THINK.urban
THINK.urban
Observing is understanding
 

Hi! I'm Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman, an urban anthropologist and lecturer from Philadelphia.

As a "professional people-watcher" I can tell the story of a public space - be it a street, park, or plaza - in order to better inform the built environment. It is my mission to create heart-centered cities based on the right to the city as a habitat for all human beings.

I am also so proud to have been included in BBC’s 100 Women list for 2019 for my advocacy on women and girls in our urban environments. For more on my talks and essays on feminist cities, please take a look at my work.

 
 
 
 
 

Applied anthropology for heart-centered cities

 
 
 
 
IMG_9603.JPG
 

Observing is understanding.

If you've ever heard of William H. Whyte, you know what I do on a daily basis. 

"Holly" Whyte was, in many ways, an anthropologist by proxy. He observed how people used the public spaces of New York City and came to some impactful conclusions on behavior in our urban environments in the 20th Century.

Through direct observations of how people move through space, interact with the built environment, and socialize with each other (physically, and now digitally), it was possible to improve urban planning and policy to create cities for people. And it still is.

I strive to continue this work wherever I go, constantly observing my surroundings in order to better understand human behavior in cities. When we think of these places as habitats for our species, the city takes on a new meaning.

Through applied anthropology, evidence-based design, and user experience research, we can work together to create better cities for all people. 

 
Speaking at Velo-City in Dublin, 2019, on how to observe streets as places with the Copenhagenize team (Photo by Clotilde Imbert).

Speaking at Velo-City in Dublin, 2019, on how to observe streets as places with the Copenhagenize team (Photo by Clotilde Imbert).

Speaking at the 2019 BBC 100 Women event in London on women and cities, as one of the honorees.

Speaking at the 2019 BBC 100 Women event in London on women and cities, as one of the honorees.

I think a lot.

As an anthropologist, I'm curious about us - homo sapiens sapiens - and why we behave the way we do in society and spaces.

As an urbanist, I'm passionate about our cities - our unique manufactured habitats - and how we can make them better for us mentally and physically.

As an urban anthropologist, I am committed to applying anthropological principles, research methods, and the lessons learned from our collective history to the present day. To this end, I have built my career around the specialization of behavior in public space: observing interactions between people and the built environment in the spaces between buildings. I do this through “spatial ethnographies” of these places.

And as a human being and woman I've also made it my goal to advocate for this shift in thinking - toward a more humanist approach to the building and management of our cities by and for women and girls.

Want to meet for coffee? Start a new project? Commission an expert interview? I'm always open for collaboration or just a conversation. Feel free to send me an email at katrina [at] thinkurban.org. 

Otherwise, you can find me most often here: