Planning, Design & Implementation Services

All PPS projects are planned and directed by an interdisciplinary staff that combines a community-driven Placemaking process with techniques such as time-lapse filming, systematic observations, and specially designed surveys to analyze how people use all kinds of public spaces and to ascertain their perceptions and ideas. These techniques have been applied by PPS to develop design and management recommendations that often include small scale, easily implemented demonstration improvements that quickly enhance the social and economic vitality of public spaces, while providing an opportunity to test them in action.

PPS both retrofits public spaces and plans new spaces, with special emphasis on:

A 1981 PPS rendering. Part of a master plan for NYC's Bryant Park.

User Analysis and Programming Community Envisioning and Consensus Building Conceptual Designs and Guidelines Design Review and Program Evaluations Master Planning/Urban Design Plans/Site Planning Management Programs Amenity and Art Selection

Public Space Analysis

PPS conducts a wide variety of on-site studies, employing our own user-based analytical methodology to understand and document patterns of use and their impacts in all types of public spaces, and to evaluate the needs, perceptions and preferences of users or potential users. This involves the utilization of systematic observations, structured interviews, surveys tailored to various user groups, such as residents, merchants and shoppers, and time-lapse and documentary photography. These activities can be grouped in different configurations and in different blocks of time, depending on community goals and needs and the types of public spaces being evaluated. Using this approach, PPS is able to identify an area's problems and potential and our staff is uniquely skilled at translating the findings into specific programs and recommendations for improvements that truly meet people's needs.

Design Management and Project Supervision

PPS is offering a new service in Design Management and Project Supervision.  We are taking this step to ensure that the conceptual plans and schematic designs that we develop with communities are carried forth in a way that leads to the creation of successful spaces, once they are turned over to project designers.

Our design management and project supervision managers will stay with a project through the critical phases of approval and financing, and then implementation.   PPS will make sure that the  intentions to create a great public space are not eliminated in the many months between conceptual design and ribbon cutting.

Contact Katie Salay at ksalay@pps.org or call (212) 620-5660

Support Great Places - Become a PPS Member

Email this page