The Transformer Cabinet Murals project in Fort Collins is a creative placemaking initiative that transforms ordinary electrical utility boxes into vibrant works of public art. Launched by Art in Public Places (APP) in 2004, this ongoing program beautifies city infrastructure while promoting local artists and community identity. Key Features of the Project - Turning Utilities into Canvases More than 375 transformer cabinets across Fort Collins have been hand-painted with colorful, site-specific designs, turning eyesores into artistic landmarks. - Local Artist Engagement Each mural is designed and painted by local artists, selected through a competitive process. This empowers the creative community and fosters a sense of ownership and pride. - Graffiti Prevention The artwork also serves a functional purpose—reducing graffiti and vandalism on public utility boxes by turning them into respected visual art pieces. - Themes of Community & Nature Many murals reflect local culture, wildlife, history, and landscapes, helping reinforce Fort Collins’ unique identity and connection to place. - Accessible Public Art Scattered throughout parks, sidewalks, and intersections, the murals make art part of everyday life, accessible to all residents and visitors without needing to enter a gallery. Why It Matters The Transformer Cabinet Murals project shows how small-scale, low-cost interventions can have a big impact on placemaking, transforming the mundane into the memorable. It brings beauty, creativity, and local storytelling to the streets of Fort Collins—one utility box at a time.

La REcyclerie is a community-oriented space located in a repurposed train station on the disused “Petite Ceinture” railway in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It functions as a café-restaurant, repair workshop, and urban farm, promoting sustainability and circular economy principles. Visitors can learn about composting, urban gardening, and upcycling through regular workshops, making La REcyclerie a hotspot for green placemaking in a dense urban area. Project link: https://www.larecyclerie.com/

Le Hasard Ludique is a cultural venue and community hub located in a renovated station along the disused Petite Ceinture railway in the 18th arrondissement. Opened in 2017, it includes a bar-restaurant, event space for concerts and workshops, and an outdoor platform that doubles as a terrace. The surrounding section of the Petite Ceinture has been landscaped and opened to pedestrians, creating a linear green walkway. By blending creative programming with the adaptive reuse of historical infrastructure, Le Hasard Ludique is a prime example of community-led placemaking in Paris.

Madrid Nuevo Norte is the big project of 21st-century Madrid. It’s the most significant urban transformation project that Spain’s capital city will undergo, and one of the most important in Europe, designed to improve citizens' life quality and create a more efficient, sustainable, and prosperous Madrid. The project came from the need to integrate Chamartín Station, and all its railway installations, into the city. For more than 50 years, this infrastructure has created a huge rift that divides northern Madrid, with many drawbacks for millions of citizens. This urban regeneration project will not only heal this wound by solving problems related to mobility, security, and a lack of public services, but will also position Madrid in the group of cities that are will best respond to the enormous social and economic changes of the decades to come. A 100% sustainable city in which citizens will travel on foot, by bike, or by public transport, and in which housing, businesses, offices, and green areas create the ideal environment for living, working, and enjoying free time. The size and, especially, the location where Madrid Nuevo Norte will be developed, represent a historic opportunity for Madrid. The enormous scale of the project, which will regenerate more than 2.3 million square meters of disused land, makes it possible to carry out a project that extends beyond its own limits and becomes a project for the entire city. But it is its prime location that will make Madrid Nuevo Norte a truly unique project. As Chamartín Station is at the heart of the project and Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas international airport is just 15 minutes away, the project's location is unique in Europe due to its potential for local, regional, national, and international accessibility. Madrid Nuevo Norte creates a new city model based on the best sustainable urban planning practices. A dense, compact people-centered city, public spaces, sustainable mobility, in which housing, offices, retail spaces, green areas, and public facilities are mixed together to complement each other, which creates the best environment for living, working, and enjoying free time. It maintains the essence that makes our city so attractive, but still strengthens its innovative and cosmopolitan nature. A city model that takes everyone into account and was designed through participative processes that made it possible to listen to citizens and understand their different needs and ways of using their city. As the starting point for the renovation of the northern section of the capital, Madrid Nuevo Norte is a strategically important project around which vital regional infrastructure revolves, such as the reorganization of several of Madrid's busiest traffic junctions or the covering of 20 hectares of railway tracks; and other significant, nationwide infrastructures, such as the construction of the new Chamartín station. The L.R. Klein University Institute for Economic Forecasting, attached to the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid analyzed the repercussions that Madrid Nuevo Norte and the project’s urban development actions will have on the national economy. Madrid Nuevo Norte is going to create a new city model focused on the well-being of Madrid’s citizens. The project will also have a significant impact on the regional and national economy, which in turn translates into more opportunities and a better quality of life for all citizens. This sustained impact over time will not be limited to the city of Madrid; the project will have an impact on the region and the country as a whole, promoting economic recovery. In total, it has been calculated that the project will create 348,064 jobs between the construction phase and the future activity that it will generate in the offices and businesses in the new neighbourhoods. During the construction phase, the 149,622 jobs that will be created in Madrid represent 4.8% of the population currently employed in the region. When Madrid Nuevo Norte is finished, it will have the capacity for up to 146,488 more jobs. The total investment for the development of Madrid Nuevo Norte is 11.1 B€. The purchase of properties will add private investment to that figure, for a total cost associated with the Madrid Nuevo Norte project of 25.2 B€. The economic impact of Madrid Nuevo Norte will extend beyond the Region of Madrid and will add to the national GDP. A total of 5.9 B€ in taxes will be collected by all of the Public Administrations. *This project is still in development. The completion date is to be determined*

