The following has been modified from an essay written for Mahan Rykiel Associates. At Mahan Rykiel Associates (MRA), in Baltimore, Maryland, I am an urban planner who’s fortunate to work on projects of all types and scales. I’ve been working with the firm for the past ten years, and was first drawn to the company …
The slides below are from a recent keynote presentation I delivered at the American Planning Association Washington Chapter’s annual conference in Spokane, Washington. A more detailed narrative to accompany these slides is forthcoming!
As I pack my bags for the American Planning Association’s 2023 National Planning Conference, happening this weekend in Philadelphia, I’m reflecting on my time at last year’s event in San Diego. I had submitted three session proposals, hoping one would stick the landing…much to my surprise, all three were selected. I felt so honored, but …
What Design Professionals Stand to Learn from the 2023 World Happiness Report This piece was originally posted on the website of landscape architecture firm, Mahan Rykiel Associates. Imagine you are standing before a ladder with ten rungs, each step representing a degree of satisfaction with life. At the ground, you’re at the lowest point; but …
Do you love where you live? If you do, then I just have to ask . . . “If you love it so much, why don’t you marry it?” If you think my question is facetious, you might be surprised to learn that in 2011, over 2,000 people gathered together in Durham, North Carolina, to …
Will You Be My Valentine? The Importance of Lovability in Places Where we Live Read More »
I’m not a psychologist, but I’m very curious to know how one would analyze the characters of Encanto, Disney’s latest animated feature with a story that celebrates the depth of our personalities and the complexities of the human experience. I recently reviewed the movie Encanto, and why I feel it’s underlying message is so important. …
Encanto recognizes that cliché fairytales—stories of princesses and shining knights who fight monsters—do nothing to teach children about processing their own inner demons.
Are you living in a place of gratitude? “A place of gratitude”—ever heard a phrase like this? Yes, I understand it’s meant to be figurative, much in the same way I understand people aren’t typically talking about real spaces when advising that we “find your happy place.” But… What if gratitude could be found in …
What if Gratitude Could be Found in an Actual Place? Read More »
Today kicks off the American Planning Association’s 2021 National Planning Conference! I am thrilled to be co-presenting at this year’s conference with Tufts University professor and co-author of Cognitive Architecture, Dr. Justin Hollander. Here, you can find information and additional resources related to our session, Using Mental Health Considerations for Designing Places. Session Details: The …
Released on the International Day of Happiness (March 20th), the annual World Happiness Report offers an updated snapshot of the state of happiness across the globe. What was the theme of the 2021 report? Well, you probably already guessed it . . . The 2021 report marks the ninth edition of the World Happiness Report …
