Tag Archives: character


Framing and the Bridge to Sustaining Place


Today’s Substack post explains the value of physical framing in understanding places: Back to some nagging questions about places, observation, and photography, regardless of scale. How and why do we choose to understand where we live and explore? What are your go-tos? Today, regarding my go-tos, I will ask an […]

Place Parts, Episode 17: Understanding the Blends


Today’s episode in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, recalls the look and feel of urban blends discussed in Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character. First, I return to a venue discussed in the Introduction (available in the link at the end of this entry). Second, I describe several […]

Place Parts, Episode 10: Choreographing Place, with Sherry Dobbin


As we emerge from the pandemic, why center only on architectural compatibility or placemaking listicles? Why not admit the common adage, that the city–and its places–are a stage? As Futurecity Ltd cultural strategist Sherry Dobbin advises, the stage should be choreographed based on a comprehensive analysis of stakeholders’ fantasies and […]

Place Parts, Episode 5: A Place-LEARNing Primer


Today, in Place Parts, Episode 5, we follow up on Episode 3, about the importance of distinguishing the storybook from the real, something we also discussed with actor Richard Karn in Episode 4. What are the methods for doing so? The answer: LEARN and “context keys.” In my new book, […]

Place Parts, Episode 2: Place, Time, and Ideas


Welcome back to Place Parts, Episode 2, a short video feature in anticipation of the release of my third book, Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character: Principles and Best Practices, available very shortly in the United States, and eventually, around the world.  Last time, in Place Parts, Episode 1, we talked […]

Place Parts, Episode 1: A Sustaining Place Companion


Welcome to Place Parts, Episode 1, a short video feature in anticipation of the release of my third book, Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character: Principles and Best Practices, available very shortly in the United States, and eventually, around the world.  Place Parts goes beyond two-dimensional blogging and will appear at […]

Sustaining Community in Pandemica


Let’s talk about the hyperlocal places of Pandemica, where the successes of sustaining community may live or die. They are on my mind this New Year’s Day, after a long walk in West Berkshire. I saw many local instances of non-compliance with England’s Tier 4 COVID-19 guidelines. I considered the […]

Almost Here for the Holidays: A Book to Sustain Places


Welcome back after my recent writing hiatus. For the last two months, I’ve been finalizing the proofs for Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character with the publisher, as well as heavily enmeshed in moving house to a listed property dating to the 16th century and re-addressing COVID-19 lockdown themes (discussed […]

Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character: Deep Dive


My third book, Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character: Principles and Best Practices (with Tigran Haas), will be released by early 2021 and is available for pre-order from Rowman & Littlefield, AmazonUS, AmazonUK, Barnes and Noble, and legacy bookstores worldwide. The essays and photographs exhibited on this website are a […]