Making Places Newsletter

Making Places Newsletter

Making Places, the PPS newsletter, puts you at the forefront of the movement to create more livable towns and cities, delivering the latest developments in Placemaking from the U.S. and abroad. Don't miss these exciting issues, and be sure to subscribe and have Making Places sent free of charge directly to your inbox.
From Place to Place
Over the past 34 years, PPS has often discovered that what would most benefit the communities in which we work is the opposite of what transportation professionals propose. Fortunately, that recurring paradigm is becoming a challenge of the past. Progressive transportation planning is in the midst of a boom, and we are pleased to highlight initiatives helping communities rethink how to connect people with the goods, services and destinations they need and desire. In this newsletter we focus on several new endeavors in the US, followed by an upcoming issue that looks at innovative transportation planning practices abroad.
Towards an Architecture of Place
My encounter with Frank Gehry this summer has sparked a long-running debate about the limits of iconic architecture and the need to transform isolated, stand-alone "sculptural" buildings and landscape design into genuine public spaces that are humanly-scaled and and environmentally sensitive. We believe the era of iconic design must transition to be defined by a sense of place. With the idea of place at their core, cities will become more livable, sustainable and authentic.
The Latest Buzz on Placemaking
There is no doubt that the world has changed fundamentally since the collapse of the global economy last year. We are heartened to see that out of the dust has emerged a new mantra of "less is more" and "work with what you have."
Public Markets Conference Sets New Agenda for Communities and Local Economies
"This is really an extraordinary time for markets," said PPS Senior Associate David O'Neil at the opening session of the 7th International Public Markets Conference, held on April 24-26, 2009 in San Francisco, CA. His excitement could be felt throughout the ballroom, where 230 participants from 38 states and 10 countries had gathered for three days of workshops, market tours and impossibly fresh Bay Area food.
Earth Day 2009
A great opportunity now exists for the environmental movement to reach out to a broader base and new partners simply by expanding the scope of places it is willing to fight for. This newsletter features an in-depth lead article by Fred Kent as well as Earth Day themed excerpts from The Great Neighborhood Book.
Faking Places: April 1, 2009
For this year’s April Fools issue of Faking Places, our sixth, we’ve chosen a lead “story” that speaks to the pressing need for stimulus spending around transportation and communities. Additionally, we’ve revisited some of our favorite Faking Places news from the past five years, providing true life updates illustrating that truth is sometimes stranger (and more inspirational!) than fiction.
Ten Trends Shaping the Future of Our Communities
As we transition from a burgeoning and probably bloated economy to one that’s rapidly deflating, people are coming to realize that placemaking offers the ideal approach to improving our cities and neighborhoods in these hard times.
Placemaking in a Down Economy
2008 will go down in history as a turning point. Unexpected new events and ideas surfaced, changing the way we will lead our daily lives in the future. Financial turmoil abruptly altered the economic picture, forcing people to shift their thinking about everything from the household budget to global interconnectedness.
Waterfronts Placemaking

We are seeing a dramatic rise of interest in waterfronts, as people everywhere desire great public spaces that can be enjoyed by the community as a whole. This all-new Waterfronts edition of the PPS newsletter is devoted to showcasing lessons from around the world about how waterfronts can become great public assets for everyone to use.

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April 1, 2008

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Great Streets
This newsletter highlights examples and qualities of great streets around the world and raises the bar substantially on the challenge to change transportation as we know it. We can have great streets in every neighborhood, downtown, city and region...if we want them. PPS can help you realize this transformative movement in your own communities through our "Streets as Places" and "Thinking beyond the Station" initiatives.

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March 2008
Great Cities: Over half the world population now lives in cities, and while these cities are changing and growing at an unprecedented rate, there seems to be little discussion about what we want our cities to be like, or what the public realm can do to make cities great places to live.


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November 2007
Civic Institutions: Partners for Livable Communities talks with PPS about how cultural institutions--museums, churches, libraries, public buildings, colleges and arts organizations--are reaching beyond their walls to work with communities.
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September 2007
The Future of Markets: With the markets renaissance going strong for more than twenty years, it's natural to ask, "What's left for the markets movement to accomplish?" In a word: "Plenty."
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August 2007
Great Neighborhoods: The neighborhood is a powerful--but often overlooked--tool for social improvement. Issues that seem overwhelming at the international or even municipal level can often be effectively tackled close to home.
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April 2007
Libraries and Civic Centers: The creation of the "information superhighway" threatened to make libraries obsolete, but today they are as prominent as ever, redefining themselves as community centers for the 21st Century.
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April 1, 2017
Our fourth April Fools spoof looks to the future, where Placemaking is big news.
February 2007
Waterfronts Edition: Waterfronts are inextricably linked to the identity and vitality of cities. As many cities rediscover their roots on the river, lake or sea, we have a remarkable opportunity to create a new generation of great public spaces.
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New York City Commentary
We hope New Yorkers, visitors to the city, and people who have never been to New York will find this commentary enlightening. You can download a condensed version as a PDF.
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April First, 2006
The third annual edition of our April Fools spoof, Faking Places.
January 2006
Photo Edition: All you need to turn a mediocre street, park, market, downtown or city into a great place are a few simple things: enthusiasm, dedication, and willingness to truly listen to the people who live, work and visit there. Oh yes, and a camera.
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November 2005
Neighborhoods Edition: There's a growing recognition that to create great communities we need good places to hang out with our friends and neighbors. And people everywhere--in suburbs, cities, and small towns--are beginning to take action. It can range from simple steps like forming a block club to big projects like establishing pedestrian-friendly streets. PPS is launching a new project to promote these exciting new developments--and we'd like your help.

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December 2005
Public Squares Edition: People today are crying out for lively gathering places where civic life flourishes and different cultures can mix, places that heal social isolation. Any community that wants to discover the rewards of public life can make a square its centerpiece.
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October 2005
Public Markets Edition: Ever since humans first congregated in cities, markets have exerted a magnetic power over us--and they are on the upswing today because people are naturally drawn to the agreeable mix of both social and commercial activity that any good market offers. The next generation of markets is emerging as a viable alternative to conventional development projects like convention centers or big-box retail.

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August 2005
Great Places Edition: This year's inductees to Great Public Spaces include a street market in a working class neighborhood of Amsterdam, an immigrant shopping street in Chicago and public squares in provincial cities of Brazil and Mexico, as well as the highly expensive and much hyped renovation to New York's Museum of Modern Art--proving once again that the best public places come in all shapes, sizes, and styles.

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June 2005
Special Transportation Edition: The stories in this newsletter chronicle the first wave of a revolution in how we approach transportation and public space. PPS is showing the way forward, helping communities realize a different vision of what transportation can be.

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April First, 2005
Faking Places Guerilla satirists The Yes Men say: "Your Faking Places is hysterical!!" We hope you also enjoy our second annual April Fools spoof.
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March 2005
Birth of a Movement: Over the past few years, people have grown accustomed at looking to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest as a source of new ideas and inspiration. Grunge rock, Microsoft, Starbuck's coffee and now... Placemaking? See how a spirited gathering in the Northwest has kickstarted the Great Places movement.

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30 Years of Placemaking
PPS began in 1975 as a small group of iconoclasts determined to reclaim public spaces from the entrenched interests that dehumanize cities. Now, after working with a wealth of dedicated partners in over 1000 communities, the Placemaking philosophy is on the verge of overtaking the status quo.

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November 2004
What If We Built Our Cities Around Places? The secret of every thriving neighborhood's success is the small steps citizens take to enliven their local streets, parks, and other public spaces. PPS's new Great Cities Initiative applies this grassroots energy to the broader mission of improving entire cities and regions.

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July 2004
Mixing with the Kool Crowd: Have architecture critics forgotten how to judge public spaces? PPS presents a plan to remind them how it's done.

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September 2004
Six Parks We Can All Learn From: People everywhere are searching for ways local parks can better serve their communities. In the pursuit of great parks, here are the six best places to learn from.

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February 2008
May 2004
The Pantheon of Placemakers: To make great places effectively, it helps to know the thinkers and doers who have shaped the movement for the past 40-plus years.
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Faking Places: April First, 2004
Faking Places: We hope you enjoy this April Fools edition of our newsletter. Just don't take it seriously.
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Placemaking: The Year in Review
For those who understand that great public spaces are essential to great cities and towns, 2003 was a year to celebrate.
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From Place to Place Part Two
January 2004
The Road Ahead: PPS and the Federal Highway Administration are ushering in a new era of transportation planning, changing the way we think about streets and roads.
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November 2003
Shedding Light on Markets: Seen enough office complexes and civic centers downtown? New PPS research shows how public markets can replace the tired big-project approach to revitalization.
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September 2003
The Politics of Placemaking: The Deputy Prime Minister knows that places matter. So does the Mayor of London. And their belief in better public spaces is yielding major results in the UK.
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July 2003
Barcelona, A PPS City Commentary: You know the names--Parc Guell, Las Ramblas--now see what PPS has to say about these and other places that make up the gem of Catalonia.
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May 2003
leaves and bark
New York City Parks--Thriving in Tough Times: As budget deficits mount in states and cities across the US, urban parks and green spaces face a familiar challenge: innovate, or else.
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March 2003
The San Mateo Solution: PPS and an unlikely group of partners are helping residents of the San Mateo Peninsula set a new standard for livability.
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December 2002
The Return of the Civic Square: From San Francisco to Vienna, squares are rebounding to become centers of civic life once more.

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October 2002
A Public Market for Lower Manhattan: As politicians, planners, and the public ponder the future of Lower Manhattan, the best place to look for inspiration might be the past.

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August 2002
The Best Public Spaces Keep Getting Better: It seems like Paris breaks new ground every year in its efforts to draw people to its public spaces.

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June 2002
Finding Profit in Preservation: If you're ever lucky enough to take a stroll through the Czech countryside, you'll be privy to one of the great unintended benefits of Communist rule in Central Europe.

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March 2002
Rebirth of a Great Street: Hartford, CT - There is a street like Farmington Avenue in nearly every city. It is a classic example of what happens when cities plan for one thing: moving traffic.

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