By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard Size It is important to decide on the size of the square in relation to two interdependent factors: 1) the social functions and population for which the square is designed; and 2) the height of surrounding buildings. The size of a square must be appropriate to the size of the … Read more
Every day, there are people who leave their home and feel unsafe in the world. They experience inescapable threats to their lives and livelihood from the system that has been built up around them, forced to move through spaces that feel at best uninviting and at worst mortally dangerous. These people are not abstractions. They … Read more
IMCL is delighted to announce that the 55th IMCL Conference will take place in Ottawa, May 14-18, 2018, with the very active partnership of the City, and will focus on the immensely important theme of Healthy, 10-Minute Neighborhoods. Efforts are under way around the world to create healthy neighborhoods where walking, biking and public … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard At the crossing of pedestrian ways A neighborhood square must be located at the central crossing point of a network of interconnected pedestrian routes through the neighborhood. As local residents walk through the square on their way to work, school, shopping, running errands, or to catch transit to the city … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard The Superblock Program is a Barcelona version of area-wide traffic calming found in many Northern European cities, but here in Barcelona it has been tailored to the grid street layout introduced by Cerda in the nineteenth century. Janet Sanz, Deputy Mayor for Ecology, Urbanism and Mobility, will be a keynote … Read more
By Taylor Campi I spent a large portion of my recent 4-day trip to St. Louis, Missouri, in the suburbs west of the city. As is true in the majority of American suburbs, the development and activity in this part of town revolve heavily around the use of cars. I first noticed this on my … Read more
By Hannah Jarman-Miller Sunday Parkways was hosted in my neighborhood this past weekend. Organized in partnership by the City of Portland and Kaiser Permanente, Sunday Parkways is a free event where streets are entirely or partially closed to car traffic so that community members can discover and engage in active transportation in a safe and … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard A neighborhood square must be centrally located at the commercial and civic heart of a neighborhood, with a substantial residential population living within easy walking distance. The vitality of a neighborhood square is heavily dependent on a rich mix of uses in surrounding blocks. Nearby streets should contain apartments and … Read more
By Hannah Jarman-Miller When you consider your favorite building, what does it look like? What drew you to notice it, and which pieces of its construction stick out in you when you go to describe it to someone else? When we think of the structures that surround us, we might consider it valuable that we … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard A square’s success is dependent on the subtle interaction of many factors – the right proportions of the architectural frame, appropriate building uses and urban fabric, hospitable streetscaping, a pedestrian-friendly transportation policy, and good management of the square. When any one of these factors is lacking, the square fails to … Read more