug, J.D., LL.M.’s Post

Of all the types of public spaces that exist, waterfronts are among the most strongly linked to the identity and history of a city. There could be no Stockholm without the harbor; no San Francisco away from the Bay; no Rio without its beaches. Most cities grew up around the water, but in all too many cases, these urban birthplaces later became shunned as polluted, disreputable places. We think it's time to get back to these waterfronts and re-awaken their natural role as places of exchange and movement. Read more in our article “Capitalizing on the Appeal of Waterfronts: 11 of the Best." This SLP archive article is a part of our series on waterfronts and the unique ways in which they can boost the appeal of a community and contribute to a vibrant social life. https://lnkd.in/d6VPmyz By Fred Kent and Kathy Madden PlacemakingX, Placemaking Europe, Centre on African Public Spaces, PlacemakingUS, Placemaking Canada, #WaterfrontPlacemaking #PublicSpace #Placemaking #Waterfronts #Riverfronts

Placemaking Week Europe 2024 - THEME SPOTLIGHT #3 Living with Water: The Flow of the City "Of all the types of public spaces that exist, waterfronts are among the most strongly linked to the identity and history of a city”. Ethan Kent and Kathy Madden's wonderful article highlights the importance of waterfronts in defining a city's identity. The function of waterfronts has changed over the years, as has the approach and utilization of these spaces. You can dive deeper into the theme of waterfronts during this year’s edition of Placemaking Week Europe! We will explore the dynamic relationship between urban environments and waterways, transcending traditional notions of waterfront development, while discussing how waterfront placemaking celebrates the natural ebb and flow of the coexistence between urban life and water. Join us as we embark on a journey to discover local tales and groundbreaking methods to craft lively waterfront areas. Let’s plunge into how placemaking fosters connection and awareness around water among urban residents 🌊. Do you have a workshop, panel, project, or placemaking exploration that aligns with this theme? Don't forget to submit your program proposals through our OPEN CALL - DUE MAY 19TH! ❗ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT! https://lnkd.in/e9UyaXD4. Charlot Schans Lisette van Rhijn Hans Karssenberg Ramon Marrades Laska Nenova Vivian Doumpa Levente Polyak Bart Cardinaal Fredrik Lindstål Milena Ivkovic Ronald Huikeshoven #Waterfronts #UrbanIdentity #CityHistory #Placemaking #UrbanDevelopment #CommunityBuilding #CityLife #CityCulture #WaterfrontPlacemaking #PublicSpaces #CityIdentity #PlacemakingWeekEurope #RotterdamMakeItHappen #CreatingBetterCitiesTogether #CityScapes #WaterfrontDesign #UrbanRevitalization #CommunityEngagement #UrbanPlanning #SustainableCities

Why care about urban planning? It is much more than the organization of our physical and social spaces. It is much more than making people feel safe in space (although should be a priority). It is much more than creating convenient access to goods and services in your community. It is about finding ways to highlight and nurture the cultures that make our places unique. This is what will lead to sustainable community connection, which contributes to health and well-being of our society long term. What else do you feel is important to consider when planning our cities and towns for better human connection? #urbanplanning #placesforpeople #urbandesign

In a healthy city, smoke-free designations need to extend to selective outdoor public spaces to minimize involuntary smoke exposure. These spaces might, for example, include bazaars, parks, children playgrounds, and public transport stops. https://lnkd.in/e9EpNXdu

Every #place is different, but there are some important common ingredients for creating a great public space. Project for Public Spaces (PPS) began consistently using the term placemaking in the mid-1990s to describe its innovative people-and-place-based approach. It was informed by the work of placemaking pioneers like #JaneJacobs and #WilliamWhyte, who introduced groundbreaking ideas on the social and cultural importance of lively neighborhoods and inviting public spaces. In evaluating thousands of public spaces around the world, PPS found that to be successful, they generally share the following four qualities: 1. they are accessible 2. people are engaged in activities there 3. the space is comfortable and has a good image; 4. it is a sociable place: one where people meet each other and take people when they come to visit. Another thing we'd add to this list is people who care for and look after the space. This could range from informal care, like picking up a piece of rubbish, or professional care like #placemanagement, #cleaning, #maintenance etc. Even the most beautiful and well designed space soon feels neglected if there are no professionals and/or local people to care for it. The graphic below shows some of the important ingredients of great places, as judged by everyday people all around the world. Thanks to the ACT Government for providing this photo of the Dickson Shops in Canberra, Australia. Learn more about the need for and how to improve public spaces and create more connected, resilient #neighbourhoods at https://lnkd.in/e-5dtiab. Town Team Movement PlacemakingX Nyah Donaldson Dot Hepburn Anna Chauvel Emma Snow Dean Cracknell Ethan Kent Malcolm Snow Nic Plunkett-Cole Andy Sharp Jason ‘Jhay’ Mann City Renewal Authority Suburban Land Agency Dionysus David Caffery Obelia Tait Christina Harmsen David Snyder Yanling Lin David Martin Rik Adamski Ryan Smolar Guillermo Bernal Conservation Volunteers Australia Audrey Barucchi

