Jake Salzman’s Post

The epidemic of loneliness can be partially attributed to place – the design and program of the public realm deeply matters to human interaction. Does your home, street, neighborhood, town or city intentionally encourage social connection? As the problem of loneliness grows, The Congress for the New Urbanism calls on urbanists and planners to design for social interaction. Robert Steuteville #loneliness #civicinfrastructure #connection #design #planning https://lnkd.in/e8qXHZ5c

🏞 The Role of Public Space in Community Building: Shaping Vital Connections In the dynamic rhythm of urban life, where towering skyscrapers carve the skyline and the symphony of city sounds echoes, lies an often-overlooked catalyst for community cohesion – public spaces. These open-air sanctuaries, ranging from vibrant plazas to serene parks, are the lifeblood of neighborhoods, stitching together the diverse tapestry of residents. They are more than just physical locations; they are the beating heart, the communal soul, and the canvas upon which the story of our communities is painted. ✔Public Spaces as Social Connectors ✔The Potential Unleashed ✔Navigating Challenges for Inclusivity ✔Ensuring Inclusivity and Accessibility: A Blueprint for Success ✔Engaging Communities for Sustainable Transformation ✔Embracing the Power of Public Spaces 💬 You may continue reading the remainder of the article at this link: https://lnkd.in/dgKrRKjH Now, we want to hear from you! What public spaces have left an indelible mark on your community? What challenges have you faced in creating vibrant public spaces? Share your experiences and thoughts – the comments section is your canvas. Let’s continue the conversation and inspire each other to build better, more connected communities. 📸 Photos Created by AI and Photoshop 👍 Follow me for more updates on my latest projects and designs. 🤝 Let's work together to create spaces that inspire and delight. ✨ For more works, please visit my website: https://mahdiseno.com/ #landscapedesign #socialinteraction #sociallife #socialconnection #urbanresilience #urbanism #sdgs #wellbeing #biodiversity #biophiliclandscape #urbanplanning #environment #health #climatechange #design #openspace #architecture

How Mixed-Use Developments Build Stronger Communities Mixed-use developments are essential in creating vibrant neighborhoods that foster social interaction, community engagement, and local business support. Here are the key social aspects: 1. Community Engagement Shared Spaces: Parks and community centers serve as gathering spots, enhancing a sense of belonging. Events: Community activities encourage residents to connect. 2. Support for Local Businesses Walkable Areas: Proximity to shops encourages residents to support local businesses. Diverse Offerings: Mixed-use spaces attract various businesses, enriching the community. 3. Social Interaction Mixed Demographics: Inclusive designs promote interactions among different age groups and backgrounds. Networking: Layouts encourage spontaneous encounters, strengthening relationships. 4. Active Lifestyles Walkability: Pedestrian-friendly designs promote walking and biking. Recreation: Access to parks enhances opportunities for outdoor activities. 5. Sense of Place Cohesive Design: Unique architecture and public art foster local pride. Cultural Integration: Incorporating local history enhances community identity. Mixed-use developments strengthen communities by promoting engagement, supporting local businesses, and encouraging social interactions, leading to vibrant, resilient neighborhoods. Source: (Urban Land Institute) . . . #premiumpropertytrust #birminghamalabama #bhamal #realestateinvesting #realestate #architecture #pptreit #realestateinvestment #realestateinvestmenttrust #buildinggenerationalwealth #mixedused #newurbanism #generationalwealth #investing #reit #ppt #verticalintegration #premiumbydesign

Reorienteering #8: Placemaking scales - some finishing thoughts. I posted on my own LinkedIn page about the role of private equity and place, and I've previously posted about the "bad urban design" of big tech. My concluding thoughts are on the funding of different scales and its possible meaning. These are caricatures - don't think for a second that I don't understand the nuance of it all. I put off writing ANYTHING because of nuance. Without further ado, here are my 🔥 hot takes 🔥 on scale, funding and purpose. Large scale. Developer funded. Private public spaces. Rules, private security, restrictions on activities. Purpose of placemaking is to generate footfall, attract tenants etc. These places can be very enjoyable to particular demographics, but exclusionary to others. Long term prospects with success based on market vagaries. With favourable conditions - 6/10 vibes. Medium scale. Blended grant and public purse funding. Infrastructure-led such as street improvements. Purpose of placemaking is regeneration focussed, leveraging public money for local economic growth or other outcomes. Long term prospects with certainty. With favourable conditions - 8/10 vibes. Small scale. Grant funded, volunteer input. Small sites, low cost, sometimes temporary. Purpose of this placemaking is to fix market failure, deliver community goods, shift the narrative of a place. Funding will usually come with reporting requirements that want to hear about particular outcomes such as health, skills, tackling poverty etc. Temporary, uncertain, lack of control. With favourable conditions 8/10 vibes. Final observation is that the actors in the large scale can travel vertically through the scales and back again (which I think should be encouraged), but it is probably impossible for actors at the small scale to make a similar journey. So that's the placemaking series done for now. If they were top trump cards I'd hope for the mid-size in my deck. The impact, quality and certainty of the effort being lasting are the key factors there for me. What do you think? Do you agree with my vibe ratings? Do you recognise or hate my caricatures? #placemaking #development #urbanplanning #community #planning #place #vibes

As more and more Americans report increased loneliness and isolation, how we plan public spaces can bring people together to meet their needs for wellbeing. This #WellbeingWednesday, we're reflecting on a key theme that has come up again and again in our work implementing wellbeing tools in cities throughout the country: the incredible opportunity that built environment projects have to increase access to wellbeing through facilitating social connectedness. This article from The Congress for the New Urbanism outlines three ways urbanists and planners can design to promote social connectedness.

