P L A C E M A K I N G

What does make place unique?

Sunny Sunday before 4. Whitechapel. I have just started writing the post, listening to the adhan (I live next to the Mosque). I came back from a walk around my neighborhood. I visited Columbian Flower market where I drunk delicious Mexican hot chocolate. Then in Brick Lane, my memories from Sri Lanka came back when I was eating vegetarian kotta. People were talking, smiling, enjoying their day. During the walk, I was wondering why do we love some places and why somewhere we would never come back again. Of course, there are many factors, but what are the main features that make the place great ?

P L A C E M A K I N G ?

Place it is ‘more’ than location. It is a geographical binder that unites people together. We can compare it to semantics meaning of a house and home. Invisible in the visible world. Nowadays we can contextualize it in physical, digital or both-mixed aspects. Facebook is a place, the same as the small bench in the middle of the old residential area. But, as a general idea, independently from the context placemaking ​“facilitates creative patterns of use, paying particular attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution.”​

The power of placemaking.

The most significant strength, the same as a possible weakness is that all of us are placemakers. We are the part of the world where we live and which we create every day.

What makes a place great ?

Many people and organizations (urban planner, architects, photographers, artists, and designers) have already reflected on the features of successful and unique places. Here, I would like to narrow the broad context of ‘placemaking’ into the physical aspect.

The Project of Public Space is it an organization with 43 years of experience in creating public spaces. They have become a pioneer by developing case studies, finding place’s identities and doing transformations (mostly) in urban areas. Their diagram shows insights which consist inseparable parts of the successful place.

However, this is one side of the coin. Right now, I am trying to find out service design's roles in transformation processes. As a service designers, we have this extraordinary happiness to know how to use the human-centered approach and end up with solutions directly respond to people’s needs. But, there is one more crucial thing which for sure can’t be forgotten. In the beginning, the key issue is to prepare people for changes. Collaborate with them, talk to them and teach them how to make these changes, how to go through it and of course, how to care about the 'place’ and the community afterward - is e s s e n t i a l. We have to remember that transformation always brings many consequences - positive and negative.​

However, significant issue in this process is deep empathy with the people you’re designing for. Then, I am sure relationship between citizens and the city will increase proportionally. ​

As I mentioned before - G L U E - the most important aspect and at the same time the most challenging part. 'Residue' is just location, but the ‘environment’ is the key value - that’s why sometimes we love or hate some places.

In the end, enjoy interesting Tedex speech about placemaking! ​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfk1ZW9NRDY

And then - of course, enjoy your 'place' !

MB