As we wish you happy holidays, we thought we would share some of the ways different cities decorate and use public spaces at this time of year. In many parts of the northern hemisphere, the wintery weather and early sunsets prompts cities to decorate streets with seasonal lighting. While this
In 1998, the Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley announced a vision to redevelop the rail tracks and dilapidated surface car park that consumed the northern corner of Grant Park in Chicago, into a public space. Opening to the public in 2004, Millennium Park created a bold landscape, featuring what
Shotengai are a type of shopping arcade found in Japan. Their varied layouts provide both a safe pedestrian experience and true mixed shopping capabilities throughout many parts of the country without requiring visitors to own any vehicle other than their own two feet. These photos are from a recent visit
Today marks the 10th year of the PARK(ing) Day movement, an international event which endeavors to highlight the need for more urban open spaces. PARK(ing) Day encourages people to transform car parking spaces into unique and temporary parks. The project has evolved and expanded since its inception by
Bright colored cafe tables and chairs decorate two Seattle parks, Westlake and Occidental. Over summer, these parks have featured new experiences, as part of a broader initiative to activate and revitalize these public spaces. Food trucks, live music, ping-pong and foosball tables, fitness classes, play spaces, and an outdoor library,
Over the weekend, I drove through Wallingford after picking up some groceries and along the way one particular row of houses caught my eye. At first glance, I thought they were just some nice brick homes that all happened to look similar. But upon closer examination, I realized that lining
After 13 years of construction, the world’s first steel suspension bridge, Brooklyn Bridge was opened in 1883. Boasting the longest span in the world at the time, the bridge provided a vital connection across the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Although the bridge today features
One of Seattle’s most unique places, Gas Works Park, is a pioneering example of the regeneration of a contaminated industrial site as a public place. The design of the park helped to change public perceptions of neglected, damaged and unsightly spaces in cities, and recognize their potential for redevelopment.