Principles for creating great places

"Effective public spaces are extremely difficult to accomplish, because their complexity is rarely understood. As William (Holly) Whyte said, “It’s hard to design a space that will not attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished.”

"In our 1999 book “How to Turn a Place Around,” PPS identified 11 key elements in transforming public spaces into vibrant community places, whether they’re parks, plazas, public squares, streets, sidewalks, or the myriad other outdoor and indoor spaces that have public uses in common. This was a key milestone in our history, as this book helped to launch and define the placemaking movement."

1. The community is the expert
2. Create a place, not a design
3. Look for partners
4. You can see a lot just by observing
5. Have a vision
6. Start with the petunias: lighter, quicker, cheaper
7. Triangulate
8. They always say, ‘It can’t be done’
9. Form supports function
10. Money is not the issue
11. You are never finished

For more information, visit: http://www.therenewalproject.com/11-principles-for-creating-great-community-places/.