People in Place: Placemaking Fundamentals

Abstract

Placemaking is the continuous process of shaping, experiencing and contributing to ‘place’. ‘Place’ itself is a multidimensional construct, referring to a locality but also the relationships that occur within the locality, including the socio-economic reality, ecological conditions and political standpoint. Placemaking places people at its core, either by employing a participatory process to public space design, gaining an understanding of residents’ perceptions and aspirations or responding through projects/programmes, which generate positive relationships in/to/with place. Placemaking is a process that creates the capacity for people to invest space with meaning. This chapter introduces th..