Over the past three decades, the art and science of great place-making has made significant advances. Numerous built projects, from revitalized downtowns and new districts, to new plazas and street improvements have transformed cities across the United States socially and economically. These efforts have numerous lessons to offer other cities in the country that aspire to renew their identity and quality of urban life.
Using projects and examples from across the North American geography, Vinayak Bharne’s Noon Talk at the Visioning Charrette discussed the key principles that make great places. Vinayak specifically discussed how transportation engineering, landscape, architecture, urban design, city planning, and regulation can integrate towards making enduring places over time. How can streets become mediate between the pedestrian and the car? How can new development respect the scale and character of a historic place? How can public spaces be designed to include one and all?
Vinayak leads Moule and Polyzoides’ urban design and city planning efforts and spearheads the conceptual design of architecture projects. He is a leading thinker and practitioner in the fields of urban design and planning, bringing significant experience in domestic and international urbanism at all scales.
