Module 1 – People in Place: Fundamentals

The Placemaking Fundamental module introduces students to the general information to placemaking. We take a unique approach of using placemaking as a “potential thinking” process (rather than a problem‐based approach). A process that can harness the power of the community in shaping and transforming places that people will love.

This module begins by outlining the history and development of placemaking. It briefly discusses placemaking in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, and outlines the benefits placemaking can deliver. Lastly, the module looks at the main critiques of placemaking by looking at issues of gentrification, place wash and place masking. It finalises highlighting the need to integrate nature and Indigenous perspectives of place giving voice to all people and nature. This elements are embraced by the next set of modules (Nature in Place, Site and Community engagement) that explore strategies to embrace and reintegrate these voices into place.

– Develop common language for placemaking
– Provide a theoretical foundation of placemaking

The materials below are intended to support academics in embracing the materials created to teach the fundamentals of people in place. These should form a basis for you own subject, we suggest customising it with your own case studies and materials. Placemaking is context specific so inserting case studies, images and information from your area will make the content come to life.

For this session, we created a total of 3 videos to support the teaching and key discussions:

Watch the video What is Place and Placemaking? (4min) to get a short introduction to what some leading industry collaborators believe are the key aspects of placemaking.

The second video, Main Takeaways: to achieve long-term benefits for place (4:38min) highlights the strategies that practitioners have found to help to positively enhance the potentials of placemaking.

The last video returns to our stakeholders and asks What Is Your Advice For Making Great Places? (5:48) gathering key advice for students and emerging practitioners on what to do to support their own growth and skills as placemakers.