Lennart Lajboschitz of Folkehuset Absalon

Michael Van Valkenburgh of MVVA Associates

“A second of love is a game changer; it is the beginning of a paradigm shift.” In this episode of Closer, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Michael Van Valkenburgh, one of the most influential landscape architects of our time. Through projects ranging from neighborhood playgrounds to some of North America's most celebrated parks, Michael has helped shape the way people experience cities while inspiring generations of designers. Michael reflects on the projects that defined his career, the lessons he has learned from community engagement, and the role parks play in bringing people together across lines of race, class, and age. He shares why great clients are collaborators rather than customers, how landscape architecture has emerged as one of the defining design disciplines of our era, and why the simple act of watching children play may be one of the most powerful tools for building social connection. Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social—and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

RJ Justice of the City of Knoxville

Is it possible for a city to be both flexible and intentional?  How can a fast-growing city create public spaces that invite people to spend time together? In this episode of Closer, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Rebekah Jane (RJ) Justice, the Chief of Urban Design and Development for the City of Knoxville about how cities can grow without losing the qualities that make people love them in the first place. RJ shares how her city has shifted from simply chasing investment to strategically guiding it, and why the most important question in urban design may simply be: Who feels invited here? Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social—and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

Lennart Lajboschitz of Folkehuset Absalon

Have we optimized ourselves into loneliness?  What if the antidote to social isolation isn’t technology or convenience, but shared meals, table tennis, and a little intentional friction? In this episode of CLOSER, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Lennart Lajboschitz, founder of Absalon, the beloved Copenhagen community house that welcomes nearly 600,000 visitors a year. Built inside a former church, Absalon has become an international model for social connection through communal dining, shared activities, and the radical idea that cities should create more opportunities for strangers to become neighbors. Lennart shares how tiny design choices can transform human behavior, and why hosts may be the most important people in public space. From communal dinners to music bingo to 500-person table tennis nights, this conversation explores how intentional spaces can foster kindness, belonging, and joy. CLOSER is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social—and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

Josephine Ramirez Senior Advisor and Arts Leader

Two radical ideas: everyone is an artist and making art together can bring us together.  In this episode of Closer, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Josephine Ramirez, a veteran arts funder and nonprofit leader whose career includes senior roles at The Music Center and the James Irvine Foundation. Why has the arts world drawn such sharp lines between “artists” and everyone else? And what if creativity is less about excellence, and more about connection? Josephine shares her provocative vision for flipping the traditional arts model: shifting focus away from elite performance and toward mass participation. She explores how art can function as a core human practice, why nonprofit funding structures may be reinforcing exclusion, and how everyday creativity—from community choirs to public practice—can build stronger, more connected communities. Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social—and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

Leah Houston of Mabelle Arts

What does it take to unlock creativity in communities that already have deep social bonds? And why it a good strategy to leave a park unfinished? In this episode of Closer, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Leah Houston, founder and executive director of Mabelle Arts in Toronto’s Mabelle Park, where artists and residents collaborate to design, build, and program public space together. Her work has transformed a neglected park into a vibrant hub for connection, creativity, and community life, earning her the inaugural Tim Jones Creative Placemaking Award. Leah shares how participation can be more powerful than discussion, why artistic vision is essential to getting things done, and how embracing the unfinished nature of public space creates room for ongoing connection and evolution. We explore the tension between grassroots work and institutional systems, the role of parks in building relationships, and why making things together may be the most effective way to bring people closer. Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social—and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.