Creating Vibrant Social Spaces
Placemaking is the process of creating spaces that are functional, attractive, and meaningful to the people who use them.
It is a way to improve the quality of life in a community by creating spaces where people can live, work, and play.
The Embrace, a sculpture located in Boston Common at 139 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
This bronze abstract installation is based on the 1964 photo of an embrace between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King after he won the Nobel Peace Prize. This 20-foot-tall, 25-foot-wide work of art is highly visible and walkable as part of Boston Common, one of the oldest of urban public parks in the United States.
There are many benefits to placemaking. Placemaking can:
Improve public health
Improve social cohesion
Improve economic vitality
Increase public safety
Proven Placemaking Strategies:
Engage the Community: Involving the community in the planning and design process can ensure that the resulting space meets the needs and values of the people who will use it. This can include holding public meetings, workshops, and surveys to gather input.
Create a Sense of Place: Designing spaces that reflect the unique character and history of the area can create a sense of place and help people feel a sense of connection to the space.
Center Inclusivity: Designing spaces that encourage belonging can help foster a sense of community. This can include designing spaces that are easy to navigate, have comfortable seating, and offer opportunities for people to gather.
Center Accessibility: Creating spaces that are accessible to all people, regardless of their abilities, can ensure that everyone can enjoy the space.
Invite Nature: Incorporating elements of nature into the design of a space can create a more inviting and relaxing environment. This can include incorporating plant life, landscaping, water features, and natural materials into the design.
Our Approach to Placemaking:
At Civility Localized, we understand the importance of community engagement in placemaking. We have a proven track record of helping communities engage with developers and policymakers to create better development projects. We do this by:
Meeting people where they are: We understand that everyone communicates differently, so we tailor our approach to meet the needs of the community.
Applying cultural relativity and sensitivity to communication: We understand that different cultures have different ways of communicating, so we take this into account when we are working with the community.
Designing two-way communication strategies and tools: We believe communication should be a two-way street, so we design strategies and tools that allow the community to share their input and developers and policymakers to share information with the community.
Working together to co-design a process that seeks to inform and solicit input: We believe that the best way to get input from the community is to work with them to design a process that is tailored to their needs.
If you are interested in learning more about how we can help your organization increase placemaking capacity, please contact us today. We would be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help you engage your community.
