Kathy Madden - Social Life Project

What Happened to Small-Town Life and How to Recapture It

we found and learned from some truly wonderful examples of small-town social life, and it is these glimmers of hope that can lay the foundation for new attention to public spaces in smaller communities.

Architecture of Place

Paris, the World's Best Waterfront

Paris Plage challenges the idea of iconic design as a way for cities to show off. Instead centering the creation of iconic places, Paris Plage sets a high standard for other cities to emulate.

Architecture of Place

Community Discussion: Creating the Heart of Brooklyn — Brooklyn Borough Hall, Court House, Cadman Plaza down to Fulton Landing

This article is meant to help build a campaign around a concept for a promenade from Borough Hall doown to Dumbo and Fulton Landing — an idea that we first introduced in the New York Times in 2007. The concept has in part been carried forward by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership as

Italy

Capitalizing on the Appeal of Waterfronts: 11 of the Best

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.

Great Public Spaces

Driving the Local Food Economy with Social Life: Munich's Victuals Market

The Victuals Market (Viktualienmarkt) in Munich, Germany Central "Market Square" is typical of the historic squares around Europe, showcasing the local commerce, culture and diversity in the center of each city.

Seating

Seating is Fundamental City Infrastructure: The Proof is in Paris

A well-designed seat placed in the right location sets the stage for lively activity along a sidewalk, in a park, or on a waterfront.

Architecture of Place

Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper: Gabriel's Wharf, London

Built in 1988, It took 3 months to develop, cost 78,000 pounds and created 60 jobs. It is still thriving today.

Great Public Spaces

Play Sculptures

Play-friendly sculptures can be a part of making someone's visit to a park particularly memorable, whether that's by bringing a beloved character to life, or offering a landscape for play unlike any other.

Transformative Ideas

2021 as a Year of Renewal: 11 Transformative Agendas to Restore Social Life in Your Community

Saving the planet depends on reclaiming our communities.

Paris

Paris is the World Capital of Affection, Comfort, and Joy

Public Displays of Affection. From simple eye contact to a kiss — human contact imbues a place with life. The natural expression of reaching out to communicate with or touch one another is a basic way of communicating, and is almost as important as breathing.

Sidewalks

Starting at the Corner: A New Haven Success Story

Areas around Yale exploded with social life this past summer and fall — coming alive in spite of COVID-19 — we couldn't help but notice and be reminded of our work there, years ago.

Transformative Ideas

To Save the Planet, Start With the Social Life of Sidewalks

Rich street life is no frill. It is an expression of the most ancient function of a city—a place for people to come together, all kinds of people, face-to-face. — William "Holly" Whyte

Transformative Ideas

Our Global Catastrophes will be Solved by Local Communities

The problems we face are global in scale. Yet the most effective solutions can be found on the local level. The frontlines for social change today are in neighborhoods, villages, towns and cities.

Streets

Who Owns the Intersection Defines the Social Life of Neighborhoods

You can tell a great city by its corners. If If the intersection is owned by the vehicles, it is a city for cars and traffic. If the community controls the intersections/corners, it is a city of neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods

Seven Places to Experience the Awe-Inspiring Social Life of Barcelona

Seven spots around Barcelona that offer crucial lessons to instill social life in an urban setting: Sagrada Famila, Palau de la Musica Catalana, a Giant Flea Market, Parc de la Ciutadella, a busy neighborhood…park, market and street…and a small fountain

Streets

The Social Life of Sidewalks

Paradigm-shattering change will happen when streets, sidewalks and intersections are transformed into community gathering spots through the simple act of giving human beings priority over motor vehicles.

Paris

The Magic of Luxembourg Gardens

The magical appeal of Luxembourg Gardens is simply that people feel welcome to eat, relax or stroll. But it's under-pining is that, it's all about just a nice place to sit

Sidewalks

Creating the Streets We Want

Rich street life is no frill. It is an expression of the most ancient function of a city—a place for people to come together, all kinds of people, face-to-face. — William "Holly" Whyte

Turn Places "Inside Out" to Revive Social Connection and Local Economies

Thresholds where storefronts and buildings connect with the sidewalk —is the place to reunite communities and jump-start local economies after these long, hard months.

Social Life and COVID-19

Open Our Communities: 10 Ways to Restoring Social Connections and Local Economies

How do we “tip-toe” our way back to a flourishing social life, capitalizing on local knowledge to make sensible choices about how to reopen our communities by involving local people in the decisions.