A portico is a colonnade or covered walkway in classical architecture. Since the middle ages, the elegant porticos of Bologna, Italy have been a meeting place for the public as well as a place for business. And today there are specialty shops, art galleries and cafes along the arcades.
To provide shade and shelter from the elements, the city built 53 kms (33 miles) of covered walkways between 1200 and 1900 CE. It is a rare privilege to walk all over a city and be protected by any kind of weather. Under these porticos, it is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, always protected from rain and snow.
Mostly, I am touched by how much socializing can happen under all these porticos. Seeing people at every turn conversing nearly brings tears of joy to my eyes; a glimmer of hope that smartphones haven't stolen our humanity entirely. These sentiments inspired Portico in Sebastopol; to be a place to engage in human connection and conversation .