From a philosophical viewpoint, the modern way of life and urban surroundings have made people feel isolated and helpless due to their disconnection from the realm of metaphors. As a result, it is imperative to resist any slogans that purport to promote human progress.
Loneliness is becoming increasingly prevalent in the U.S. In #NewYork, more than half of the population reports feeling lonely at least some of the time. There are numerous reasons for the rise in loneliness in cities, including technological advancements and demographic shifts. However, loneliness is not a personal choice or individual problem, but rather one rooted in place design, social norms, and systemic injustices. Last Friday, Gehl's Candice Ji and Eamon O'Connor attended NYC DOT's inaugural Equity In Motion Summit and participated in the ‘Reimagining Public Spaces to Create Belonging’ panel alongside Sara Lind, Emily Weidenhof, Kane Jacob, Tom Harris, and Jacob Wessel. The panel discussed the importance of fostering a sense of belonging in public spaces, building trust in local communities, and the significance of stewardship and inclusivity in public spaces. Do you have any other ideas on how we can program and design our public spaces to encourage more social connections? Share your thoughts in the comments! #gehlpeople #equityinmotionsummit #publicspace #socialconnection #loneliness #cities?NYC Department of Parks & Recreation #NewYorkCityDepartmentofTransportation Image credits: Joakim Sass Züger and Lars Gemz?e