Shared Space

Diana Lind is an author and urban policy specialist whose work is reshaping the way we think about cities, housing, and the future of community.  With a passion for creating more inclusive, connected, and sustainable urban environments, Diana is the author of the groundbreaking book Brave New World: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing , which explores the evolving landscape of housing...

G Cody QJ Goldberg is a designer and visionary who is redefining what it means to create spaces that connect, inspire, and empower.  As the founder of Harper’s Playground (a nonprofit dedicated to building inclusive playgrounds) Cody has devoted his career to creating spaces where all individuals, regardless of their background or abilities, can play, connect, and thrive together. Harper’s Playgro...

Tye Farrow is a visionary architect whose work is transforming the way we think about the intersection of architecture and health.  With an educational background that blends neuroscience, urban design, and architecture, Tye is pioneering the concept of salutogenic design- the idea that our built environments can actively contribute to our physical and mental well-being.  As a partner at Farrow Pa...

Dr. Anjan Chatterjee is a neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist who has dedicated over three decades to exploring the connection between the human brain and the world around us.  A professor of neurology, psychology, and architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Chatterjee is also the founding director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, where he leads groundbreaking research into...

Krista Nightengale is a visionary leader and the Executive Director of Better Block, a groundbreaking organization dedicated to transforming neighborhoods through community-driven design.  With a fierce belief in the power of public spaces to connect people, Krista champions an approach to urban design that emphasizes love over fear, encouraging communities to build environments that are open, wel...

Dr. Richard Kyte is a thought leader, educator, and author whose work is centered around the transformative power of human connection, community-building, and the spaces where these vital interactions unfold.  As the director of the DB Reinhardt Institute for Ethics and Leadership and an endowed professor of ethics at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Richard brings a deep understanding...

Risa Wilkerson is a pioneer in the field of community health and design, dedicated to creating spaces that foster connection, inclusivity, and well-being.  As the Executive Director of Healthy Places by Design, Risa has spent nearly two decades working at the intersection of public health, community development, and equity.  Her work empowers organizations across the U.S. to design environments th...

Nico Larco is a visionary leader and changemaker at the intersection of architecture, urban design, and sustainable development.  As a Professor of Architecture at the University of Oregon, Director of the Urbanism Next Center, and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Sustainable Cities Initiative, Nico has dedicated his career to designing environments that inspire human connection, improve our coll...

Sara Hendren is a visionary design researcher, author, artist, and educator whose work transforms the way we see disability, design, and the built world.  As a professor at Northeastern University, Sara teaches Design for Disability, guiding students to embrace creativity, empathy, and inclusivity in their work.  Her groundbreaking book, What Can a Body Do? How We Meet the Built World, has been ce...

Shared Space uses science and storytelling to reveal the power of architecture and design to make us healthier, happier, and more connected. In Season 3 we talk with architects, design educators, urban planners, neuroscientists, and community builders. Join us! You can support this work through subscribing, rating, and reviewing - it helps more than you know!

In this special Best Of Shared Space Season 2! We talk with architects, psychologist, designers, activists, writers, urban planners – a host of amazing community changemakers on season two and we weave all of those together for you all. We start with a basic understanding of what is loneliness, social health, and social capital and why is it so important? Then we dive into office spaces, public pl...

In this episode, I speak with community leaders, and all-around good neighbors, Judy Sullivan and Meg Moschetto of the Cochrane Heights Neighborhood Association in Dallas, Texas. They recently transformed an ‘eyesore’ alley into a place of connection, expanding their neighborhood, increasing safety, and paving the way for a butterfly garden, kids playing and many more dog walks with neighbors. The...

How do our workplaces and practices impact loneliness? How can you design for connection of all kinds? In 2019, 61% of U.S. working adults reported experiencing loneliness, which is tied to decreased productivity, work satisfaction and turn over. Yet, we rarely ask the question of how to design for connection in our workplaces as a priority. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Nigel Oseland who...

Dr. Mario Luis Small grew up in Panama City, the son of an architect in a tight knit community of other families. He learned first-hand the way that spaces and social connections shape well-being and community.  In this episode of Shared Space, I talk with Mario, Grafstein Family Professor in the Department of Sociology at Harvard University , about how his early experiences shaped his future...

How can a one-day event spark lasting change? How can community design be open sourced? What should we be measuring if we want to gauge positive change? I talk with transportation and placemaking expert, Andrew Howard about his experiences doing just this with Team Better Block . Andrew is the director of placemaking at WGI , a national design and professional services firm leading in technology-b...

June Grant is an architect, designer and researcher committed to the craft of buildings, their potential to enhance cities and develop socially responsible solutions to complex real-world problems. She is the founding Principal of blink! LAB architecture, a boutique, research-based architecture practice focused on adaptive and transformative sustainable development. June has a master’s in architec...

What is the most talked about neighborhood in Austin, TX? The Community First! Village , a 51-acre master planned village that fosters independence, friendship and community in service with the homeless. This innovate residential program, developed by Mobile Loaves & Fishes is rethinking housing and showing amazing results. Shelby Blessing, AIA is a design architect, impassioned activist and A...

Can our cities be designed to make us happier? What is the role of public space in fostering a more civil society? Can street design foster trust – or even romance? Mitchell Reardon, a senior urban planner, lecturer, and leader at Happy Cities . Happy Cities is an interdisciplinary firm working at the intersection of urban design, policy, engagement and human wellbeing. They turn evidence into act...

Emily Anthes is an award-winning science journalist and author whose work has appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Atlantic Wired, Nature, to name a few. Emily has a master's degree in science writing from MIT and a bachelor's degree in the history of science and medicine from Yale, where she also studied creative writing. Emily lives in Brooklyn, New York. In this episode, we discuss.....

Katie Swenson is a nationally recognized design leader, researcher, writer, and educator, and a Senior Principal at MASS Design Group. Katie and I explore how love can be a power to transform the world. Katie shares how she has learned to think about and practice designing with love, and how designers can use love to help dismantle systemic injustices. “Talking about Love gives us clarity. Love an...

Last season on Shared Space, we explored the research behind design for connection, exploring evidence-based strategies to foster community and belonging. This season, we are digging into the How.  How do people work in communities across the globe to use architecture and space to as a force to make the world a brighter place? Community leaders, activists designers, and award-winning authors...

This holiday season is unlike any other for most of us. In this episode, I try something a little different, share a little more of myself, and share strategies for navigating loneliness through these holidays. I share stories from listeners who are trying something new this holiday season to stay connected and I share a advice from experts across the landscape of psychology, philosophy and wellbe...

Have you ever walked into an office and seen a sea of cubicles and wondered - how is anyone supposed to get work done here? How can I have private conversation with colleagues, or collaborative brainstorming session? Or maybe walked into a café and thought, 'where in the world can I tuck out of the way with my toddler so I can still connect with others' (hint: I can relate to that one)?  All...

Today on Shared Space, I talk with Kati Peditto PhD, an award winning environmental psychologist from Cornell University and assistant professor at the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at the  U.S. Air Force Academy.  Kati’s research focuses on the social and psychological dynamics of space, and particularly on how to create spaces for adolescents and young adults with ca...

How does our hardwiring for human connection impact how we experience the world? What can you do to combat loneliness and create social wellbeing in your life? Does where you live impact how connected you feel?   Today on Shared Space, I am talking with Julianne Holt-Lundstad, who studies social relationships, stress and our health. She is a renowned professor of psychology and social neuroscience...