Asphalt Art: Painting a Better Urban Future
The Asphalt Art Initiative is reimagining our streets. By blending art, safety, and community engagement, this initiative is turning dull roads into vibrant public spaces.
Cooking Up Community: Transforming a Town Square into an Open Air Kitchen
Once a regular town square in Stockholm, a space has been reimagined to bring people together in a unique way. Architect-artist Elin Strand Ruin, working alongside local women, transformed it into the Kitchen Square — a vibrant open-air kitchen fostering a strong sense of community and connection.
VHS Café Is a Third Space for Tokyo’s Young Filmmakers
While the video store has long since disappeared from the shopping street, a VHS Café recently opened in Tokyo. This third space is an urban living room for the local film community starring the good old video tape.
Placemaking in Motion: Museums on Wheels
In France, Musée Mobile (MuMo) is proving that museums are more than static institutions. Their attractive museums on wheels bring art and culture to the people, making heritage more accessible to a wider audience.
Trevarefabrikken, a Case Study in Innovative Rural Revitalisation
In 2014, four Norwegian youngsters stumbled upon a disused factory on the Lofoten Islands. Inspired by its potential, they embarked on a journey to transform it into a vibrant hub for culture, food, and music. Today, Trevarefabrikken stands as a testament to the power of innovative rural revitalisation. We got a chance to speak to one of its founders, Martin Hjelle.
Breaking Winter Blues: Luleå’s ‘Say Hello’ Campaign Sparks Connection in the Cold
Many residents of the Swedish town of Luleå struggle with loneliness. Earlier this month, a campaign was launched calling on everyone to simply say "Hello" to each other on the street.
Subterranean Streams: Ghost Rivers Revive Baltimore’s Hidden Past
Artist Bruce Willen is bringing back an old submerged river in Baltimore through a 2.4-kilometre urban intervention.
Antwerp to Quiet Traffic with Noise-Cancelling Fountains
The City of Antwerp is planning to install new fountains in the Brilschanspark to help reduce traffic noise. The fountains will generate a calming sound that will help to shield residents from the noise of the nearby highway.
From Military Site to Community Hub: The Story of Asiat Park
An abandoned military site just north of Brussels has been transformed into a vibrant public park by and for the neighbourhood.
Tŷ Pawb, the Hybrid Hub That Celebrates Creativity and Community
At Tŷ Pawb, a hybrid community centre in an old market hall in Wrexham, everything flows together harmoniously. From cultural events to market stalls for local entrepreneurs — a place has been created here that gives every city dweller a reason to visit.
Elephant Paths: Paving the Way for a Human-Centered Public Space at Michigan State University
Public space designers on the new campus of Michigan State University intentionally allowed spontaneous elephant paths to emerge in order to create a pedestrian infrastructure that's much more logical and human-centered.
‘Super Neighbours’ Bring Village Feel to Paris Streets
According to Patrick Bernard, an urban neighbourhood doesn't have to be unfriendly or anonymous at all. Together with his fellow 'super neighbours', he aims to bring the conviviality of a village to the streets of Paris.
Why Shared Public Space Is More Important Than Ever
Until not so long ago, conceiving and creating public space seemed the exclusive domain of governments and designers. Nowadays, they must increasingly take into account citizens, who long for more control over their living environment. Why is this an important development?
Yoga in Kindergarten? Welcome to the Era of Hybrid Space
The function of future spaces will be as diverse as the people who use them. We’re entering an era where spaces can change function by the hour.
Wheelmap Uses Crowd Wisdom to Make the City More Inclusive
Wheelmap is the world's biggest crowdsourced and open database for wheelchair-accessible places. The initiative hopes to contribute to a more inclusive city for people with mobility impairments.
‘Myth Buster’ Peter Hein van Mulligen on the Dutch Housing Market
We spoke with Peter Hein van Mulligen, chief economist of Statistics Netherlands, about the housing market, inequality and broad prosperity. Spoiler: things are (still) going pretty well in the Netherlands.