Do we really value our green spaces? Recent events near to me shocked an entire community as a public open space was subjected to a weekend of destruction. It turns out the public open space was leased to the council for maintenance and in fact is not owned by the council so said owner decided to chop 20+trees whether legal or illegal it is done. But sometimes even Council owned land is not seen as valuable to communities either as statistical analyses developed in the last 20 years deem them surplus to requirements. 😫🤷♀️ I get development has to happen but I don’t see why open spaces are not seen as valuable when they are the green lungs of our towns and cities. The more we develop the greater our dependence on green spaces and the greater the pressure on existing green spaces. It is time we begin to value the green lungs, seek to protect them and work together as communities and with the councils to make them better. Councils, private owners and developers we need to understand that these spaces breathe life into our existing communities and need to be protected and safeguarded and not sold for development or willfully destroyed. We need to value our public green space.

Principal Jared H. Press spoke as a panelist at Project for Public Spaces’ 4th International Placemaking Week conference, highlighting how  Prince George's County, Maryland is using a vision grounded in placemaking to drive equitable economic development along the Blue Line Corridor.     The County adopted a forward-thinking approach by identifying key public investments in multimodal infrastructure, public anchor institutions, and placemaking through programming and activation to attract private investment in dense, mixed-use, transit-oriented development.     Panelists highlighted how, unlike urban settings, suburbia often lacks natural spaces for community gatherings, making it challenging for residents to envision effective placemaking. Yet, the demand for such initiatives is strong. The successful implementation of such long-term initiatives requires a clear and coherent vision that serves as a consistent reference point that can endure turnover in administrations, agency staff, and market cycles.     Engaging the community in these environments requires innovative strategies and a deep understanding of their unique needs. While the full realization of the Blue Line Corridor vision will take years, the early successes and lessons learned provide a valuable blueprint for other suburban jurisdictions aiming for equitable economic development.     #EconomicDevelopment #Placemaking #TransitOrientedDevelopment #CommunityEngagement 

Have you ever imagined a neighborhood where parks and gardens are the heart of the community? My project explores just that. An Urban Bloom: Rebuilding lives in Al-Qadiseya neighbourhood This project explores the transformative power of urban green spaces. By revitalizing vacant areas, we can create vibrant, inclusive communities that meet the needs of all residents. Imagine a neighborhood where parks and gardens become oases of life and energy. My project delves into how these green spaces can not only enhance the physical environment but also foster a sense of community and well-being. The project also focuses on transforming the community to an interactive, powerful and innovative one, full of life and energy. Enjoy watching! #UrbanPlanning #GreenSpaces #CommunityDevelopment #GraduationProject

The architecture of the majority of the USA is, in fact dystopian since one of the most effective, healthy, and inexpensive forms of transportation is effectively architected away: #walking. The only halfway decent solution is buy your walk into a walkable community, i.e. greenways, beach trails, etc, but it requires upper middle class wealth. https://lnkd.in/dTVHz8WA

How much is enough? That remains a largely unresolved question when talking about public open space needs in Australia’s ever-denser city environments. There’s no shortage of smart people from many disciplines that have been wrestling with this issue for decades, but the answers are not simple. Is it best assessed by population ratios, percentage of development area, expressed community needs, walkable proximity or participation targets? The NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure’s (DPHI) recent Open Space Community of Practice (CoP) session on 'Perspectives on Open Space Provision' at the NSW State Library addressed this very issue. Crosbie Lorimer, NSW Manager of Landscape at CLOUSTON was one of five panel members that shared various perspectives. All highlighted the importance of quality, accessibility, diversity, sociability, inclusivity and the vital role of connection with nature for our health and wellbeing. While this brief and lively session was not seeking to land on an answer, there was a general consensus across panel members and audience that until Green Infrastructure is properly valued as a vital asset for our communities and environment, getting clarity that we are delivering enough open space will continue to elude us. Image (L to R): Crosbie Lorimer, Dana Spence, Paul Melrose, Rohan Buckley and Sarah Reilly. #LandscapeArchitecture #OpenSpaces #GreenInfrastructure