Critical Conversations: bridging pathways forward to greater understanding and creative solutions.

Urban Leaders Converge at Pratt’s Dynamic PlacemakingUS Roundtable

Authors: Che Powell (MS, UPM ’25), Lauren Goshinski

A presentation slide by Ya-Ting Liu, the Director of the Public Realm for New York City, displays several images illustrating urban public spaces. To the left, a large photo shows a busy city street converted into a pedestrian-friendly area with people walking, sitting, and engaging in various activities. There are planters, benches, and a clock, with yellow taxis and other vehicles navigating designated lanes. Smaller images to the right highlight vibrant urban scenes: a patio with tables and umbrellas, a bustling street market with colorful stalls, and a sidewalk cafe with people enjoying outdoor dining. Ya-Ting Liu is pictured on the right side of the slide, holding a microphone and presenting to an audience. The background behind her features a light blue screen with indistinct details.
Ya-Ting Liu, the New York City Director for the Public Realm, addresses participants, outlining future plans for urban development and community progress, June 2024. Credit: PlacemakingUS

This June, Pratt Institute hosted the National Public Realm Roundtable gathering, a dynamic symposium featuring urban leaders, governmental groups, organizations, and supporters from around the world. The event focused on maintaining, expanding, and supporting the public realm, and was hosted by Ryan Smolar, co-director of PlacemakingUS. The roundtable provided a collaborative space for public realm leaders to share their practices, research, and frustrations, fostering constructive dialogue and learning.

A presentation by Abigail Sekely from The Human Architecture and Planning Institute features a slide with multiple images and visual data. Abigail is on the left side of the image, holding a microphone in one hand and pointing to the slide with the other. She is dressed in a black blazer and has long, dark hair tied back. The slide displays a street scene with colorful flower-like patterns painted on the road, shown in the top left image. The adjacent image to the right shows the same street without the painted patterns. Below these, two heat maps demonstrate the areas of highest and lowest foot traffic, with bright green and red colors indicating higher activity. Abigail Sekely's name and title are displayed at the bottom of the slide, alongside the logo of the Human Architecture and Planning Institute.
Abigail Sekely, Executive Director, of The Human Architecture and Planning Institute (HAPI), shares research on the benefits of utilizing biometrics, like human eye tracking to aid in design practices, June 2024. Credit: PlacemakingUS

About the Symposium 

Over three days, the symposium highlighted efforts to support and challenge the status quo in the public realm. Key discussions included:

  • Catalyzing Cross-Department Synergies: Strategies for achieving significant transformations through collaboration.
  • Maintenance and Enlivening Spaces: Partnering through permits, MOUs, reimbursable expenses, and intermediary organizations.
  • Equity and Anti-Gentrification Tactics: Ensuring public spaces benefit all communities.
  • Reforming Existing Public Spaces: Utilizing streets, sidewalks, and parking spaces as new public gathering centers.
  • Connecting Public Realm to Outcomes: Demonstrating the positive impacts on health, economy, climate, and sociability to attract partners and ease permissions.
The image shows Dorian McDuffie, Public Art Project Manager for the City of Atlanta City Studio, giving a presentation. She is standing to the left of the image, speaking into a microphone and gesturing with her left hand. Dorian is wearing a vibrant, patterned jacket. The slide behind her is titled "Congregate" and features several images. Top Left Image: An outdoor installation in front of a stone building with flowers and lights, creating a festive atmosphere. Top Right Image: Colorful murals with words like "Motivate" and "Initiate" painted on the stone walls. Bottom Left Image: The same stone building at night, illuminated with various artworks and installations, including a stage setup with people gathered around. Bottom Right Image: A community gathering under a white tent, with people engaging in activities around tables. Dorian McDuffie's name and title are displayed at the bottom of the slide, alongside the logo of the City of Atlanta City Studio.
Dorian McDuffie, Public Art Project Manager from the City of Atlanta City Studio, sharing the work of pop-up urban design studio, Atlanta City Studio, highlighting their adaptive reuse of the historic St Mark AME Church, June 2024. Credit: PlacemakingUS

Keynote and Discussion

The symposium included two roundtable discussions at Pratt Institute, featuring a keynote presentation by New York City’s Public Realm Czar, Ya-Ting Liu, announcing the launch of the office’s Public Realm Report. Conversations extended beyond the institute, with urban leaders guiding discussions throughout New York City. These sessions covered various public spaces, including DOT Plazas, the Broadway Corridor, 31st and 34th Avenue Open Streets, and Corona Plaza.

  • A group of people on Citi Bikes, stopped at a street intersection, with a mix of casual and professional attire. One person in a reflective vest is pointing ahead, possibly giving directions. The setting is urban with trees and buildings in the background, and the weather appears sunny and pleasant.
    Credit: PlacemakingUS, participants on a bike tour of Brooklyn’s 34th Avenue Open Street, June 2024 (left)
  • A woman with short hair and glasses, wearing a white shirt and dark pants, is standing and speaking to a group of people seated and standing around her in an outdoor setting. The audience is diverse, with some sitting on chairs and others standing, surrounded by lush greenery and sunlight filtering through the trees. The mood is informal and engaged, indicating an outdoor meeting or educational talk.
    The symposium takes the conversation outside to assess public space across the boroughs, with Emily Weidenhof from DoT leading a tour, June 2024. Credit: PlacemakingUS (right)

Tours and Activities

Participants engaged in group tours of notable public spaces, such as Fulton Street and Brooklyn Bridge Park. These tours offered firsthand insights into the innovative use of public spaces and facilitated practical discussions on enhancing the public realm.

  • A group of people attentively listens to a speaker in a cozy, well-lit room. The speaker stands near a wall covered with colorful sticky notes and large sheets of paper filled with handwritten notes and diagrams. The attendees, seated in a semi-circle, are engaged in the discussion, creating a collaborative and interactive atmosphere. The room is decorated with wooden furniture and artwork, adding a homely feel to the professional setting.
    Participants meet for breakfast hosted by Fred Kent, June 2024. Credit: PlacemakingUS (left)             
  • A cheerful man, wearing a patterned shirt and apron, stands next to two large pans of food cooking on propane burners in an outdoor setting. He smiles and gives a peace sign with one hand while holding a cooking utensil with the other. The cooking area is adorned with string lights and surrounded by lush green plants and wooden fencing, creating a warm and inviting ambiance. Various ingredients and cooking tools are neatly arranged on a small yellow table beside him.
    Participants gather for a Backyard paella dinner hosted by Mike Lydon of Street Plans, June 2024. Credit: PlacemakingUS (right)

Impactful Learning

The symposium created an environment for sharing knowledge and reimagining public spaces. Informal gatherings, like a backyard paella party, complemented formal sessions, emphasizing the importance of community and collaboration in urban planning.

Pratt Institute’s National Public Realm Roundtable successfully brought together a diverse group of urban planners and leaders to discuss and innovate the future of public spaces. The event underscored the critical role of the public realm in fostering community, equity, and sustainability, and highlighted the transformative potential of collaborative urban planning efforts. Through these conversations, participants envisioned a future where public spaces are more inclusive, vibrant, and resilient, benefiting communities worldwide.

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