The great thing about being a Designer, or just appreciating design, is that great design is absolutely everywhere.
(Sadly, it's also the worst thing, as bad design is everywhere too. But I'm getting off the topic here...)
It doesn't surprise me that many of the print Designers I meet also love architecture, but I rarely hear one talking about the structure and feeling of a great city. It's an odd thing, I think. Just as a great coffeehouse can seem to inspire a design, novel, or a romance, think of what creativity a great city like Paris, Amsterdam, or San Francisco produces.
Which is why, if you're a design aficionado, you should check out the Projects for Public Spaces site, which is a non-profit "dedicated to helping people create and sustain public places that build communities."
These are the people behind encouraging local farmers markets, mixed-use developments, thriving downtowns, and better use of public transportation.
I mean, how can you not love their motto? Building Community, Creating Places, Using Common Sense
Maybe you won't agree with all their ideas (and truly, for Designers, dissension is vital part of the process, right?), but it's always great to see their takes what makes a city so right, and what makes it so wrong.
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