This week’s Glass House Conversation may be of particular interest to mammoth readers.  Deborah Marton, of the Design Trust for Public Space, asks:

Everyone agrees that public space is important, but why? We know that quality public space is the bellwether of a healthy society. Strong communities supported by well-conceived public spaces are better positioned to defend against a range of social ills including physical deterioration of the environment and crime, particularly in times of economic hardship. The best public spaces foster a sense of civic optimism that is critical to building the social cohesion necessary for a vibrant culture and democracy. Obviously public space should be beautiful and well designed for circulation, but what else should it do?

How can public spaces be designed to help individuals become more active participants – socially, economically, intellectually, physically – in the life of their communities?

You can join the conversation here.  If we weren’t so buried in work this week, we would be.

(If you’re not familiar with Glass House Conversations, the basic idea is that each week, a guest “host” is invited to contribute a question, which registered commentators — anyone can register — then discuss for the remainder of the week.  Recent hosts include Geoff Manaugh, Alissa Walker, and Alexandra Lange.  There’s something a bit odd about the format — is a cleanly-designed and time-limited bulletin board the internet mode most conducive to thoughtful discussion? — but the content can be quite good at times.  And it’s certainly more accessible and democratic than the original “invitational dialogues” that inspired it.)