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?
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.
The Practical Confessions of an Urbanist Pilgrim
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.
A Good Read for Planners and Peers: Why Old Places Matter
A recent book brings a common sense framework to historic preservation debates.
The Complexities of the '15-Minute City'
What does a '15-minute city' truly mean–and how achievable is it in the U.S.?
Does Highway Removal Make Cities Healthier?
Highway removal can improve the air quality and health of the immediate environment, but displacement and gentrification threaten to exclude former residents from the benefits.
Tree Equity Score: The U.S. Needs 522 Million More Urban Trees
As climate change intensifies the urban heat island effect, poorer neighborhoods bear the brunt of tree canopy inequity.
Camiros
City of San Mateo
San Francisco County Transportation Authority
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Salinas
Village of Park Forest
Mid Valley Partners
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.
