In the second half of the 20th century, a paradigm shift began in several northeastern US cities: their population sizes, strongly linked to the production and transportation of steel, began to shrink. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Detroit are three prime examples of big cities that began losing their manufacturing bases in the 1950s as their economic models changed and manufacturing became increasingly decentralized. A period of depopulation spanning five decades, until around the year 2000, accompanied a series of federal initiatives that directed public investment toward suburban development and large-scale infrastructure projects. This paper proposes a study of these three cities as settings in which participatory projects have been undertaken to improve the urban environment.

Following extensive field work and archival research, The Neighborhood Design Center in Baltimore, the West Philadelphia Landscape Project and the Detroit Geographical Expedition and Institute are examined, arguing that their participatory methods can generate a systematic framework for action that could contribute to the development of communities in economic or social inequality. The theoretical models and tools used, the approaches taken, and the actors involved are all examined here to assess the potential impact of different collaborative methodologies on urban practices as viable ideas for the field of urbanism. After this, opportunities emerge to collect and expand a terminology with which to highlight the relevance of awareness of the language of urban design by the community, proposing a dynamic participation model based on a “participatory urban terminology”.

This paper seeks to provide a series of strategies for urban planners and designers to use in working with communities to develop projects, redefining their roles so that they act as agents who manage these participatory social processes and mediate between communities and institutions in urban projects.

Living and growing up in cities can be inspiring, yet many urban environments lack child-friendly spaces for play and learning, especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods. This scarcity can negatively impact children's development. Playful learning installations offer a solution by transforming underutilized urban areas into engaging learning landscapes that promote caregiver-child interactions and support cognitive and social-emotional growth.

The successful implementation of the playful learning model, situated at the intersection of child development and urban placemaking, requires authentic community buy-in and ownership. Architects and designers trained in playful learning principles are crucial in integrating interactive learning experiences into neighborhoods through participatory design, uncovering stakeholders' unique histories and aspirations.

This paper introduces playful learning principles and discusses the development of an open-source university-level course, Playful Learning by Design, developed to scale up the model's reach. We report on two prototype courses' successes and challenges, and lessons learned from initial installations in partnering communities.

Geared toward college students from multiple design fields, the course facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration through experiential learning and community engagement. Students work iteratively with community members to develop designs that bring interactive STEAM and literacy learning experiences into neighborhoods.

Our goal is to broaden the impact of playful learning principles, empowering future designers and community leaders to improve urban environments. This human-centered approach is key to creating impactful, culturally responsive installations that neighbors will embrace and cherish.

The Navajo Nation, covering 27,000 square miles across the American Southwest, confronts critical challenges related to water rights and environmental sustainability. Although the Nation has held legal rights to water from Navajo Lake since 1908, reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court, access to clean and reliable drinking water remains a pressing issue. Alarmingly, approximately 30% of the population relies on water transported from distant sources, reflecting severe scarcity worsened by environmental contamination. Legacy effects of Cold War-era uranium mining have polluted wells, while unregulated landfills and agricultural chemicals further degrade groundwater, posing risks to public health and ecosystems.

This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to examine water rights and environmental challenges within the Navajo Nation, offering a foundation for research, education, and policymaking. It begins by analyzing historical legal documents, such as Supreme Court decisions and regional water rights agreements, to trace the evolution of the Nation’s entitlements. To understand the human and ecological dimensions of these challenges, the study synthesizes existing data and contextualizes findings within broader regional dynamics. Incorporating stakeholder perspectives, the research identifies critical areas for intervention and highlights pathways to address ongoing struggles.

Moreover, the study adopts a comparative framework, examining adaptive strategies employed by other Indigenous communities facing similar challenges. This approach facilitates the development of actionable, culturally relevant solutions and enhances the study’s utility as an educational resource. Emphasizing technological innovation, policy reform, and community-driven efforts, the research underscores the importance of safeguarding water resources, restoring ecological balance, and fostering sustainable development. As a pedagogical tool, it aims to enrich discourse on Indigenous water rights and environmental justice, equipping educators, policymakers, and researchers with a comprehensive framework to address both historical legacies and contemporary challenges effectively.