Overview

At some point during Meet The Youngs development I realized event production naturally transitions to architecture and physical design. Really enjoy this article as it contextualizes the need for both and the value in using events as beta tests for architectural theories and spatial approaches. We’re in the beginning of phase two for Meet The Youngs, we’ve proven our theories and are ready to build permanent public space. Ironically, for now, the most important public space we have is the internet.

Key Takeaways

On reimagining rural and suburban spatial potential:

There’s a growing need for this type of expertise, they say, as more people begin to understand the importance of accessible places where communities of all kinds can gather. “I think the fact that we’re building a 400-acre, highly innovative urban park in a town of 15,000 people in the Smoky Mountains suggests that we’re in a pretty amazing moment in time,” Marcinkoski said. “Cities large and small are recognizing the enormous value of meaningful investment in these kinds of public spaces and amenities.” —Sarah Wesseler

On space navigating between disciplines:

The need to help clients find political and financial backing for projects is a common theme in PORT’s work. “In a lot of cases, it’s about momentum-building,” said Marcinkoski. “It’s about trying to build a larger constituency of institutions, agencies, and the public that can begin to support and pull the resources together for the project as it develops.”

This process can be complicated by the fact that public space initiatives don’t always have a natural home within municipal departments or nonprofit budgets. For another project in Philadelphia, questions arose about who should fund a series of interventions linking the Fishtown neighborhood to the Delaware River waterfront, since the work didn’t fit neatly within recognized categories like wayfinding, public art, or streetscape improvement. —Sarah Wesseler

On the shift from pop-ups to public space:

Another issue that complicates efforts to build support for public space is the growing popularity of pop-up installations and events, which many cities now view as a relatively low-cost, high-impact way to bring communities together. For PORT, this trend is worrisome. Marcinkoski and Moddrell believe that temporary projects can be an effective way to test ideas and build momentum for longer-term initiatives, but that public space ultimately requires capital investment. —Sarah Wesseler

Full Article: https://archleague.org/article/rethinking-public-space/

Rethinking Public Space by Sarah Wesseler c/o Arch League

Overview

Key Takeaways