“Play in the City”—How Cities are Becoming More Playful and Awe-Inspiring

I’ve been writing for NeighborMedia, a citizen-driven, volunteer news and activities outlet here in Cambridge, MA. My latest post explores an emerging and important policy idea for cities around the world: how to integrate “play” into the otherwise orderly and mundane city? Play, in its many forms, has important educational, developmental, physical and policy implications for urban planners, government officials, business leaders, schools, and all citizens. Here’s a little snippet of the post:

Everybody plays. From the newborn just discovering “peek-a-boo” to the college student rediscovering hacky sack on the quad and to grandparents playing with their grandchildren, play is an almost universal human experience. For policy makers, urban planners, and designers, play is, on the one hand, an established part of the urban landscape—cities have set aside park space and playgrounds since the start of the Industrial Revolution in part to escape the harsh realities of the city.

Read the full post by clicking through here.

Charrette participants at "Play in the City" develop new play concepts for the City of Cambridge.