Comments on: Stronger Citizens, Stronger Cities: Changing Governance Through a Focus on Place

By: Project for Public Spaces | Book Review: Handmade Urbanism: From Community Initiatives to Participatory Models

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:40:38 +0000

[...] these applications into local development programs.” In other words, policymakers need to figure out better ways to facilitate and channel the energy of engaged citizens, in order for their cities’ full potentials to be [...]

By: Project for Public Spaces | All Placemaking is Creative: How a Shared Focus on Place Builds Vibrant Destinations

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:23:08 +0000

[...] Pingback: Project for Public Spaces | Stronger Citizens, Stronger Cities: Changing Governance Through a Focus … [...]

By: Project for Public Spaces | How to Be a Citizen Placemaker: Think Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:45:32 +0000

[...] vibrancy is people, and citizenship is creative, it follows that the more that citizens feel they are able to contribute to their public spaces, [...]

By: Project for Public Spaces | Detroit Leads the Way on Place-Centered Revitalization

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 03:41:57 +0000

[...] is a new kind of visionary who understands the fundamental value of great places, and the need to work with his fellow citizens to shape the city’s future together, rather than imposing a singular vision from the top [...]

By: Naulston

Naulston — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Thank you for the article. I’m not sure cities are trying to ‘replace’ offline interaction, but there is more and more emphasis on a panacea 1 off solution rather than expanding the number of ways that people can interact with their government (under the guise of a lack of resources, to me it’s more a lack of creativity…Because using the same models gets the same results)

By: ppsnyc

ppsnyc — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:25:00 +0000

Digital tools are certainly expanding the reach of this type of work, but as we have seen in many projects, and reiterate frequently in discussions about digital Placemaking, the web is best understood as augmenting face-to-face organizing work when trying to drive change in real-world communities, not a replacement. Attempts to try to replace offline interaction entirely with offline generally fail.

For more on this, you might want to take a gander at this article, written by Daniel Latorre, a Senior Fellow in Digital Placemaking here at PPS: http://www.pps.org/blog/digital-placemaking-authentic-civic-engagement/

By: Naulston

Naulston — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 01:45:00 +0000

Thank you for the post. I think this is a very important topic. I’ve thought about this issues in two ways. In the past, how to use farmers markets as the new town squares (http://www.academia.edu/898041/Using_Farmers_Markets_to_Access_Democracy) and currently trying to use government spaces like local libraries to allow for local politicians to interact with residents.

However, I’m not sure these public spaces will ever be utilized as tools for direct democracy as cities increasingly prioritize the digital participation. (Of course I hope that in the future that we have strong forms of both)

By: Donovan Gillman

Donovan Gillman — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:07:00 +0000

A welcome emphasis on actor-network associations and the politics of place rather that the usual focus on the built environment’s morphology , the paving, benches and “littering” the site with street furniture

By: Project for Public Spaces | Stronger Citizens, Stronger Cities: Changing Governance Through a Focus on Place | Urban Choreography

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:48:17 +0000

[...] See on http://www.pps.org [...]

By: Placemaking Spurs Economic Development by Building Community Voice « Building Resilient Regions

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:01:46 +0000

[...] Part Two argues that communities can change governance for the better “by positioning public spaces at the heart of action-oriented community dialog, mak[ing] room both physically and philosophically by re-framing citizenship as an on-going, creative collaboration between neighbors. The result is not merely vibrancy, but equity.” (And speaking of equity, BRR member Todd Swanstrom has edited a book, “Justice and the American Metropolis,” that addresses many of these very issues.) [...]

By: Ina Anderson

Ina Anderson — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:05:00 +0000

Great post! This gets right to the heart of the matter, we need everyone at the table to create great places that matter to those who live in and love them, and the community is the expert. Yet this will require huge paradigm shift, particularly for those who may have to give up power in order to truly work collaboratively. Hard work, this kind of culture change, but worth it in the end.