The lament, “There’s nothing to do here,” might sound like teenage grumbling, but there may be more wisdom to it than meets the ear. Maybe we should look at our cities through the lens of organic social activities, both because they're enjoyable and because it gives us a chance to reconsider our values and the relationship between our design choices and our community’s social life.
Read MoreAn initiative that encourages people to use a bike instead of a car seems like a good thing, but does National Bike to Work Day actually encourage bikeability?
Read MoreAs an advocate, it’s easy to feel discouraged when you can’t prompt any big changes in your community, or even among your loved ones. Be patient: Just as many small actions can help cities grow incrementally stronger, the small impacts you have on others can lead to big changes over time.
Read MoreIf offered the choice between paid and free parking, many people would probably choose the latter. But free parking may be creating more problems than it’s worth.
Read MoreIt’s hard for people to be excited about something they’ve never experienced before. How can we use positive experiences to change that?
Read MoreRethinking car culture is easier once we more broadly measure what we’re giving up.
Read MoreHigh home prices are compelling young adults to create less conventional living arrangements.
Read MoreTraffic calming interventions are best when they not only make the environment safer for everyone outside of a car, but when they do so in a way that reduces the mental load for drivers.
Read MoreLet’s save our capacity to adapt for better design choices.
Read MoreEverything in the city communicates something about what we value.
Read MoreWe should think of city blocks like tapestries.
Read MoreThis brilliant story about alienation starts with two people alone in their cars.
Read MoreA citizen is a rightful participant in directly shaping the fabric of their city. So…are modern Americans citizens of their cities, or just subjects?
Read MoreA community is more than just its built environment: it’s also the strong, intergenerational civic ties that connect its citizens to each other.
Read MoreDreaming of big goals for the year can be fun, but it’s also necessary to think of the small steps needed to reach those goals. Similarly, cities need to consider the small things they need to do to achieve long-term prosperity.
Read MoreHere are four lessons from local advocates who are out there doing the work right now, in different ways, to make their places better.
Read MoreFor anyone who wants to care for their community, being able to properly name what you see is an essential first step.
Read MoreTeenagers are a sadly overlooked asset group in our communities. Reimagining the future of our communities with them in mind is a simple but powerful way to position our cities for long-term success.
Read MoreOur cities need more housing, but perhaps even more urgently, our neighborhoods need more neighbors.
Read MoreIncrementalism and humility are key to avoiding a gap between what we think we’re accomplishing with the designs of our built environment versus what people actually experience when navigating it.
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