Twin sisters (I assume) out together on Paseo de la Reforma. This street is alive everyday but it is unbelievable on Sundays. No cars, just friends and family out enjoying their city.
Young guy I spotted while out on a walk.
Bike maintenance is much cheaper than car maintenance. Keep your hex wrenches handy and your bike lanes protected, people.
Mexico City, 2021
A few riders on one of the BRT (bus rapid transit) lines. BRT lines (the good ones) have dedicated lanes, faster on boarding, fare prepay, and really REALLY nice bus stops. They move more people than cars ever could and put quality, reliable transit options within reach for all.
This level of commitment to transportation is envious.
Mexico City 2019
My gosh I love this park. Soccer fields, basketball courts, walking paths, jungle gyms, exercise equipment, band shell, water fountain, trees for days. It is one square block. And it was PACKED. Jam pack a park with potential and people will come.
These two friends watch from the sidelines of a pickup game. Good places are the stage for bonds to be created. Truly a human habitat here.
Parque Alfonso Esparza Oteo, Mexico City
Take care.
Of your body
Of your mind
Of your spirit
More Sunday Ciclovía. Give spaces to people and watch what happens. This city more than encourages its citizens to be active, it provides the means to do it. Free gym equipment in parks, free bike rentals, the bike share is $20 per year- unlimited rides (wow), and simply getting the cars out of the way. People want to be active, let’s remove the barriers to doing so.
Sundays in the park.
This is the first park I went to on my first journey to Mexico City. It’s located right in the middle of the historic center near many of the tourist attractions so there are many foreigners in the park (A gentleman asked me if I was French….. in French. I am not).
But it is frequented by locals, too. Every Sunday a rollerblading group gets together to practice, learn new skills, and have fun.
I love this park.
Medellín, Colombia. Unidad Deportiva Belén. A free sports park. Two young boys I watched play one-on-one for awhile as I photographed other players in the park. This in between moment made possible only by having an appropriately scaled park with inviting elements and reason to stay and linger beyond the original purpose of going to the park.
Sunday Ciclovía- Mexico City
The Tuesday tiangis down the street from my apartment. This outdoor market pops up every Tuesday morning like clockwork. Vendors set up shop selling everything. Clothes, electronics, jewelry, small appliances, books, and fruit of course.
These marketplaces create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs sell their wares with the small upfront cost of a table and a tent. Everyone need not open up shop in a 2,000 sf retail storefront.
The Cineteca in Mexico City. Old films, foreign films, craft cocktails, fresh air. Unpretentious. Perfect date night.
This is a great space to hang out for free. Many of our cities lack the dynamism to attract people because they lack spaces to be for free.
A free practice space for dancers. This park is perfect. Well maintained, tree canopy throughout, ample seating, walking paths. It really is a perfect neighborhood park.
Quality public space will pay for itself sevenfold.
Ciudad De Mexico, 2019
A walk in Parque Berrío- Medellín, Colombia. A street-oriented retail space helps blur the line between public and private and increases the connection between the people occupy the spaces.
Kids are a good indicator species of any worthwhile space, parks included. Free roaming kids and you know you’ve built a truly quality space. Safe, well lit, inviting, interesting. Go.
Mexico City
The bus only lane doubles as a bike lane even if illegally. It’s a much safer and comfortable ride when 2 ton metal boxes aren’t zipping past 2 feet away.
The coach let me drop in on practice for a bunch of shots. All the programs are sponsored by the government so anyone, any age, any income level can get involved in a sport. Equity leads to healthier lives leads to lower healthcare costs. You love to see it.
Medellin, Colombia
Antigua, Guatemala. Narrow, cobble-stoned streets call for a more subtle transit. The preferred choice makes it a lot easier to walk around town.
Retail & work units need not be huge spaces. A large number of smaller shops allow for a variety of uses and affordable rates. This helps create a vibrant street life with more activities happening and more people passing through.
The buses in Medellín may be confusing, but what they lack in clarity they more than make up in connectivity and quantity. They supplement- not compete with- the Metro and gondolas in the city. Many trips begin or end with a bus ride in addition to the Metro. All of the systems are connected with one transit card.
Shade is an important part in creating any place worth staying. Trees, bridges, buildings all contribute to making a space more comfortable and inviting. And when people linger it attracts yet more people. A good point for retailers to understand- locate near, or better yet build, people attracting spaces and you have a built in customer base.
A group of kids wait the rain out at one of the sports parks in Medellín.
Kids are an indicator species of a good place. Unsupervised kids are even better. Only in safe places do parents let kids run free.
This is from a Sunday ciclovia in Mexico City. Roads closed to cars allow kids to bond and explore their city.
Note the girl on the left is holding the scooter up while her friend ties her shoe. Small acts of kindness in the big city.
This corner bakery is one of many in the neighborhood. When you have sufficient density, you can have nice things- and lots of them- nearby, not a car ride away. It’s such a more pleasant and lively neighborhood when errands are made by foot.
In the market.
Medellin, Colombia
Spaces are only as good as their edges. A worker attends to a facade in Antigua, Guatemala. Easily the most walkable place I’ve traveled to during the trip.
Cineteca- Mexico City
What looked to me to be a Boy/Girl Scouts troop in a park near my house. This park always has something happening.
Mexico City
A woman takes a break during the weekly Ciclovía- Mexico City. The number of women biking is striking. This makes sense though, as better biking infrastructure increases the number women riders. If you want to build an inclusive city, build inviting spaces for ALL users.
Mexico City
Something is in the air with skating here. People of all ages. Skate classes in parks. Competitions. This park is always filled with skaters. It is very VERY well maintained.
Build it and people will come.
Mexico City
