This past Saturday, a number of neighbors, grassroots activists and urban planners got together in the Five Points neighborhood to host an exercise in good design practice (see more).
The result was a fantastic urbanist showstopper that literally transformed a vapid intersection into a vibrant space by introducing functional street art, temporary street calming designs, pedestrian-friendly elements, aesthetic charm, and simple green foliage (love the image of the woman watering the shrub). There were even some bizarre interactive seating arrangements to spark the imaginations of all who participated.
The placemaking exercise was both fun and lesson-driven. It shows just how valuable it is to get the community together to create a neighborhood that residents feel is worth living in and investing in. By showing the tangible results of the exercise, the hope is that a permanent plan can be devised so that this temporary oasis might one day become an everyday epicenter of humanist activity (see here).
Thanks to the CNU crew for bringing this project to light. Now, can we repeat this exercise on other parts of the city?