Articles on placemaking

From the Project for Public Spaces:

"The Upside of a Down Economy"
Urban Land, May 2009

The current economic downturn presents not just challenges, but also opportunities to change the way we think about development. Explore how more and more people around the world are expressing an interest in learning how to make their local assets into destinations within their cities that work as catalysts of economic growth.

"Creating Places: The Journey of a Community"
Municipal World, July 2009

Throughout the world, governments, organizations, and private citizens have begun to look for ways to reinvent their communities around the simple idea of "place." Simple Placemaking principles are already transforming communities most important places into vital destinations in diverse locations including Australia, Chicago and across Canada.

"Civic Buildings and their Public Spaces Can Improve the Quality of Life in Cities"
Recreation and Parks Magazine--British Columbia, Spring 2009

Civic institutions, such as parks, libraries, city halls and cultural facilities, are the foundations of a civil society and the cornerstones of democracy. By working together and pooling their unique strengths and areas of expertise, these institutions and the communities around them can identify their true potential to better serve the public by tackling common challenges.

"The Place Maker"
UrbanoMay, 2009 (EPRAPerth)

In these difficult economic times, can we afford to invest time and money in creating special places in our cities? According to PPS President Fred Kent, we cant afford not to. In fact, Kent says that Placemaking is a cost-effective way to revive prosperity through alternative economic and urban growth.

"Positive Changes in Savannah"
Savannah Morning News, June 12, 2009

Last February, Fred Kent and over 300 Savannah citizens met to discuss how to transform the citys car-oriented streets into pedestrian-friendly destinations. Since then, Savannah's citizens have taken bold action to begin making these plans reality. As Theodora Gongaware writes in Savannah Now, Savannahs citizens are working energetically to "make each neighborhood a destination by taking advantage of resources that were already in place."

"The Place Doctor"
Convene Magazine, Professional Convention Management Association
A profile of Fred Kent explores the opportunities for towns and cities to connect Placemaking to tourism. "Whole cities can be changed," said Kent, "by thinking about community places."

"Public Space Projects Worthy Concept"
Arizona Republic, May 22, 2009

Tempe hired PPS in 2006 to create a comprehensive open-space plan for their downtown. The innovative ideas in the plan have been put on hold by the economic downturn; but if the plans building blocks are in place when the economy recovers, Tempe runs much less risk of being blindsided by developments downtown and along light rail.