Never underestimate what some green astroturf and timbers can do to activate an empty or underutilized public space. We loved stumbling across this pop-up bocce court in Millburn, New Jersey. Something else they got right was clustering movable furniture, planters, and public art elements. Altogether it made a nice unexpected outdoor gathering space. Only thing lacking is to get the
A parklet is not only a physical intervention but also an economic one. To transform a parking spot on average of 250 to 400 square feet into a place for people allows getting a greater return on investment. Various studies have shown that spending by parklet users can boost revenue at neighboring businesses by 2x or 3x. This spending is
Blame Vitruvius. In his treatise De Architectura around 27 BCE, the three elements critical to architecture were utilitas (function), firmitas (stability), and venustas (beauty). While so easy to articulate, in practice this harmony in buildings and places was and is so hard to achieve. Fast forward to Colonial America. Many prototypes for buildings and plans for cities hearkened back to
This is the News From New JerseyOut my window a skinny young man in a black hoodie races to the front door of a house across the street, plops down several flimsy plastic bags, taps a few clicks on his phone, then runs off at full speed through the steady rain. A month ago this small act might have been
The BOB – which stands for “Big Old Building” – is a go to social and entertainment venue in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have creatively repurposed the space with dining, indoor and outdoor entertainment, and the new 20 Monroe Live space for up to 2580 people. The outdoor beer garden is more open than others we’ve seen and feels
This open-air canopy provides a covered space for markets and community events to occur. Loved to see a playful public art element near the market. The murals were simple but effective filling the wall and bringing “a little bit of happy” to those who pass by. Loved this cinder block and beam bench. What a clever idea to provide seating
The SOMA Bench is an ingenious way to make a piece of useful furniture out of a single shipping pallet, a 2×6 and some scrap lumber we had on hand. Community leaders went through an iterative design process where they weighed a variety of options, before inventing this unique seating configuration.
The tasting room itself was handsomely appointed. People tended to gravitate more towards the bar and the high-top tables near it. Starting outside the entrance and moving inside, it was apparent in the time that it has been open the brewery has become very tightly knit with the York, PA community. The Charity benefit card especially told the story of
There are times when an iterative design process fails. There are a variety of reasons for this. Lack of money, waning stakeholder interest, or no champion for the project who pushes for continuous improvement. Such was the case for this block of Taylor Ave between Denny Way and 5th Ave in Seattle. It has many elements that in another setting
McGraw Square and the smaller Westlake Square one block to the north are small triangle parcels that sit at the intersection of 6th and Westlake Avenues. McGraw Square has served as a space for a transit stop and a public restroom, but now it’s a blank spot in the middle of the street. Downtown Seattle Association believes that Westlake Square