PLACE MAKING
PLACE MAKING
ELEMENTS OF PLACEMAKING
• Placemaking is a multi faceted • Mixed uses-clustered activities
approach to the planning, (including food, retail, art, health,
design and management of recreation), establishment of a
public spaces village center to serve community
• placemaking capitalizes on a • Successful streets-shared spaces
local community’s assets, for multiple modes (walking
inspiration, and potential with cycling, strollers), pedestrian only
the intension of creation spaces
public spaces that promote
peoples health, happiness and • Open space-safe, well overlooked
well being open space and play areas, green
space
• It inspires people to
collectively reimagine and • Urban scale-compact design,
reinvent public spaces as the human scale, public ground level
heart of every community. uses
• Movement framework-
pedestrian network, public
transport linkage
• Sense of place-public art, iconic
structures, showcase local assets
PLACE MAKING
Community Lead Visioning
Placemaking inspires people to collectively
reimagine and reinvent public spaces as
the heart of every community.
People & Places
Strengthens the connection between
people and the places they share.
Collaborative
Placemaking is a collaborative process by
which we shape our public spaces.
Placemaking focuses on the physical,
cultural, and social identities of a place
ORIGINS OF PLACEMAKING AS A
CONCEPT
• Placemaking is not a new idea.
• The thinking behind Placemaking gained traction in the 1960s.
• Jane Jacobs and William Whyte introduced the idea of designing cities
for people, not just cars and shopping centres – focusing on the social and
cultural importance of lively neighborhoods and inviting public spaces.
• Jacobs advocated “four generators of diversity" that "create effective
economic pools of use”:
Mixed primary uses, activating streets at different times of the
day
Short blocks, allowing high pedestrian permeability
Buildings of various ages and states of repair
Density
Successful places have four key qualities:
people are engaged in activities
the space is comfortable and has a
good image
they are accessible
it is a sociable place.
Some of the measurements of a Great Place:
Land Use Patterns / Rent Levels / Retail
Sales
Crime Statistics / Environmental Data
Pedestrian Activities / Transit Usage /
Traffic
Street Life / Volunteerism / Evening Use
KEY PRINCIPLES OF
PLACEMAKING
The Community Is The Expert
Community Lead
Create a Place, Not a Design Vision
Look for Partners
You Can See a Lot Just By Observing
translate
Have a Vision
Start with the Petunias: Lighter, Quicker, Plan & Program of
Cheaper (Quick Wins) Uses
Triangulate
They Always Say “It Can’t Be Done” deliver
Form Supports Function
Money Is Not the Issue
Implementation
You Are Never Finished
PLACEMAKING VS URBAN
DESIGN
• PLACEMAKING URBAN DESIGN
• Home • House
• Existing buildings and places • New buildings and
• social programs infrastructure
• Place • Design
• Existing places • Space
• Social • New places
• Owned by the people (spirit) • Utilitarian
• People watchers? • Experts?
BENEFITS OF PLACEMAKING
Support for the Local
Economy
New Businesses
Reduction in Crime
Increased Civic Engagement
Improved public health
Youth Engagement and
activities
Improved Environment
Engaged Comfortable Accessible Sociable Great Place
INFERENCE
Placemaking requires a collaborative community lead
approach to establish a vision, plan and implementation.
Its about places and how people use them – creating
places where people want to work, live and play.
Built Form & Urban Design by itself is not enough to
create a place. It does however provide a foundation upon
which future placemaking can evolve.
Regulation can dictate process but not outcomes for
placemaking. Current legislation, regulations and planning
instruments in Australia focus more on built form than
function.
Placemaking principles will become increasingly important
as we manage the future megatrends.
