What is place-making?
“As both an overarching idea and a hands-on approach for improving a neighborhood, city, or region, place-making inspires people to collectively re-imagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, place-making refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value.”
– “What is Placemaking? | Project for Public Spaces”.
What is place management?
Place-management is a multi-stakeholder approach to actively improving locations by utilizing skills and resources of the public, private and non-profit sectors. Places which are actively managed often have additional services which supplement city services and cater to area businesses and residents.
How does place-making and management relate to urban planning?
Place-making and management are essential components to a growing body of research and practice within the field of urban planning. City planners, community organizations, developers and landscape architects are increasingly interested in the impacts place-making can have on improving the public realm.
Why is this an important subject of research?
Place-making has proven essential to economic development strategies, neighborhood revitalization efforts and helping build a sense of community identity. Even small improvements or regular programming in a public space can make a place feel safe, attractive and inviting to residents and visitors alike.
What is community-based participatory research?
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a partnership approach to research that equitably involves community members, organizational representatives, researchers, and others in all aspects of the research process, with all partners in the process contributing expertise and sharing in the decision-making and ownership. The aim of CBPR is to increase knowledge and understanding of a given phenomenon and to integrate the knowledge gained with interventions for policy or social change benefiting the community members.
– Israel, B.A., Schulz, A.J., Parker, E.A., & Becker, A.B. (1998). Review of community-based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Annual Review of Public Health, 19, 173-202.
How can I get involved?
To engage with place-making efforts in your community, reach out to your local city government, neighborhood association, business group, or parks association and ask if they are involved in place-making activities. If so, ask how you can help!
If you want to get involved with the Place Leadership Project, please contact us!
