City streets have evolved over the last two decades to meet new challenges and complexities. Parklets, pedestrian plazas, open streets celebrations and other interventions have been at the forefront sparking joy and imaginging possibilities for transforming urban places. The International Parklet Symposium, California gathers experts from across North America to exchange ideas for adapting streets to the challenges in the decade to come.

Parklets and open streets are vital to the future of public space policies, design, implementation, and impact. The Symposium brings together inter-disciplinary and multi-sector experts such as architects and designers, urban planners, policymakers, and community leaders to showcase case studies, host panel discussions and interactive workshops, and foster dialogue around sustainable urbanism and placemaking. 

Representatives from Canada, Mexico, and across the United states will gather at The Center for Architecture + Design on day one; Thursday, April 10. The San Francisco Bay Area Urban and Regional Planning Association will host days two and three, Friday April 11-12.  Registration is open to all.

In addition to Proceedings from the program, the Symposium will publish a California Parklet White Paper. The White Paper will outline imperatives and opportunities for public policy and programs in California to advance the transformation of our public realm through re-adaptation of existing infrastructure. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an enthusiastic advocate, this symposium offers a platform to shape California’s streetscape for a more connected and inclusive future.

The International Parklet Symposium, California features presentations and site tours that showcase innovative approaches, best practices, and critical reflections on parklet design, policy initiatives, implementation, and community impact. International presentations are included; as is a focus on California-specific contexts for parklets, considering urban density, climate, and diverse community needs. Contributors include design practitioners, urban planners, government agencies, policymakers, researchers, and community organizations. The program will feature cross-disciplinary perspectives that bridge urban design, environmental studies, public health, and social equity.  Content will focus on case studies, theoretical explorations, policy frameworks, or creative interventions and future proposals. Friday afternoon is dedicated to site tours that highlight exemplary parklets or related public space projects across San Francisco.

The Symposium and California Parklet & Open Streets White Paper will be organised around the following five themes:

1. Evaluating Social Equity and Economic Impacts: These include frameworks for managing and/or funding parklet and other public space programs to achieve social equity outcomes. Research, documentation and storytelling initiatives that look at measurable and perceived impacts—how parklets affect social cohesion, mobility, local businesses, property values, and pedestrian circulation in communities.
2. Catalysts for Community Engagement and Cohesion:  Exploring how parklets serve as community gathering spaces, promoting local businesses, and enhancing urban life. Topics could include case studies of bottom-up implementation through community initiatives, strategies for inclusive design, creative placemaking and art interventions, and storytelling to create, sustain and advocate for parklets.
3. Innovations in Engineering, Design, and Materials:  Encouraging innovative designs that address challenges such as limited space, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, ease of maintenance, aesthetic appeal, and local regulations. This could also invite creative ways of using materials or integrating technology. Development of design guidelines, manuals, and technical specifications are also critical.
4. Safe and Sustainable Mobility: Integrating Walkability, Cycling, and Public Transport: The role of parklets in achieving street safety outcomes like Vision Zero programs and compact communities that support human-powered mobility through enhancing pedestrian safety, connecting with bike infrastructure, and encouraging alternative forms of transport.
5. Policy and Partnerships: Enabling Projects in the Public Realm that include innovations in Policy and regulatory frameworks; especially as the result of collaboration between cities, businesses, artists, and community groups. Current opportunities and challenges for investment in parklets and ideas around the economics of parklet development and maintenance. Transition of individual sites and/or municipal programs – from temporary or pilot to permanent – are also important; for example with legislation, code changes, or program development.

Earlybird Registration: Friday, February 28th through 5:00 PST Wednesday, March 19th
$75.00 USD

Late Registration: Thursday, March 20th through Saturday, April 12th
$95.00 USD

For those who register before 5:00 PST Friday, April 4th, registration guarantees morning refreshments on Days 1, 2, and 3;
lunch on Days 1 and 2; and an evening hosted opening reception on Day 1.

Up to 12 Learning Units: American Institute of Architects.
Up to 8 Certification Maintenance credits: American Institute of Certified Planners / APA (self-reported)
Continuing Education credits: American Society of Landscape Architects (self-reported, varies by your licensing state)

All contributions are tax-deductible.

  Robin Abad Ocubillo (City of Oakland) and Shruti Shankar (Studio 111): Co-Chairs
John Bela (Bela Urbanism), Monica Munowitch (SFMTA), Ilaria Salvadori (SF Planning): Program Committee
Blaine Merker (Gehl) and Luisa Bravo (The Museum of Public Space): Advisors
Jitka Dekojova, Lawrence Li, Aubrey Littleton, Ellina Poltavtseva, Sophia Teng, Carolyn Huynh, Jensen Zack: Production Team 

For questions or more information, please email parklet.studies@gmail.com with “Symposium” in the subject line.