The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces

Attend a free screening of William H. “Holly” Whyte’s 1980 film, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces followed by a panel discussion with architects, landscape architects, planners and community builders whose thoughtful reflections will activate our collective imagination about the future of Toronto’s public realm.

Based on the book with the same title, this companion film is narrated by Holly himself and summarizes his seminal 1980 Street Life Project study of New York City’s plazas, widely regarded within the realm of city planning. Whyte presents deep insights – in an unpretentious and often hilarious tone – into the ways residents interact with urban environments. Whyte’s ideas and simple observational methods remain profoundly influential in the worlds of placemaking and livable cities.

The remastered film premiered in September 2025 in a screening series at Anthology Film Archives in New York City hosted by the Municipal Art Society of New York and in partnership with Project for Public Spaces (PPS).  

Moderated by journalist John Lorinc, Spacing, panelists include: 

• Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Roberto Damiani, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design
• Zahra Ebrahim, sessional professor and co-founder of Monumental
• Paul Farish, Director, Parks Planning & Strategic Initiatives, City of Toronto
• Professor Jane Wolff, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design