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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Canatara Park (Sarnia, Canada)

By Tom Peyton on Jul 15, 2009 | 1 Comment

What: Over 200 acres of community park, with a shoreline along Lake Huron.

Why it Works: Canatara Park spans almost 85 acres, and sits on the edge of Lake Huron. The people in this area have always loved this park. The land was bought in the 1930′s with money from both the citizens [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Plaza Mayor (Merida, Mexico)

By Tom Peyton on Jul 8, 2009 | Add Comment

What: A public square in the heart of Merida.

Why it Works: The Plaza Mayor is a major focal point of Merida taking up the size of one full city block and enclosed on four sides by two lane roads. The landscaping is a simple path system through various types of trees and [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Istiklal Caddesi (Istanbul, Turkey)

By Craig Raphael on Jul 1, 2009 | 1 Comment

What: A mainly pedestrian street lined with cafes, clothing shops, bookstores, restaurants and apartments above the street level.

Why it Works: Istiklal Caddesi is a lively, constantly changing scene. Throughout most of the 20th century, the street was famous for cars speeding down it and pedestrians were unwelcome. Recently, it has been turned [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Pegram Park (Pegram, TN)

By Tom Peyton on Jun 24, 2009 | Add Comment

What: A revitalized park at the heart of a small Tennessee town.

Why it Works: Although Pegram Park is small in size it serves as the center of the community for the town and the surrounding county. It hosts numerous events throughout the year, including 4th of July parades, Christmas in the park, [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Zanzibar Old Town Market (Zanzibar, Tanzania)

By Craig Raphael on Jun 17, 2009 | Add Comment

What: A thriving market with an incomparable mix of architecture and cultures.

Why it Works: The Zanzibar Old Town Market is a classic Swahili public space, mixing architectural and cultural influences from East Africa, Arabia, Persia, and India. Rather than the open-plan “plaza” of Western societies, descended from the Forum, the heritage of [...]

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Great Public Spaces: Art Street (Taichung County, Taiwan)

By Tom Peyton on Jun 10, 2009 | Add Comment

What: A vibrant shopping street with an effective traffic calming system, situated at the summit of Da Du Mountain and next to Dong Hai University.

Why it Works: Art Street in Taichung County is one of the most progressive areas for urban living in [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Abenteuerspielplatz “Kolle 37” (Berlin, Germany)

By Craig Raphael on Jun 3, 2009 | 2 Comments

What: A park and adventure playground where kids can do everything from build a tree house to learn to cook.

Why it Works: Playgrounds are often a child’s first introduction to public spaces, where youngsters discover the joys and responsibilities of community places. Kolle 37 is an interactive park and clubhouse complex, where [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Harlem Meer (New York, NY)

By jchao on May 20, 2009 | 3 Comments

What: An 11-acre lake surrounded by a rugged landscape of woodlands and dramatic rock outcroppings.

Why it Works: The Meer (Dutch for “lake”) is the idyllic setting of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, one of the Park’s four visitor centers and home to a wide variety of the Central Park Conservancy’s free family [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Viktualienmarkt (Munich, Germany)

By Craig Raphael on May 13, 2009 | 1 Comment

What: An open-air food market in downtown Munich.

Why it Works: Roughly the size of a city block, Munich’s Viktualienmarkt has everything you could want, from a number of good bakeries and cheese shops to a horse butcher (if that’s what you’re looking for). The Schlemmermaier sausage stand is great for lunch in the [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Stanley Park (Vancouver, Canada)

By Craig Raphael on May 6, 2009 | 1 Comment

What: A unique urban forest in the middle of Vancouver.

Why it Works: Stanley Park is a unique place, not only for its magnificent trees–like giant fir and cedar–which are unusual for an urban park, but also its variety of activities, which make it one of the top destinations in Vancouver for locals and [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Dergah Park and Mosque (Sanliurfa, Turkey)

By jchao on Apr 29, 2009 | Add Comment

What: An expanse of mosques, rose gardens, pools of sacred carp, tea gardens, and people.

Why it Works: Sanliurfa is a city of contradictions. Beneath the relatively modern, commercial center lies the bazaar district, a mass of market alleys and paths spilling out in all directions, with local merchants hawking anything and everything. Immediately [...]

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GREAT PUBLIC SPACES: Phantom Galleries (San Jose, CA)

By jchao on Apr 22, 2009 | 1 Comment

What: Former empty retail fronts now filled with artists’ installations.

Why it Works: Three vacant buildings lining the street on San Fernando and half a dozen more continuing around the corner on South First Street are now filled with artists’ displays and installations. Phantom Galleries was created to both renew the [...]

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