How a World Class Brooklyn Waterfront Can Spearhead a Thriving New Era for NYC and the Region
A vision for the Brooklyn waterfront aimed at transforming it into a vibrant public place that supports social life, joy, and community.
As a global resource center for placemaking, we share wisdom from communities worldwide, highlighting public spaces that welcome and inspire everyone's social life.
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Kathleen A. Madden (1947-2025)
Kathleen (“Kathy”) A. Madden, a prominent urban public spaces expert and placemaking leader, died on October 20, 2025, at her home in Brooklyn following a brief hospitalization.
Sidewalk Resource Guide: Restoring Social Life in Our Communities
A guide to our best articles about creating better sidewalks to revive social life, build great neighborhoods, grow economic activity, and save the planet.
The Place Man: Watch the New Documentary on the Placemaking Movement
We have recently created a documentary, The Place Man, about our work in placemaking over the last 50 years, made by the wonderful Guillermo Bernal. It got us thinking about the state of the placemaking movement and what's next.
Addressing the Epidemic of Loneliness: Five Campaigns to Restore Social Life in Our Communities
We are in the middle of an epidemic of loneliness. These 5 campaigns to restore social life in our communities will get us out.
Creating the Streets and Sidewalks We Love - Shifting Our Focus From Cars to People
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.
Let's Turn Buildings Inside-Out
Bringing the inside out onto the sidewalk blurs the lines between public and private space, creating one dynamic, thriving urban ecosystem.
San Diego's - Balboa Park: North America's Best Public Destination, A Pleasure Garden and Promenade
Ever changing, always amazing, where culture, science, and nature collide, Balboa Park is a fantastic destination home to more than 16 museums, performing arts venues, and other attractions.
Social Life - How it Helps Shape the Future of Our Communities
Social life describes an entire ecosystem of human interaction that gives us meaning — and makes the very existence of our economy, community, educational system, arts and culture, science, and innovation possible. Reflections of Jay Walljasper.
The Past, Present, and Future of the Global Placemaking Movement
Imagine if the places where we live were shaped for, and from, our social lives, re-imagined to make it easy for us to gather, shop, have fun, eat together, and be around people different from us. we would collectively have an impact on the health of our planet.
How Placemaking and Social Life are Helping Win the Climate War - 11 Ways
When it comes to addressing climate change in a way that actually moves the needle, the creativity and community-orientation that always defined the global Placemaking movement can be the foundation for the future of communities everywhere--and for our planet.
11 Transformative Agendas to Restore Social Life in Your Community
These transformative agendas can be a foundation for the future and a roadmap for communities to improve the "places" and after COVID, Build Back Better that can help us with ideas to shape our communities for the future.
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.
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.
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.
Old School Square - The Heart and Soul of Delray Beach
Old School Square thrives as a community core in Delray Beach, Florida with performances, markets, and events. Further activations can take it to the next level.
The Social Life of Cycling: How Bikes Can Propel Human Connection
Bikes are both a mobility method and a social experience. Cycling adds much value to city life – enhancing its energy, character, and vibrancy.
Hall of Shame: The Proposed Brooklyn Marine Terminal Privatizes What Could Be a World-Class Waterfront
Brooklyn can do much better. Instead of the current plan to privatize a key part of Brooklyn's waterfront, there are alternative approaches to this transformation that would better serve the community.
Learning from Camden, Maine - Main Street, Waterfront, and More
Looking at what makes Camden, Maine such a wonderful waterfront town and offering some ideas for further improvement.
San Francisco - A World-Class Waterfront Defined by a Vibrant Promenade and Active Piers
San Francisco's waterfront is one of the best in the US and an example worth following for other waterfront cities.
Brooklyn Waterfront Resource Guide - Creating the Waterfront We Need and How to Get There
We have an opportunity to transform the Brooklyn waterfront into a world-class public space. We propose six strategies for how to get there.
Transformative Agendas (all topics)
Amenities
Highlighting a Community’s Identity by Creating Great Amenities
Architecture of Place
Turning Buildings Inside-Out
Public Markets
Using Markets to Bring Social Life Back Everywhere
Sidewalks
Starting with Sidewalks is the Key to Creating the Streets We Want
Squares
Bring Back the Public Square
Waterfronts
Capitalize on the Appeal of Waterfronts
Cities, Communities, and Places (all topics)
