Book Review: Rethinking and Reshaping Public Space: The Fascinating Story of a Moment and Movement in Urban Design in New York City

Abstract

The Invention of Public Space: Designing for Inclusion in Lindsay’s New York documents a transformative period of experimentation in public space design in New York City from 1966 through 1973, under the mayoralty of John Lindsay. Combining rich archival research with captivating storytelling, the book sheds light on this time in which emerging ideas about psychology, participation, and politics were integrated into the design of public environments. It makes a compelling argument for the importance of this time and place in spurring a broad rethinking of the very concept of public space as a site of democracy, participation, and self-actualization.