Paris - Bassin de la Villette: The Best Waterfront Yet?
Bassin de la Villette has become the best, most valuable part of the Paris Plage, connecting very different neighborhoods in Northeast Paris.
Social Life for All/Having Fun36
The best places exude happiness and pleasure. Placemaking is meaningless without the idea of fun at its center. Why put in all this work to making public spaces better, unless the definition of "Building it Better" also means that these spaces bring joy to our lives.
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Public Spaces Where Women Thrive
A photo essay that celebrates the social life of women in public spaces where women thrive.
Pets: The Ultimate Social Connectors
‘Pet-friendly’ places go a long way to restoring the social life of our cities.
Chautauqua: An American Utopia - Where Social Life Flourishes
Chautauqua: “There's no place like it. No resort. No spa. It is at once a summer encampment and a small town, a college campus, an arts colony, a music festival, a religious retreat, and the village square." -David McCullough
Learning from Valletta, Malta - A Treasured City on the Mediterranean
Valletta's public spaces excel in ways that every community can learn from. It demonstrates the power of comfortable and well-connected gathering places in maintaining vibrant social life.
Focal Points are Essential for Public Spaces
What a focal point is varies greatly from place to place. Sometimes it is as simple as a good spot to sit, a fountain, or a statue on which kids can play and climb. A great focal point attracts people and invites them to linger.