🌿 Demystifying Mindful Regeneration: Ethical Design 🌱 🌳Ethical design is a crucial aspect of Mindful Regeneration, emphasising fairness, transparency, and social inclusion in urban planning and development. It calls for considering the moral implications of design decisions and their impact on various stakeholders, such as residents, workers, and marginalised groups. ⚖️ In the context of urban regeneration, ethical design promotes equitable access to resources, services, and opportunities. It encourages participatory planning processes that involve community members in decision-making, ensuring their needs and values are represented. 🌇 Why is it important for city redevelopment? Ethical design ensures that urban spaces are created with social justice, human dignity, and respect for diversity in mind. By prioritising ethical considerations, city planners and developers can avoid perpetuating inequalities and foster thriving, inclusive communities that enhance quality of life for all. 💡Next up: Blue Zones. We'll explore the concept of Blue Zones—geographical areas where people live longer and healthier lives—and how their lessons can be applied to Mindful Regeneration and city development. #EthicalDesign #MindfulRegeneration #SocialJustice #InclusiveCities Made with the help of Pi.

Three articles in this post on the same topic of engaging with local communities. See link for my synopses of all three case studies. First is about three cities - Dhaka, Maputo and Santo Domingo and public space. Second is one on Florence on creating green spaces, and the third is Toronto's Chinatown which is about a community garden. Plenty of good reading in this post. Co-design and co-creation are the way to be inclusive - it is a universal design method.

Can better design in multi-unit developments bring us closer as neighbors? 🏢 In Metro Vancouver, as density increases, experts are looking at how small design tweaks can boost social interactions and reduce isolation. Simple changes like benches in courtyards, shared bike storage, or community nooks encourage people to stop and chat. Cities like North Vancouver and Port Moody are already adopting guidelines that promote more social spaces in new developments. According to Happy Cities, a Vancouver urban planning firm, building connections doesn’t need to raise costs significantly. By focusing on smaller, high-traffic areas—like a dog-washing station near the bike room—residents can naturally connect. Developers are starting to see the benefits of these features, which could soon become the norm. It’s not just about creating efficient spaces anymore but fostering meaningful community interactions. What changes would you like to see in your building to create a stronger sense of community? Let’s share ideas! 👇 For more information read: https://lnkd.in/gtHe42Nb

A truly accessible space is a space that recognises and accommodates the differences in the way in which people use the built environment. This changes throughout a person’s lifetime and across every background including gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture, abilities, and disabilities. Apart from enabling physical accessibility, other benefits to an inclusive design approach include economic, health, wellbeing and social cohesion. At #SwecoUK, we strive to provide public spaces that can be equitably, intuitively, and confidently used by all without physical or social separation. As landscape architecture consultants we are privileged to have a unique role in the design of the external environment, seeking to bring diverse groups of people together within the #PublicRealm. In this blog by Senior Landscape Architect Ellie Davies, we reflect on how a holistic, people-centric approach to design and planning can promote #accessibility as part of an inclusive #JustTransition. https://lnkd.in/eQr4VfEf #NationalInclusionWeek #NIW2024 #TransformingSocietyTogether #UrbanTransition #GreenTransition #LandscapeArchitecture #UrbanPlanning #Placemaking #SocialValue #SocialImpact #Urbanisation #Community #Wellbeing

Spaces designed for community need to strike a balance between the public and the private. The private is individual ownership. What is the area that only you have control over? In a temporary shared space that may just be your bed, but it might also extend to a full apartment. The public spaces have shared ownership. Which areas do you need to take care of as part of a group? What areas do you share? For a functional community, people always need both. That is more critical for long-term shared spaces, but it is also important to consider for the short-term. But there's also a key difference between what is public in this closed system (the shared spaces), and what is public in the greater sense (the street, the shops etc.). What is public in a community is shared, meaning it is still the responsibility of the residents in a very immediate way, while the outside public areas are maintained indirectly, via tax contributions. That also explains why community doesn't just happen when people randomly have access to the same place (public), but when a sense of shared ownership is established in a specific context. So if you don't feel a sense of community where you are right now, ask yourself: When have you last contributed to a shared space or activity? When have you acted as a part-owner of something that isn't formally yours? When have you last exchanged care, time and energy for using something rather than money? And are you even allowed to do that? #community #coliving #architecture #cityplanning