04/2003 | More Tools for Creating Livable Communities | ||
A new clearinghouse has assembled a wealth of information on creating livable communities. Better-Buildings.org, a venture of Project for Public Spaces developed in collaboration with the AIA Center for Livable Communities, American Architectural Foundation, Mayor’s Institute on City Design, General Services Administration, and International Downtown Association, offers an information treasure trove for people who design, manage, or rent space in buildings located in urban communities, particularly offices, mixed-use buildings, or facilities like courthouses, libraries, and academic centers. It explains how to make buildings fit better into their surroundings and improve the local community. Better-Buildings.org walks users through the process of turning ordinary
buildings into valuable assets by: The Web site, built on the notion that “good buildings can make a great difference,” offers research reports, case studies on architecture and site-planning principles, success stories, toolkits, and FAQ files that can help explain these processes. PPS also offers primers on “Why Many Public Spaces Fail” and a “Hall of Shame” featuring 19 projects that qualify as “empty, unsafe, dysfunctional, uninviting, disorienting, or inaccessible.” Conversely, PPS provides a selection of great public buildings worldwide with descriptions, analysis, historical backgrounds, and images and the PPS Project Experience Categories. Copyright 2003 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved. Home Page |
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