Welcome to the Handbook
The Public Humanities Turn: The University as an Instrument of Cultural Transformation
Description:Humanities have the potential to transform human culture―and an obligation to preserve it.
Author:Philip Lewis
Publication Year:2024
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces
Description:This classic work examines the impact of design on urban public spaces exploring how these spaces shape social interactions and community life.
Author: William H. Whyte
Publication Year:1980
Description:How do we make the spaces we inhabit livable? When placemaking is a collective process, it has the potential to bring people together to imagine and forge communities that can nurture and sustain us now and in the future. Such placemaking is a collaborative endeavor inspired by a community’s capacious dreams, diverse strengths, and openness to an evolving process. The articles in this issue invite us to think about how Latinos make a place for themselves in and across settings and situations.
Publication Year:2022
Description:Fred Kent is a pioneer in placemaking and the founder of Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a global nonprofit dedicated to creating vibrant, people-centered public spaces. He advocates for community engagement, walkability, and multi-use urban design, emphasizing that successful public spaces are shaped by the people who use them. Kent popularized "The Power of 10+"—the idea that great places should offer at least 10 engaging activities to attract and sustain community life. His work has influenced urban revitalization, park design, and public space planning worldwide.
Description:Known for the the rise of the creative class. Argued that cities thrive when they attract creative professionals, leading to cultural and economic revitalization.
Description:Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez spearheads a new mural on San Fernando Road with artist Erica Friend. The project was produced by 11:11 Projects and features local landmarks and wildlife.
Description:Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value.
Description:Collaborating between governments, businesses, and communities to fund and sustain placemaking efforts.
Description:Creative placemaking is a community-centered approach to revitalizing public spaces through arts, culture, and local storytelling. It empowers residents, artists, and organizations to collaborate in transforming the physical and social character of a place. Unlike traditional top-down urban design, creative placemaking values grassroots leadership and lived experiences as essential to shaping inclusive, vibrant environments. In projects like the Alleyway Concerts by Barrio Alegría in Reading, Pennsylvania, creative placemaking brought new life to underused spaces such as alleyways and laundromats, inviting neighbors to co-create cultural events. These initiatives promote not only artistic expression but also public safety, economic activation, and social cohesion. By embedding creativity into daily life, creative placemaking helps communities reclaim space, build trust, and imagine new futures together.
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Jennifer Brady 2023