December 21, 2016

Macon gets some love

Next City gives Macon a little love for their excellent work in creating the world's first pop-up bike network.  As stated in the article: "Macon, Georgia, population 150,000, was able to increase cyclist counts nearly tenfold during a one-week pop-up bike network, which at 8 miles, may have been...

December 16, 2016

GR Forward Day!

Grand Rapids celebrates the one year anniversary of the adoption of GR Forward.

Reimagining the Civic Commons

December 15, 2016

Reimagining the Civic Commons

The strength and vibrancy of cities has always taken root in the public assets we share collectively as citizens. To build social capital, encourage civic engagement, and prosper, cities need common ground, spaces where citizens of all backgrounds can mix. Yet in the past century, support for public assets – our libraries, parks, recreation centers, pools, and schools - has declined. Assets and organizations that once defined our shared experience as citizens have, in many cases, suffered from decades of disinvestment and decline, decreasing our sense of trust, empathy, and connection to our neighbors, a trend that has come to epitomize our era. Reimagining the Civic Commons is a national effort initiative to demonstrate how public assets can once again drive prosperous, equitable, and connected communities. Working in Akron, Chicago, Detroit, and Memphis over the next three years, our charge is to help each community measure the social, economic, cultural, and environmental impact of their work. Building from our recent work on Philadelphia’s Rebuild initiative, we look forward to being partners in the work of the Civic Commons, developing new tools and methods for understanding the dynamics of public space, and discovering new ways of unlocking the potential of our common ground to revitalize communities. Reimagining the Civic Commons is made possible by the generous support of the JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and local funders.

November 28, 2016

Chinatown: more than just a tourist destination

Philadelphia’s Chinatown is a unique ecosystem that encompasses immigrants, small businesses and manufacturers, institutions, visitors, and a growing creative class. Known to outsiders mainly as a place for food and commerce, Chinatown is also a residential neighborhood and remains a vital hub of community and services for immigrants who have dispersed to other parts of the city – a home away from home.

Plan Philly

November 22, 2016

Rebuild receives $100m grant towards implementation

The William Penn Foundation announced today that it would be giving its largest grant ever (!) to help implement Rebuild - Philadelphia's proposed $500m investment in its community infrastructure. Interface Studio led the team to help shape the program, and we're over the moon about its potential impact on our City.

October 11, 2016

You're darn tootin'

The public process kicked off last night in Fargo for the Downtown Infocus comprehensive master plan. Over 280 members of the community came out to help us shape their vision for the future of Downtown Fargo.

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

September 13, 2016

GR Forward Wins Michigan APA Excellence Award

GR Forward, the community plan and investment strategy to guide the next generation of growth in Downtown Grand Rapids, received the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan from the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP). According to the APA, the Daniel Burnham Award celebrates comprehensive or general plans that further "the science and art of planning."

June 15, 2016

Ben Bryant speaks at Act Urban 2016

June 08, 2016

Manayunk Bridge Trail wins 2016 Preservation Acheivement Award

The Manayunk Bridge Trail project was recently selected by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia (PAGP) to receive a 2016 Preservation Achievement Grand Jury Award.

May 02, 2016

Ben Bryant & Chris DiStasi join Interface Studio

We are thrilled to welcome Ben and Chris to the team!