Uchimizu
Uchimizu (打ち水) is a traditional Japanese practice of sprinkling water on streets, sidewalks, and other outdoor surfaces to cool the surrounding area. As the water evaporates, it draws heat from the pavement and air, offering a simple, low-tech response to hot weather. Historically, the practice has also been associated with suppressing dust and welcoming guests.
Color the Curb
Color the Curb is a joint agency project between DDOT, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), and DC Public Schools (DCPS). Color the Curb is a subset of DDOT's Arts in the Right-of-Way (AROW) program, which supports designs that transform intersections into works of art to increase the safety and visibility of pedestrians while adding visual interest to the area.
Art in the Right of Way
The Arts in the Right-of-Way (AROW) program facilitates art in the public right-of-way which is owned and maintained by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). Examples of AROW projects include various forms of art on public amenities and facilities such as bike racks, utility boxes, and pedestrian areas. AROW projects can be implemented directly by DDOT or by eligible non-DDOT entities via a public space permit.
Malabar Hill Forest Trail
The Malabar Hill Forest Trail
Detroit Soup
Detroit SOUP brought neighbors together over a shared meal to hear local ideas, pool small contributions, and collectively fund projects making Detroit better.
SF Slow - Janes Walk SF
BIG Creative presents an SF Janes Walk, exploring how a city tells its’ story.
Jane’s Walk
Jane’s Walk is an annual festival of free, community-led walking conversations inspired by Jane Jacobs.
On the first weekend of May every year, Jane’s Walk festivals take place in hundreds of cities around the world.
The jeepney: a history, and hopefully, a future
The social life of the sidewalk
Although many young people travel independently in the city, transportation research seldom considers the experiential qualities of their routes, focusing instead on the functional aspects of mode choice. More in-depth understanding of how adolescents experience, negotiate, and perceive everyday mobility can support informed design, policy, and planning interventions to make these journeys safer and more enjoyable
Tax Day Carnival
Compton’s x Coalition
Compton’s x Coalition is a community campaign working to reclaim and protect 111 Taylor Street in San Francisco—the former site of Gene Compton’s Cafeteria and the 1966 uprising that became a landmark in transgender and queer resistance. Today, the building is operated by GEO Group, a private prison company and ICE contractor, an especially stark contradiction given the site’s history.
The Coalition is organizing to remove GEO Group from the property, prevent its continued use for incarceration, and place the site under permanent community stewardship through a Community Land Trust. Its larger vision is to transform 111 Taylor into a hub for culture, care, and belonging, centering trans, immigrant, Indigenous, and justice-impacted communities while preserving Compton’s legacy as a living site of resistance rather than simply a marker of history.
Screaming Queens
Screaming Queens recovers the story of the 1966 uprising at Compton’s Cafeteria, when transgender and queer residents of San Francisco’s Tenderloin fought back against police harassment. The documentary helped restore this largely forgotten event—and the community surrounding it—to its place in transgender and LGBTQ+ history.
Compton’s Cafeteria Riots
Immersive theater in and about San Francisco’s Transgender District.
London Loo Tours
Yes, you read that right! London's only walking tour company themed exclusively around the history of toilets and sanitation.
The Tokyo Toilet
The Tokyo Toilet
Hundertwasser Toilets
New Zealand’s most famous Toilets
Bowl Plaza
Some roadside attractions have nice bathrooms.
others, well…
Portland Maine Public Restroom Master Plan
Developed by Portland Downtown, the Public Restroom Master Plan for Downtown Portland makes the case that public toilets aren't simply an amenity, but essential urban infrastructure. Drawing on community input and Portland's experience with existing facilities, the plan connects restroom access to walkability, public health, tourism, economic vitality, aging, accessibility, dignity, and inclusion. It calls for more—and better located—facilities, clear wayfinding, strong maintenance and staffing, universal and gender-inclusive access, and treating public restrooms as a basic part of planning for a welcoming downtown.
Effortless City
Effortless City creates inclusive neighborhood and sidewalk guides designed around a simple idea: knowing where you want to go isn’t enough—you also need to know what it will take to get there. Designed for walkers, rollers, and strollers, its guides document the details conventional maps often leave out, including steps, ramps, sidewalk conditions, terrain, restrooms, and potential obstacles.
Expressive Arts Coaching & Community Building
Expressive Arts Coaching & Community Building is a pioneering program that integrates collaborative, liberatory creative practices with coaching and facilitation to inspire individual and collective transformation. Graduates acquire a unique foundation that encourages their practice and professionalism as credentialed coaches, expressive arts facilitators, and leaders in the field.