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Are you interested in place-making processes?

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Our summary today works with the article titled Positioning place-making as a social process: A systematic literature review from 2021 by Poeti Nazura Gulfira Akbar and Jurian Edelenbos, published in the Cogent Social Sciences journal.

This is a great preparation to our next interview with Bruce Marshall in episode 226 talking about place-making as the process of bringing out the magic of the place.

Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how place-making can be viewed as a social process instead of product oriented. This article investigates the variety of approaches, influential factors and outcomes of place-making.

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Welcome to today’s What is The Future For Cities podcast and its Research episode; my name is Fanni, and today I will introduce a research paper by summarising it. The episode really is just a short summary of the original paper, and, in case it is interesting enough, I would encourage everyone to check out the whole paper. Stay tuned until because I will give you the 3 most important things and some questions which would be interesting to discuss.

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Originally, place-making was about building and designing spaces, but now it emphasizes the importance of community involvement and social practices in shaping these places. This shift recognizes that the true value of a space lies in the experiences and interactions of the people who use it, not just its physical structure. The modern approach to place-making advocates for the involvement of all stakeholders, including local residents and community organizations, in the creation and ongoing development of urban spaces.

The review focused on how local communities enhance public spaces, which are open and accessible to everyone, to make them more liveable. It covered studies from 1960 to August 2016 that met strict criteria: they had to engage local communities, contribute to place-making research, and be peer-reviewed and in English. Out of 1,820 potential studies initially identified, only 61 met all the requirements. Many were excluded for not adequately focusing on community-driven place-making or because they viewed place-making merely as a physical enhancement without real community involvement.

The authors identified three place-making approaches: bottom-up, top-down, and collaborative, each engaging local communities differently. In the bottom-up approach, communities lead initiatives using informal methods like art and festivals, relying heavily on resident participation. The top-down approach features large-scale developments led by governments and private sectors, with limited community input and centralized decision-making. The collaborative approach attempts to combine these strategies by involving a diverse group of stakeholders, including community members and experts. However, power dynamics often complicate this integration. Most initiatives are bottom-up, driven by local organizations that play a crucial role in fostering community engagement and addressing local needs.

Place-making is influenced by institutional, physical and other contextual elements. Each plays a crucial role in how place-making initiatives are shaped and sustained. Institutional factors include the effectiveness of place-making hinges on residents’ capabilities, their social networks, and demographic characteristics. The community’s capacity to leverage skills and networks determines engagement levels, and different demographic groups may interact with place-making based on factors like age and cultural background. Local organizations play a pivotal role in leading initiatives and engaging communities. Their success is tied to their operational capacity, openness to community involvement, and relationships with other stakeholders such as governments and businesses. Governmental roles are also significant; the government’s openness to community participation and its ability to integrate place-making within broader public agendas can enhance or constrain the scope and success of these efforts.

Physical and spatial contexts depend on the location, accessibility, and design of a neighbourhood directly impact place-making. Essential services and the legal status of land are critical, with clear land tenure and resource availability being vital for sustainable initiatives. Other contextual factors might involve the broader political and economic environment influencing place-making. A stable economy and supportive political landscape facilitate place-making, while instability may impede it. Existing social cohesion and community attachment also significantly shape the process and outcomes of place-making initiatives.

Place-making outcomes are grouped into four categories: local empowerment, social connection, place attachment, and quality of life, showing the transformative effects on communities. Place-making empowers local residents, letting them build skills and positively influence their surroundings through active participation. It strengthens social bonds by encouraging diverse groups to interact, breaking down cultural barriers, and fostering inclusivity. These initiatives also boost local identity and pride by highlighting unique cultural and physical aspects of an area, enhancing residents’ sense of belonging. Place-making can also improve well-being, making communities feel safer and more connected, contributing to better mental and physical health. However, if place-making takes a top-down approach with little community involvement, it can cause negative outcomes like social division, displacement, and gentrification, which can deepen socio-economic disparities. Successful place-making requires careful management to ensure it benefits all community members without causing these negative effects.

Place-making has evolved from focusing just on physical changes, like building structures, to also involving the community in shaping their environment, both socially and physically. The findings reveal that although collaborative approaches are often discussed, most successful place-making actually comes from grassroots, bottom-up efforts by local communities themselves. This shows that communities can effectively improve their environments without needing formal plans or much outside help. Key factors influencing place-making include actions by residents, local organizations, government policies, and the physical environment. These factors can either help or hinder the process.

While place-making can enhance community ties and improve quality of life, if it doesn’t align with local needs, it may only improve physical and economic aspects, potentially leading to issues like gentrification. Urban planning and design practitioners should engage with communities, public sectors, and civic groups to consider the interplay of various factors in place-making, fostering collaborative efforts that integrate diverse perspectives and enhance city liveability through continuous community involvement.

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What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Do you have any follow up question? Let me know on Twitter at WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the transcripts and show notes are available! Additionally, I will highly appreciate if you consider subscribing to the podcast or on the website. I hope this was an interesting paper for you as well, and thanks for tuning in!

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Finally, as the most important things, I would like to highlight 3 aspects:

1. Place-making has shifted from a product-oriented focus by urban designers to a process-oriented, multi-stakeholder approach involving local communities.
2. Place-making can be influenced by four main factors: resident-related, local organization-related, government-related, and physical-spatial factors.
3. Place-making can lead to positive social outcomes such as local empowerment, stronger social ties, enhanced place identity, and improved quality of life when local needs are considered.

Additionally, it would be great to talk about the following questions:

1. What strategies can be employed to foster better collaboration among residents, local organizations, and government entities in the place-making process?
2. What role can place-making play in addressing pressing urban challenges, such as climate change adaptation or public health crises?
3. How can we effectively bridge the gap between bottom-up and top-down place-making initiatives to create more inclusive and sustainable urban spaces?

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