Tactical actions can serve as the R&D “department” of a city. We need a spectrum of approaches – from the very temporary to the solid – and temporary

Welcome to the Parkly Place Ideas Newsletter! Each month, we curate ideas, inspiration, and insights for those passionate about urban development, fostering more welcoming, social, and greener cities. We believe that inspiration propels individuals to reconsider the places, cities, or neighborhoods they engage with or reside in, while sharing knowledge empowers action.

Exploring Rotterdam’s ‘Yes, If’ Culture as Placemakers Gather in the City of Layers and Possibilities

Last month more than 700 placemaking professionals gathered in Placemaking Week in Rotterdam, a festival organised by Placemaking Europe . Rotterdam. Make It Happen. was an inspiring host city for the event, reflecting the topics and themes in real life in many tangible ways.

During the festival we had the joy to interview Charles Landry about the essence and role of creativity in city making - and solving the wicked problems cities face. Charles is an acclaimed author and advocate for the creative city approach, as well as the founder of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival - which Parkly took part of few years back.

“Tactical actions can serve as the R&D “department” of a city. We need a spectrum of approaches – from the very temporary to the solid – and temporary actions can prefigure the future.” Charles Landry

Charles is also know for promoting the "yes, if" culture, which requires curiosity and creativity. "I believe there hasn’t been enough change in our cities. Often, when people talk about systems thinking, the system itself stays largely the same. For instance, the slogan of creative bureaucracy asks how we move from a “no, because” mindset to a “yes, if” culture. If more people adopted that approach, we’d be more open-minded."

Read the interview here

A Double Advantage for City Spaces

If you wandered through the center of Helsinki this summer, you might have noticed the giant bright green sculptures by Kim Simonsson in Lasipalatsi Square - along with even more greenery in the form of plants!

Lasipalatsi Square is one of Helsinki’s most iconic public spaces. It is closely connected to the Amos Rex Art Museum, which extends into the square with its distinctive white, hill-like structures. The square’s multifunctional role - from event space to urban hangout - demands adaptable solutions. With underground structures preventing permanent planting, flexibility is essential and this is where our modular solution comes handy. Despite its vibrant atmosphere, the square has long lacked greenery and accessible seating – elements that are becoming increasingly important for its role as a dynamic urban event space.

A lively square without accessible seating or greenery misses opportunities for people to pause and enjoy its unique atmosphere.

Read more about the enlivening of Lasipalatsi Square

Meet us in Utopian Hours!

Utopian Hours by Stratosferica is the festival of “city making”: the ideas, projects and places that are improving life in the world’s cities. For three days the festival gives voice to the key players in these changes. The festival has also curated 12 innovative entities to showcase their solutions and initiatives during the Urbanites Fair - and Parkly is one of them.

We will also be hosting an interview with one of the keynote speakers - stay tuned for an inspiring conversation that’s sure to motivate action and offer a fresh perspective on urban spaces.

What is a City as a Workplace?

During the Placemaking Week we teamed up with Nature Desks to facilitate a workshop about Co-Creating Social & Green Places for Outdoor Work. While urban spaces for work and study are often overlooked, this session explored cities from a fresh perspective – focusing on public space networks, social connections, wellbeing, and the idea of a connected city. Ideas ranged from visual routes to the city’s green spaces, open pod-like spaces to creating more semi-public spaces – all contributing to a more cohesive urban environment and inclusive city.?

We’ll soon compile the key insights into a handbook in collaboration with Parkly and Nature Desks. Stay tuned!

Parkly Demo Hour Gathered Planners to Think Solutions for Urban Challenges

An interactive Demo Hour brought together planners and designers from around the world. The most common challenge identified was the car-centric focus of urban design. Addressing this issue will be the focus of the next Parkly Demo Hour in November, where we will unveil a new concept for city leaders to shift from car-centric cities to more liveable ones.

Stay tuned for the announcement of our next Demo Hour event - we look forward to welcoming you!

Thank you for reading! We hope this newsletter brought you valuable insights and inspiration. We're eager to grow our community with your support, so feel free to share it with anyone in your network who might benefit!