project for public spaces

Light has a tremendous ability to transform a place. The use of light as an artistic medium, and a building as a canvas, can change an otherwise dark street in the city into an inviting, mesmerizing place to gather. Even New York City’s Times Square may be used as an example.[read more]

The New York City Department of Transportation has been partnering with local restaurants to install pop-up cafés in parking spaces for the last two years now, creating vibrant public spaces that the whole community can enjoy. These spaces, active during warmer weather, can be installed with a minimal amount of time and money (a strategy that echoes PPS’s Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper approach).[read more]

   Environmental advocates have long given priority to protecting natural ecosystems and wildlife habitat.  The organization I work for is called the Natural Resources Defense Council for a reason.  (Never mind the lamentable fact that many people think our first name is “National.”) But I believe that one of the best...[read more]

    The Project for Public Spaces has a great new web feature up highlighting some of their work in improving older commercial streets, with nice images (some of which you can see here).  The feature celebrates PPS’s new partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to provide hands-on assistance to...[read more]

Transit can have a broad impact on community livability, like this bus stop in Los Angeles, which catalyzed nearby development after simple improvements were made For years, large-scale transit projects submitted for funding in the United States have been evaluated primarily on cost and the amount of time they save commuters. While...[read more]