The Placemaking Round-Up
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
The Biweekly Bazaar
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
Please note that these Hall of Shame nominations were written in a moment in time (most over a decade ago) and likely have since changed or even been transformed. If the above entry is now great, or still not so great, go ahead and comment below on how it has evolved or nominate it as a great place.
This building is HQ for Fairfax County, the most populous and wealthy locality in both the state of Virginia and metropolitan Washington D.C.
Isolated between major highways in the midst of dysfunctional suburban sprawl, and surrounded by oceans of surface parking spaces with no other building in sight, this governmental office building and meeting place is a monument to awful civic planning. Nothing short of abandonment and relocation as a transit-oriented development near a public transportation center would adequately address this place's shortcomings for its intended purpose.
Access is primarily by automobile and requires long, unprotected walks to the building entrance. Nothing else is within walking distance. No bicycle parking facilities.
Vast, open sea of asphalt parking, little greenery, and no large trees. Site appears clean and well-maintained, and there may even be seating, but nobody would sit in such a desolate space.
Appears isolated and deserted.
Except to form carpools, I would not meet in this outdoor space. I might show it off because it's so bizarre.
*Please note that these Hall of Shame nominations were written in a moment in time (most over a decade ago) and likely have since changed or even been transformed. If the above entry is now great, or still not so great, go ahead and comment below on how it has evolved or nominate it as a great place.
