Stephen Davies

Stephen (Steve) Davies co-founded Project for Public Spaces (PPS) and guided the organization’s development for 40 years as a member of its senior leadership team, helping to build PPS into an organization with remarkable depth and influence. In this capacity, he became one of the world’s experts on placemaking and its contribution to revitalizing cities and communities. During his long tenure at PPS, Steve built a broad portfolio of transformative projects which have been catalysts for community renewal in cities across the U.S. and abroad. As director of PPS’s public market program, he provided technical assistance in market development and regeneration in over 100 communities and directed seven international public markets conferences. He is especially noted for his work with markets in economically disadvantaged cities and neighborhoods. Steve continues his placemaking advocacy and technical assistance work as Principal of Place Solutions Group, President of The Placemaking Fund, and a member of the advisory board of PlacemakingX, a global networking organization program of the Fund. He has been a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt since 2016. His course, Markets and the Micro-Economy of Places, explores how diverse forms of public markets, street vending, and other micro-economic activities contribute to the wider social, environmental, health, and economic impact of urban public spaces.

M.Arch., University of California, Berkeley.

BA, Art and Environmental Studies, Williams College