Shina Shayesteh

Shina Shayesteh serves as Strong Towns' Project Coordinator. She self-identifies as a jack of all trades, with a background in editing, history, education, linguistics, research, and digital art. She lives in Austin with her partner, dog, and cat. When not working, she enjoys hosting dinner parties for her friends, learning new crafts, starting (and rarely finishing) writing projects, and exploring local businesses around town.

Articles by Shina Shayesteh

Placemaking Is Dead, Long Live Placemaking!

A verb became a noun. A process became a product. And an approach became an adjective.

Streets
Placemaking Is Dead, Long Live Placemaking!
To the 40,000 Drivers Who “Cause” Car Crashes Every Year

“My heart feels like it died that day. My whole life has been affected and I can’t seem to grasp it back. I feel as if I can’t breathe at times.”

Streets
To the 40,000 Drivers Who “Cause” Car Crashes Every Year
Is There a Place for Animals in a Strong Town?

Have we optimized for a built environment that's hostile to its original inhabitants?

Streets
Is There a Place for Animals in a Strong Town?
American Suburbs Are a Horror Movie and We’re the Protagonists

Car-oriented suburban design often leaves people navigating empty, isolating spaces that feel unsafe—even in the middle of the day.

Streets
Housing
American Suburbs Are a Horror Movie and We’re the Protagonists
Multigenerational Living Isn't Immigrant Culture, It's Human Culture

Housing
Multigenerational Living Isn't Immigrant Culture, It's Human Culture