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News from PPS

Announcing the October round of PPS training courses; a call for entries for the 2005 Rudy Bruner Awards; and more.

Register Now for PPS's October Training Courses

PPS invites you to two workshops, How to Turn a Place Around and How to Create Successful Public Markets on Oct 28-29, 2004 in New York City.

HOW TO TURN A PLACE AROUND is designed for professionals and non-professionals alike who help shape towns and cities -- from highway engineers and real estate developers to community garden advocates and housing specialists. Based on PPS's 29 years of experience in placemaking, and inspired by our popular book, "How to Turn a Place Around," the course shows step-by-step our unique approach to revitalization.


Fred Kent leads a site tour.

During the course, participants work in small teams to observe and analyze places in Greenwich Village and Battery Park City, two very different parts of New York City. The site visits illustrate pertinent issues, provide insight into how public spaces function, and encourage participants to see the sites from a user's point of view. New to the course this fall, we will be discussing the sites through the lens of "Urban Parks and Civic Life."

Registration covers two days of tuition, including a neighborhood tour, in-depth presentations and discussions, on-site evaluation, case studies, a copy of How to Turn a Place Around, and training support materials. Light lunch on Thursday and Friday, and refreshments will also be provided.

To register and for more information, please visit the workshop webpage, or contact Jande Wintrob at 212-620-5660, jwintrob@pps.org.

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HOW TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL MARKETS is a one and a half day workshop led by our own public market experts Steve Davies and David O'Neil.

Cities and towns across the US are rediscovering the benefits of public markets. At this workshop, you will:

  • Learn how to start a market in your neighborhood or town;
  • Look at case studies and explore the market planning process, including goal-setting, concept development, economic feasibility, management, site selection and design;
  • Visit and analyze some of New York's most famous markets;
  • Meet other folks from around the country working on a variety of public market projects.


Participants in the April 2004 "How to Create Successful Markets" workshop say "cheese."

Sign up now and join a small, dynamic group of people that in past workshops has included mayors, planning officials, community development officials, neighborhood organizers and market sponsors.

For additional inquiries, please contact Chris Heitmann at 212-620-5660 or at cheitmann@pps.org.

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From our friends at the Bruner Foundation:

Call for Entries: 2005 Rudy Bruner Award

Applications for the 2005 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence are now available.

The Rudy Bruner Award is given to urban places that demonstrate the successful integration of effective process, meaningful values and good design. RBA winners are distinguished by their social, economic and contextual contributions to the urban environment, and often provide innovative solutions to our cities most challenging problems.

The RBA awards one Gold Medal of $50,000 and four Silver Medals of $10,000 each.

2005 Selection Committee:

  • Mayor Shirley Franklin, Atlanta, GA
  • Maurice Cox, Asst. Professor of Arch., University of Virginia; Founding Partner, RBGC Architecture, Research + Urbanism, Charlottesville, VA
  • Christopher Leinberger, Founding Partner, Arcadia Land Co., Albuquerque, NM; Managing Partner, Robert Charles Lesser & Co., Washington, D.C.
  • Louise Manuel, Sr. Project Manager, Local Initiatives Support Corp, Los Angeles, CA;
  • Richard Solomon, Director, Graham Foundation, Chicago, IL
  • Dee Walsh, Executive Director, REACH Community Development Corp., Portland, OR

For more information or to receive an application, contact:

Bruner Foundation
130 Prospect Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Ph. 617.715.3184;
Fax 617-876-4002;
Email: application@brunerfoundation.org
Download the application:
www.brunerfoundation.org

The application deadline is December 13, 2004.

Please provide your name, title, company or organization, full address and daytime phone and/or fax number. Please let us know how you learned about the Award.

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Special Parks Features:

The World's Best and Worst Parks

PPS names the parks--both superb and shameful--that stand out from the rest. Which places do you think should make the list?

PPS Programs for Great Parks and Squares

Our placemaking services revitalize important community gathering spaces.

Six Parks We Can All Learn From

People everywhere are searching for ways local parks can better serve their communities. In the pursuit of great parks, here are six places to learn from.

Five Parks That Would Benefit Most From a Turnaround

Observing the world's best parks is inspiring, but learning from the missed opportunities of underperforming parks can be even more helpful in creating great public spaces.

Parks for the Future

PPS President Fred Kent frames the debate on contemporary park design and landscape architecture.

Which Direction for Our Parks?

Recent trends show a strong new focus on parks as public places that enhance almost everything about their communities. At the same time, interest grows in parks that have been designed as aesthetic objects. Which represents the future?

Placemakers in Parks

Many of the world's best parks wouldn't be the places they are today without the efforts of these dedicated individuals.

Chicago's New Millennium Park

Jay Walljasper tours Chicago's new blockbuster park, and walks away believing it will become a great public place in spite of its design.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Parks

New York's Bryant Park, a tremendous comeback story, is endangered again – this time by encroaching privatization.

Regular Columns:

Park Talk

A look back at this summer's Great Parks/Great Cities conference in London. Plus, parks in the news.

News from PPS

Announcing the October round of PPS training courses; the 2005 Rudy Bruner Awards; and more.

The Place Poll

Be a part of our new feature, "My Favorite Place." And don't forget to tell us what you think of the latest batch of nominations from Great Public Spaces.

Monthly Snapshots

You know a park is a great place when people feel comfortable displaying affection for each other.

Public Voices

Readers share their thoughts on the Seattle Public Library and the state of contemporary architecture.



PPS wants to hear your ideas on what people can do to make towns and neighborhoods everywhere more lovable and livable. This mean everything from small courtesies to redevelopments. We want to publicize practical steps to improve life in the places we call home, covering all possibilities from urban design to community spirit to public safety.

Email your ideas, with photos and personal stories if possible, to MakingPlaces@pps.org or send them to:

Andy Wiley-Schwartz
Project for Public Spaces
153 Waverly Place, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10014


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