Ethan Kent

What a powerful session #ICUH25! Plenary 4 on "Place Matters" opened with the inspiring Kaye-Maree Dunn reminding us that our #cities aren't blank canvases & that place is never neutral — stressing the importance of honoring the local narrative to build cities that can heal & restore our #health

Wonderful to connect and support placemaking leaders in our home base city of New York!

#PlacemakingNYC #PlacemakingUS

Tour of New York City Hall today after meeting with Chief Public Realm Officer @yatingliu.bsky.social and Helsinki Placemaking officer @arvindrchn.bsky.social.
And then bumped into #placemaking advocate @jacksonchabot.bsky.social of @openplans.org!

Thanks to much for participating in this #PlacemakingAotearoa gathering.

Following #ICUH25 our ED joined a fantastic healthy #placemaking event co-hosted by Auckland rban Development Office, The Urban Room Foundation & Catalyse together with Ethan Kent from @placemakingx.bsky.social

Great discussions on #community-centered #design — thanks to all involved!

The @is4urbanhealth.bsky.social Conference masterfully brought together #placemaking & #UrbanHealth leaders from around the world, and then connected us with the deep indigenous Māori wisdom of how place and health need to support each other.

#PlacemakingAotearoa #IndigenousPlacemaking #ICUH25

#PlacemakingAotearoa was one of the first national #placemaking networks, and they continue to lead in exciting new directions today, like #IndigenousPlacemaking and #PlaceLedDevelopment.

#PlacemakingMexico has been leading on many dimensions of the global #placemaking movement.

Come learn from, shape, & support this continued leadership at the upcoming #PlacemakingWeekMexico, January 26-30, 2026: www.placemaking.mx/placemaking-...

#PlacemakingLatinoamerica #EspaciosPublicos

The lonliness, risks, and push back can be draining, but placemaking is also regenerative as it increasingly attracts and draws out people and places that create positive energy.

Networking, highlighting, and supporting otherwise isolated placemakers is a primary goal of @placemakingx.bsky.social.

Placemaking leaders are pioneers that stick their necks out and are not defined by disciplines, departments or how things have been done before. @placemakingx.bsky.social

👏😊 Time for a NYC shaped by all, for all. Affordability starts with public space for all to enjoy. Shared places that people love anchor and support inclusive, diverse economies and drive local investment, further attracting and attaching talent to further build the city. 😍🇺🇸

YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC Today is only the beginning.

Today is only the beginning.

Our time has come, New York. Our time is now.

Progress In the Places People Love Will Persevere How MAGA Could Be Helping to Bring About the Future They Most Fear(But Shouldn’t) America’s story of progress has been driven by people and places building each-other up. That progress, though under a...

Across the political landscape, when our communities are anchored by shared spaces defined by shared values – from our schools to our sidewalks – our divides become smaller and our capacity to meet our needs greater.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/progre...

Despite the divisive media noise at the national level, at the local level is where our needs are most met, where our contributions most matter, and where divides most melt.

“Through Placemaking, we can create natural, easy, organic ways for people to be in each other's presence and remind them that life is defined by genuine moments and real-life interactions and relationships, not by labels, online groups, and angry rhetoric.”

Division is the Crisis of Our Times - Connecting in Public Places is How We Heal Places where people can come together in real life are essential to being able to reconnect with each other and heal our divides.

Division is the Crisis of Our Times - Connecting in Public Places is How We Heal www.sociallifeproject.org/division-is-... by #FredKent, #KathyMadden & @drtpanova.bsky.social

#PublicSpace #Placemaking @placemakingx.bsky.social @placemaking-canada.bsky.social

The team at Placemaking Canada is deeply saddened to learn that Kathy Madden has passed away. Kathy was a friend and mentor whose guidance helped to kickstart our organization, and whose ongoing support over the years helped to keep us on track with our efforts to advance Canadian placemaking.

Join me tonight at Harvard GSD for a conversation on Public Space and #Placemaking.

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

Kathleen A. Madden (1947-2025) Kathleen (“Kathy”)  A. Madden, a prominent urban public spaces expert and placemaking leader, died on October 20, 2025, at her home in Brooklyn following a brief hospitalization.

We are saddened to share news that Kathleen A. Madden, co-founder of PPS, passed away on Monday, October 20, 2025. Kathy was a pioneering leader in the global placemaking movement. Read more: 🔗 www.sociallifeproject.org/kathleen-a-m... @sociallifeproject.bsky.social @placemakingx.bsky.social

We were so glad that she was able to make it to Toronto for the 2nd Global Placemaking Summit this past June. It was an honour to host her again – especially as the event provided an opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of PPS.

Kathleen A. Madden (1947-2025) Kathleen (“Kathy”)  A. Madden, a prominent urban public spaces expert and placemaking leader, died on October 20, 2025, at her home in Brooklyn following a brief hospitalization.

Yesterday we lost our beloved co-founder Kathy Madden. She remains the inspiration for this work, that we commit to continuing!

Please read here about her and her life’s work:
www.sociallifeproject.org/kathleen-a-m...

Nunca é expulsar, mas atrair outros grupos, diz ativista de transformações em Nova York sobre cracolândias Em São Paulo, Ethan Kent discutiu como ambientes urbanos acolhedores podem combater apropriações negativas do espaço público

Cracolândia: Nunca é expulsar, mas atrair, diz Ethan Kent

Progress In the Places People Love Will Persevere How MAGA Could Be Helping to Bring About the Future They Most Fear(But Shouldn’t) America’s story of progress has been driven by people and places building each-other up. That progress, though under a...

"Public spaces that actively include people are an antidote to politics that exclude people." @ethankent.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/pulse/progre...

Progress In the Places People Love Will Persevere How MAGA Could Be Helping to Bring About the Future They Most Fear(But Shouldn’t) America’s story of progress is through people and places building each-other up. That progress, though under attack, w...

How MAGA Could Be Helping to Bring About the Future They Most Fear(But Shouldn’t) by Ethan Kent, Executive Director, PlacemakingX
www.linkedin.com/pulse/progre...

The draft report from the 2nd Global Placemaking Summit, held in Toronto this past June, is now live. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Big props to the local organizing committee and @placemakingx.bsky.social for the collaborative effort!

Unfortunately in NYC it is the design community. Though well intentioned and progressive, they limit the affordability, informality and community defined uses of the city, perpetuating car-oriented and culturally exclusionary spaces. Ultimately they are limiting their own demand and creativity.

Home | Global Placemaking Summit The Global Placemaking Summit brings together Placemaking leaders worldwide to shape the agendas of the movement going forward. The summit will be June 8–11, 2025, in Tkaronto-Toronto, Canada.

In coordination with @placemaking-canada.bsky.social we are pleased to share a draft report of the 2nd #GlobalPlacemakingSummit:
www.placemakingx.org/summit25

Thanks so much especially to @andrew-pask.bsky.social and @tjhfx.bsky.social of #PlacemakingCanasa for making this Summit happen!

Speaker Series: Ethan Kent Collaboratory- a masterclass in collaboration and capacity building - Power of Public Spaces Past Event Speaker Series: Ethan Kent Collaboratory - a masterclass in collaboration and capacity building What does it take to 'make the spaces we live, the places we love'? This is a question Ethan ...

"Cities succeed or fail at the human scale—the place scale—and this scale is often overlooked.”
www.powerofpublicspaces.org.au/event/speake...

#PowerOfPublicSpace #Placemaking

@placemakingx.bsky.social

“Ultimately, a place is more than the physical environment. It’s about creating a virtuous cycle, where people and places build each other up, generating infinite potential for connection, wisdom, and joy.”