Urban Action

The focus of my education at Columbia is public health, but is more specifically focused on creating healthy cities. In my first Urban Space and Health class, we were asked to define a "healthy city." Although there were many responses, our professor challenged each one and left us without a definitive answer to the question she had posed.

My experiences in New York thus far have shown me that a healthy city is one that is inclusive. It is one in which people create community and engage in shared experiences with one another. People need to feel like they are stakeholders in their community and in their city. If residents have a say in how the spaces around them are utilized, they are more likely to use those spaces themselves. This is true for parks, walking trails, libraries, recreation centers, etc.

Urban design often takes a very top-down approach, and thus, typically leaves residents out of the planning process. Today I read about a 72 Hour Urban Action Challenge which was not just inspiring, but is also what I believe cities should aspire to (Thanks, Ari!). GOOD Magazine featured a story about this concept, which began in Israel and produced amazing results. Participants were challenged to identify and solve problems in public spaces within 3 days and 3 nights. Ideas included turning an alley into a public amphitheater and creating a multi-use gateway to a business district. 

I hope to see more initiatives like this in the future and I look forward to seeing the solutions developed by Los Angeles residents when the Challenge takes place on April 20th.

Pictures of the amazing solutions from Israel can be seen here: 72 Hour Urban Action Challenge
The original GOOD article can be seen here: GOOD Magazine