A new perspective on developing shared joy in urban spaces.

Our divided society is quickly reaching crisis level. We are no longer able to sustain social and economic prosperity nor ensure democracy. Fuelling this crisis is a growing sense of social isolation caused by the divisive nature of social media and the decline of infrastructure that used to bring communities together.

But there is hope for rebuilding our collaborative society, and it is found in our mid-sized urban areas. These towns and cities offer a scale that can tangibly change the quality of our lives and an intimacy that allows us to influence what our communities can become. Changing cities can change the world!

In The Joy Experiments, real estate developer Scott Higgins and creative mind Paul Kalbfleisch use their own mid-sized city-building experiences to present a new way for citizens to engage with their city, and an urban planning strategy that prioritizes infrastructure for the human spirit.

Scott Higgins is a passionate business and community builder who, as President of HIP Developments, Inc., plays a leadership role in the evolution of the Region of Waterloo in southern Ontario. He lives in Kitchener, Ontario.

Scott Higgins' profile page

Paul Kalbfleisch is a writer, visual artist, business leader, and creative collaborator who places himself in the middle of projects that require strong vision and imaginative design. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

Paul Kalbfleisch's profile page

Mouna Andraos is the co-founder of the award-winning art and design studio Daily tous les jours, which encourages citizens to play an active role in the transformation of their cities, with the public spaces we share everyday as their canvas. She is an adjunct professor in design and computation arts at Concordia University and is also on the board of directors at the Société des arts technologiques. Mouna is also a graduate of New York University's interactive telecommunications program and an alumna of Eyebeam Center for Art and Technology in New York City.

Mouna Andraos' profile page

Melissa Mongiat is the co-founder of the award-winning art and design studio Daily tous les jours, which puts humans back at the centre of strategies for urban development, engaging the public with ideas about dance and mobility, play and resilience, and social connection and civic engagement. Melissa holds a master’s degree in creative practice for narrative environments from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, U.K., where she also co-founded Like People Do, a research consultancy on responsive environments.

Melissa Mongiat's profile page

This book engages in new ways of thinking about designing cities and a future that might have a plausible relationship with the rest of life and the next generation.

Bruce Mau, CEO & co-founder at Massive Change Network

In The Joy Experiments, writer, visual artist, and business leader Paul Kalbfleisch and enlightened developer and city builder Scott Higgins invite us into their intimate extended conversation about how to make urban places that are welcoming, sustainable and inclusive but most of all joyful. It features their hometown Cambridge, Ontario, which also serves a stand-in for the remarkable capacity of mid-sized cities to tap the power of community. Touching on all the things we sense intuitively in language which is clear, jargon-free and persuasive and enlivened by Sarah Farquhar’s evocative illustrations, it is a delightful instructive read.

Ken Greenberg, Principal at Greenberg Consultants Inc.

The Joy Experiments gives us insight into what might be possible at this pivotal moment in city building by laying out a compelling case that human joy should be seen as a practical objective for cities. The book takes a hard look at the current challenges to community, yet paints an optimistic path forward.

Roger Farwell, architect at WalterFedy