It's a term that gets bandied about by the "creative class" to describe an endless array of projects, from whimsical pop-up art to new uses for century-old buildings. But what does placemaking really mean?
If intentionality is the essence of fashion, could a similar principle apply to urban design? Those who advocate and practice the urban interventionism called "placemaking" seem to think so. Russell Nichols examines the term from the perspective of those who engage in it—or abhor it.
Perhaps placemaking is controversial because of its political connotations. It is "a movement spearheaded by the creative class, who see collaboration as the path to the cutting edge. Projects benefit from public-private partnerships: an assorted team of supporters that includes city planners, architects, designers and local artists [...]"
Some think it's a disingenuous term suited to slick marketing. Nichols quotes a co-editor of the Sacramento News & Review: "'Modern urban revival shouldn't only matter when it's embraced by politicians, developers and Chamber of Commerce types. Placemaking shouldn't only be when the business community figures out how to commodify youth culture."'
In response, one place-maker offered this retort: "'Why denigrate people who want to improve Sacramento just because they 'just arrived in town'? I've been here eight years. Is that long enough to be entitled to an opinion? This smacks of a provincial attitude that remains all too common here.'"
FULL STORY: Placemaking: Person, Place or Thing?
Where Words Fail: Teach Architects and Urban Designers Like Violinists
Architects and urban designers justify or explain their work with words, and municipalities govern design with jargon-filled regulations. The outcome is often underwhelming.
Seeing the Street
A San Francisco-based design studio describes the thought process behind an effort to push outdoor lighting design beyond the lowest common denominator allowed by bureaucracy and status quo thinking.
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After 12 days of walking the Portuguese Camino, the importance of many urban planning and development debates—from balanced growth to banning cars—became abundantly clear.
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Opinion: Aging Population, Declining Fertility Requires Long-Term Investments
Faced with the dire consequences of a one-two punch of aging populations and declining birthrates, one writer has suggestions for how policy can help ensure a better future.
Marrying Urban Identity and Economic Prosperity
A new book posits that truly successful communities have a strong economic base and a firmly rooted sense of place.
San Antonio Office Tower To Become Residential
With the building more than half vacant, the new owners of the Tower Life Building plan to convert the historic tower into residences that could include affordable housing.
Freeway Removal Movement Slowly Gains Steam
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MTA Uses Density Bonuses to Improve Accessibility
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City of Mt Shasta
McKenna
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
Cohousing Association of the US
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Rail~Volution
Sun City Center Community Association, Inc
City of Mesa
Town of Gilbert, Arizona
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
