Social Life Project

"Shared public spaces can bridge divides, unite communities, and serve as platforms for a more inclusive future." - Parkly Step into the world of placemaking and inclusive cities with Ethan Kent, one of the leading voices shaping the movement.

“#PublicSpace and #placemaking are tools to break down silos, foster collaboration, and drive innovation at the intersections of movements.” @ethankent.bsky.social
interviewed by Päivi Raivio of #PlacemakingFinland, #NordicPlacemaking and #PlacemakingEurope: parkly.city/interview_et...

Got to visit the Bronx #NewRootsCommunityFarm for their Harvest Festival. Part of Aley Kent’s national #NewRootsIRC program at International Rescue Committee.

An inspiring example of connecting #RefugeePlacemaking, #UrbanAgriculture & #PublicMarkets.

#RefugeesWelcome #LocalFood #PlacemakingNYC

The Social Life of Cycling: How Bikes Can Propel Human Connection Bikes are both a mobility method and a social experience. Cycling adds much value to city life – enhancing its energy, character, and vibrancy.

@kelseyhuse.com www.sociallifeproject.org/the-social-l...

YouTube video by Streetfilms® William “Holly” Whyte in His Own Words, “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” (1980)

Very exciting! The seminal 1980 documentary "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces" by William H. "Holly" Whyte has been RESTORED and screening in NYC this week!

I wanted to honor his work and used his words in the companion book and produced this 11 years ago.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU2v...

The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces Revisiting the newly restored classic film by William H. Whyte

Some background on how Whyte formed the foundation of our work and the recent restoring of his classic film: www.sociallifeproject.org/the-social-l...

Usually Vienna’s City Hall Plaza is wonderfully programmed. Currently it is a car show!

Cars are effectively privatizing and protesting the civic and pedestrian use of public space. This should be protested!

#PlacemakingAustria #PlacemakingEurope

How Vienna’s Rathaus, and other public buildings, often do well in contributing to public space: www.sociallifeproject.org/why-turning-...

@ppsplacemaking.bsky.social is working on making one available.

"The social life of small urban spaces is not found by the planners, it is found by the people who use them."

Squares can be small, and still include many layers of purpose and meaning.

Piazzetta Capri, Italy

@placemakingx.bsky.social @sociallifeproject.bsky.social

Articles to help us learn how to make great squares from @sociallifeproject.bsky.social:
www.sociallifeproject.org/tag/squares/

This is awesome! Whyte’s work on plazas is eternally relevant

Wish I could be in NY for this event. The film makes Whyte's work so clear and accessible. It would be super fun to see it with a crowd!

Block parties always bring out the best in Brooklyn.

@sociallifeproject.bsky.social @stoopstories.bsky.social

Safety & Security in Public Space

The decline in DC social life may likely make the city less safe. If they want to make it safer they need to increase social life, not diminish it.
www.pps.org/article/safe...

The DC place management organizations look at security more holistically integrated with placemaking.

If the federal show of force in Washington has had a deterrent effect on crime, it appears to have deterred entirely normal aspects of city life, too.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/u...

“The best way to handle the problem of ‘undesirables’ is to make a place attractive to everyone else" #WilliamHWhyte

Social life is down on DC streets.

"The best way to handle the problem of ‘undesirables’ is to make a place attractive to everyone else" #WilliamHWhyte

Episode 89: Global Ideas for Local Placemaking In this episode we bring you the highlights from Global Placemaking Summit which took place in March at Evergreen in Toronto. First, we drill down into the meaning to the term with some of the event

Global Ideas for Local #Placemaking by @spacingradio.bsky.social's @glynbowerman.bsky.social: soundcloud.com/spacingradio...

@spacing.bsky.social @placemaking-canada.bsky.social @tjhfx.bsky.social @andrew-pask.bsky.social @ethankent.bsky.social @evergreencanada.bsky.social
#GlobalPlacemakingSummit

We're pleased to be collaborating with @anthologyfilm.bsky.social @ppsplacemaking.bsky.social @placemakingx.bsky.social @openplans.org @nyc.streetsblog.org @masnyc.bsky.social @natestorring.bsky.social @ethankent.bsky.social and many others...

October 1st Screening: The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces Please join us for a Special Screening of William H. (“Holly”) Whyte's newly restored film–The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces–with the Founders of Project for Public Spaces and The Social Life Proj...

📽️ 🍿 October 1st Screening: The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces

Please join us for a Special Screening of #WilliamHWhyte's newly restored film–The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces–with the Founders of @ppsplacemaking.bsky.social & The Social Life Project:
www.sociallifeproject.org/the-social-l...

The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces

Revisiting the newly restored classic film by William H. Whyte
www.sociallifeproject.org/the-social-l...

@anthologyfilm.bsky.social @placemakingx.bsky.social @ppsplacemaking.bsky.social

#Placemaking #PublicSpace #Urbanism #WilliamHWhyte

Rhinebeck, New York was looking charming, drawing many to stroll and socialize. @sociallifeproject.bsky.social #StreetsAsPlaces

Join us in New Zealand this November!

With @tjhfx.bsky.social @placemaking-canada.bsky.social @guillbernal.bsky.social @cityshaper.bsky.social @ethankent.bsky.social

#PlacemakingAotearoa #PlacemakingNZ #Placemaking #UrbanHealth #HealthyPlaces

Love This Town: Waterfront Lessons from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada We need more places that go beyond meeting basic functional needs, and contribute to

Lessons from Halifax #WaterfrontPlacemaking:
www.pps.org/article/love... by @tjhfx.bsky.social

@placemakingx.bsky.social @placemaking-canada.bsky.social

Much thanks to @tjhfx.bsky.social! @placemaking-canada.bsky.social

#ICUH25 presents its third plenary on "Place Matters"!

We're lucky to welcome @ethankent.bsky.social ED @placemakingx.bsky.social — whose decades of #placemaking work continue to shape #communities around the world

Eager to learn from Ethan? Join us in Wellington this fall!

Tickets: icuh2025.org

📣 Announcing: the 5th Int'l #PlacemakingWeek is heading to #Detroit, Michigan, USA, June 24–26, 2026! 🎉Co-hosted by
Downtown Detroit Partnership, this global gathering celebrates #publicspaces, creativity, & community. 🔗 Learn more: placemakingweek.org
#Placemaking #DowntownDet #DowntownDetroit

🎞️ "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces"—William H. "Holly" Whyte’s iconic 1980 doc—has been digitally restored! Premieres Fri, 9/26 at 7pm at @anthologyfilm.bsky.social in partnership w/ MAS NYC, followed by a panel. 🎟️ www.pps.org/events/the-s...
#PPSTurns50 @sociallifeproject.bsky.social

Let’s Build Place-Led Power for Civil Society | Ethan Kent Let’s Build Place-Led Power for Civil Society Place leadership — networked locally and globally — has a vital role in building resilience and resistance amid the unprecedented attacks on NGOs and civ...

Let’s Build Place-Led Power for Civil Society

Place leadership — networked locally and globally — has a vital role in building resilience & resistance amid the unprecedented attacks on NGOs & civil society.

Reflections on "The End of the Age of NGOs":
www.linkedin.com/posts/ethanb...