Reclaim. Refresh. Reimagine.

Helping cities, campuses, and districts turn underused spaces into active, welcoming places.

Explore Our Work

Reclaim. Refresh. Reimagine.

Helping cities, campuses, and districts turn underused spaces into active, welcoming places.

Explore Our Work
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Public Space Strategy, Grounded in Experience

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    Urban Design Strategy

    Practical guidance for creating public spaces that are functional, welcoming, and built to last.

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    Placemaking and Activation

    Creative, achievable ways to bring energy, identity, and community life to underused places.

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    Public Realm Activation Strategies

    Turning public realm ideas into clear scopes, realistic budgets, activation plans, and workable stewardship strategies.

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    Public Speaking and Workshops

    Engaging audiences with lessons from more than two decades of building better public spaces.

Explore Our Services

Helping Ambitious Public Realm Projects Get Unstuck

When you have an ambitious idea for a public space but aren’t sure where to begin, Space Between can help. Maybe you already have a plan, but getting it moving is proving harder than expected. Or perhaps you’ve built something, and now you’re figuring out how to make it work, care for it, and keep the community engaged.

Space Between helps communities and organizations get projects unstuck by connecting people, ideas, and resources. We help navigate the challenges between vision, implementation, and long-term stewardship.

Our approach draws on nearly 15 years of leading public realm planning and design at University City District in West Philadelphia, helping shape, implement, activate, and steward public spaces across a 2.5-square-mile district. Now we’re putting those lessons to work in other communities.

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Customized to each unique space.

Strategies Built for Place

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Foster collaboration and ownership.

Community Centered Collaboration

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Spark action through education.

Clear, Compelling Stories

About Nate and SBUDS
Images Courtesy University City District
Images Courtesy University City District

Bring Us Your Public Space Challenge

Whether you are shaping a new public space, rethinking an underused one, or developing an activation and stewardship plan, SBUDS can help turn complex questions into a clear course of action.

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What Partners Say About Nate’s Work

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Brian Phillips

Co-Owner, Copabanana University City

I am truly grateful for the help and guidance provided by Nate Hommel and UCD in helping the Copabanana secure our Streetery Permit. Nate and UCD proved to be a valuable resource for local homegrown small businesses that may not have the resources to successfully navigate a difficult process.
-Brian Phillips
Co-Owner Copabanana University City

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George Poulin

Powelton Village Civic Association

Nate Hommel worked with the PVCA to identify qualified consultants, offered visionary ideas for improvements to the public realm, and ensured that the PVCA’s objectives considered broader City efforts planned or underway. As we shift toward implementation, we look forward to collaborating with Nate to solve many of the community’s most pressing challenges.

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Nahee Kim

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York / Governors Association of the Republic of Korea

"Nate's engaging lecture and insightful walking tour of University City District provided our delegates with an unparalleled understanding of UCD's success. We are grateful for his expertise and dedication to showcasing this remarkable project. We are confident that the lessons learned from UCD will guide our own development efforts in Korea." 
Best regards
Nahee Kim

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Ben Sirolly

President, Friends of Clark Park

UCD and Nate Hommel were tremendous partners in the development of the Clark Park Plan. Nate helped bring together the entire University City community and shepherded the plan through to completion. UCD’s guidance and support to the Friends of Clark Park were invaluable.

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Cat Hoffman

President, Cedar Park Neighbors

UCD and Nate Hommel helped Cedar Park activate a long-dormant plaza along a vibrant stretch of Baltimore Avenue with bright café tables and chairs. This urban intervention not only provides a public space to gather, eat, and rest, but also supports our local businesses.