How can new approaches to streetscapes improve quality of place and quality of life?

Streets make up over a quarter of New York City’s land area, serving as public corridors that define how we navigate and experience the city. Given their significance in our city’s landscape, it’s no wonder that the design of streetscapes has a tangible and measurable impact on the well-being of New Yorkers. The designers, planners, and caretakers of the public realm, in partnership with community-based organizations, have developed a wide range of interventions to improve our city’s physical, mental, community, and environmental health. These projects, ranging from temporarily pedestrianizing streets to redesigning corridors for multimodal transport, can be seen in residential, commercial, and industrial areas, as well as in parkland, throughout the five boroughs.

Designing New York: Streetscapes for Wellness serves as a source of inspiration for policymakers, practitioners, and community advocates seeking to reimagine streets and promote public health. In celebration of this remarkable publication, Open House New York is kicking off its Public Policy Talks series with Learning from Streetscapes for Wellness. Hear from Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue and Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, alongside Sreoshy Banerjea, Executive Director of the Public Design Commission, about how this comprehensive resource will guide decision making and priority setting for projects in their relevant agencies. Streetscapes for Wellness author, Jenna E. Miller of PDC, Streetscapes for Wellness partner Jennifer Nitzky of ASLA-NY and The Fine Arts Federation of New York, and other thought leaders who contributed to this groundbreaking resource including representatives from the Department of Parks & Recreation, Department of Transportation, Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, and Van Alen Institute, will discuss the importance of community-driven streetscape design and highlight notable case studies.

AIA CES credit (2LU|HSW) is available for this program.