Hi, I’m Jessica, and I see cities as conversations in concrete, policy, and people.
Subscribe for bi-weekly reflections on cities, power, and the spaces we share. And while you’re at it, check out my publication archives.
"Who gets to shape the city?"
This question has followed me through design studios, planning classes, and late-night walks through unfamiliar neighbourhoods. And it’s at the heart of this blog.
We talk a lot about aesthetics and functionality in design circles. But what about power? What about belonging? What about the messy, everyday negotiations that shape urban life long before the blueprints get printed?
Let’s talk about that.
This is Constructive Discourse
When I finally arrived at this title, it felt like the right fit for everything I’m trying to hold together in this space. “Constructive” speaks to my background in architecture and planning—literally building things. It also points to the kinds of conversations I think we need more of in city building: ones that challenge, complicate, and deepen our understanding without shutting people down.
And “Discourse”? That’s the everyday talk we have about streets, transit, and housing. But it’s also the deeper stuff: how we talk about power, space, and who gets to belong. This blog is where all of that meets. It’s a space for reflection, for testing ideas in public, and for learning out loud.
Hey, I’m Jessica
I’m a writer, architectural designer, spatial planner, facilitator, and once upon a time, a high school English and drama teacher. Over time, my work has shifted from drawing buildings to drawing people into conversations about them. I started out wanting to design beautiful spaces—now I want to understand how we build more just and inclusive cities.
Throughout this rambling path, I’ve wrestled with how public participation often gets sidelined, how conflict gets treated like a nuisance instead of a resource, and how design too often gets reduced to aesthetics instead of politics.
What you’ll find here
This bi-weekly dispatch (as I like to call it) is an unfiltered and unfinished mix of:
Theory-in-practice reflections
Case studies from planning and design
Thoughts on facilitation and public engagement
Design critiques with a political edge
Musings on conflict, collaboration, and care
Notes containing snippets of in-progress learning
Whether you’re a designer, planner, student, facilitator, or just a civic-minded human who cares about how places work (and don’t), I hope you find something useful here.
Why I’m writing
This blog is part practice, part provocation. It helps me stay accountable, sharpen my thinking, and explore new ways of seeing. It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about making space for better questions.
Because cities aren’t finished products. They’re ongoing conversations. And we all deserve a say.
If that resonates with you, subscribe and join the dialogue. I’m glad you’re here.
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