Canal de Isabel II (CYII) is the only company that manages the water supplies for Madrid, Spain. It is owned by the Autonomous Community of Madrid. The Y in the abbreviated form of the company's name is from the old spelling Ysabel for Queen Isabel II, during whose reign a modern water supply was provided for Madrid. A canal was constructed to provide water from the catchment of the river Lozoya. The Community of Madrid has a population of about 6.5 million people. To manage the necessary water resources, the Community operates, via Canal de Isabel II Gestión S.A., 14 dams; 75 underground water intakes; 13 drinking water treatment plants; 29 major and 285 minor regulating reservoirs; 17,163 kilometers of adduction and distribution network; 159 drinking water pumping stations and 125 sewage pumping stations; 11,148 kilometers of sewage network; 63 storm tanks; 751 kilometers of main sewers and outfalls; 156 wastewater treatment plants; and 347 kilometers network of reclaimed water.

Malasaña is an area in the center of Madrid, Spain. It does not correspond to any administrative division, but it is often conflated with Universidad, the wider administrative neighborhood on which Malasaña is located. The webpage providing touristic information published the Madrid City Council set as limits the streets of San Bernardo, the Gran Vía, Fuencarral and Carranza. Malasaña is associated with a creative and counter-cultural scene. Malasaña is to the west of Chueca and to the east of Argüelles. It is surrounded by several metro stations and is a central neighbourhood of Madrid. Residents include Esperanza Aguirre, the former President of the Community of Madrid, amongst other politicians and several artists. Malasaña is named after a 15-year-old girl Manuela Malasaña who once lived on San Andrés Street. She was executed by the French following the uprising in 1808. Today, there is a street named in her honour very close to the roundabout Glorieta de Bilbao. The area's center is the Plaza del Dos de Mayo (in commemoration of a popular uprising on May 2, 1808, brutally repressed by the French troops and which started the Spanish Independence War).

Akihabara Electric Town—affectionately known as Akiba—is worldly famous for its densely packed buildings crammed full of anime, manga, and game paraphernalia. It's a must-go spot for visitors to Japan who want to bask in geeky otaku culture. Located in the heart of Tokyo, Akihabara Station is easily accessible via the JR Yamanote Line. In the 1930s, this climate turned Akihabara into a future-oriented market region specializing in household electronics, such as washing machines, refrigerators, televisions, and stereos, earning Akihabara the nickname "Electric Town". As household electronics began to lose their futuristic appeal in the 1980s, the shops of Akihabara shifted their focus to home computers at a time when they were only used by specialists and hobbyists. This new specialization brought in a new type of consumer, computer nerds or otaku. The market in Akihabara naturally latched onto their new customer base that was focused on anime, manga, and video games. The connection between Akihabara and otaku has survived and grown to the point that the region is now known worldwide as a center for otaku culture, and some otaku even consider Akihabara to be a sacred place.

Lined with North African small stores and graffiti-covered walls, this neighborhood defies any conventional expectations you might have about France. Its defining feature is La Friche Belle de Mai, an arts center built inside a former tobacco factory. At first glance, it looks like a colorful skatepark—but if you venture further, you’ll find a cafe and bookstore, art exhibitions, and a local market. Nearby, there’s also a one-screen theater, Cinema Le Gyptis. It may be initially hard to identify, but it’s impossible to miss, because it’s covered in black-and-white portraits. They were created by a street artist, JR, who installed a photo booth to capture images of local residents, and then pasted the photographs onto the theatre facade. This large-format street pasting is just one of many pieces that JR created for his “Inside Out” project, a TED-funded initiative that transforms messages of personal identity into works of art.

The 606, also known as the Bloomingdale Trail, is a 2.7-mile elevated park and multi-use trail in Chicago, built on a former rail line. It connects several neighborhoods on the city's west side, offering green space, walking, biking, and recreational areas. The 606 features gardens, art installations, and spectacular views of the surrounding areas, fostering community engagement and providing a safe, accessible space for outdoor activities. The project has revitalized previously underused urban space, creating a vibrant pathway that links parks, cultural hubs, and local businesses.

The Populus Hotel in Denver is a striking example of placemaking through sustainability, design, and urban integration. Touted as the first carbon-positive hotel in the United States, Populus is more than just a place to stay—it’s a thoughtfully designed destination that enhances the cultural, environmental, and social fabric of downtown Denver. Placemaking Elements at Populus: Sustainable Identity – The hotel goes beyond carbon neutrality by investing in reforestation and ecological restoration, turning sustainability into a core aspect of its public image and experience. This environmental commitment reflects growing public values and enhances community pride. Architectural Character – Designed by the renowned firm Studio Gang, Populus features a distinctive façade inspired by aspen tree eyes, blending natural forms with modern architecture. The building itself becomes a visual landmark, contributing to Denver’s skyline and identity. Public Engagement Spaces – The hotel includes rooftop and ground-level gathering spaces, such as cafes, event areas, and a restaurant, that are open to both guests and locals—fostering community interaction and urban activation. Urban Integration – Located near Denver’s Civic Center, the hotel encourages walkability, connectivity, and engagement with local attractions, aligning with placemaking goals of mobility and accessibility. Economic & Cultural Vitality – Populus contributes to the city’s economy while celebrating local art, nature, and sustainability values, making it not just a hotel, but a cultural and ecological statement in urban development.