PEOPLE FIRST!
Placemaking is about paying particular attention to the little details and attributes that transform everyday SPACES into PLACES that people want to go to and return to time and time again.
Placemaking is about People First; it’s about creating connections between people and the environment around us and how we can all work together to transform our public spaces into places. It does not require a ton of investment, extensive public works, and construction, overbearing technology, or gimmicks; there are no bells and whistles necessary - all you need is an attitude and a methodology that puts the end-user first and provides an environment for human interactions to take place safely and comfortably.
“My perfect beach town isn’t a fancy resort or a glitzy planned community. It’s a place with a hometown grocery store that has decent meat, seafood, and a deli; a couple of ice cream shops; and a handful of good restaurants – where the island-wide dress clothes are ‘no shoes, no shirt, no problem.” – Mary Kay Andrews (Best-selling author)
LIVEABLE PLACES!
More than just designing how we get from one place to another and the aesthetics of a space, Placemaking brings together diverse thinking and ideas to attract a broad spectrum of people, be they residents, business owners, professionals, and elected officials, who, when you combine them all, create a vibrant and robust population, strong social bonds and an enduring sense of community and belonging while promoting economic growth, health, and safety.
“The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.” – Mark Hyman (New York physician and New York Times best-selling author)
A SENSE OF BELONGING!
A sense of belonging and community is innate to all, and here at Crimson Placemaking, we work hard to ensure that the communities we collaborate with encourage people to disconnect, unwind, and get down with being HUMAN!
“The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food.” – Dean Ornish (American physician and researcher)
ARTS/CULTURE!
Placemaking can take many forms; one of the more popular is Arts/Culture based Placemaking, which, when done correctly, creates access across all sectors and at all levels of society by stimulating local economies, which leads to increased innovation, civic engagement, and cultural diversity. Creating places that attract crowds (look at the transformation of Penang following the installations of street art), governments and leaders are now starting to see the value of Arts/Culture based Placemaking and the slew of benefits it can bring to transportation, employment, housing, constituent happiness and satisfaction, health, sustainability, education, housing markets, and countless others.
"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibres connect us with our fellow men." – Herman Melville
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES!
As the world becomes more environmentally and health conscious, the importance of creating viable and sustainable communities and public places is becoming ever more critical. Programs in the United States, such as the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Singapore under the URA’s Placemaking guidelines, and global initiatives, such as Project for Public Spaces (PPS), work to broaden perceptions and influence private/corporate developers, cities and towns and governments, in general, to adopt more open and forward-thinking approaches to Placemaking and community engagement. When people want to be or to go somewhere, the value of the surrounding real estate, the productivity of its retail shops, and the local area economy all see a tremendous and profound boost. People like to be around others and prefer to be where the ‘action’ is.
“Central to living a good life is a life that’s forgiving. We’re creatures of contact, whether we kiss or we wound.” – David Rakoff (Canadian author, essayist, journalist, and actor)
MORE THAN JUST ARCHITECTURE!
Provocative architecture, paintings, street art, restaurants, cafes, interesting retail stores, children's entertainment/play venues, music and visual arts of all kinds bring people together and get people talking and reinforce a shared sense of culture and, in many cases can create new identities for cities, towns, and districts. Above all, do not forget that happiness is essential for healthy, thriving, and sustainable communities.
"Culture is not only beneficial to cities; in a deeper sense, it's what cities are for. A city without poets, painters, and photographers is sterile." - Rebecca Solnit (American author on feminism, the environment, politics, place, and art)
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE!
Triple Bottom Line (TBL or 3BL), in its most basic sense, means "people-planet-profit," i.e., being economically, socially, and environmentally beneficial. So, what does this mean for real estate development? Real estate development and urban regeneration are hugely risky enterprises, and developers must make a reasonable profit or return on investment (socially and/or economically) to cover expenses and justify the project. So how can this be achieved?
The simple truth is that it IS possible to meet the 3BL challenge! The first step is to set metrics to measure the effect not only on the investment but on the people affected and the surrounding environment, and subsequently to employ and implement broader strategies and techniques to attain win-win-win scenarios for the developer, the community, and the planet.
"The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion." - Paulo Coelho
DON'T FORGET ABOUT AMENITIES & TECHNOLOGY!
Accessibility to resources, amenities, and food/drink is critical to the success of any project, as the intrinsic benefits and communal bonds are made easier by good food and a pleasant/safe environment. When done properly, it can create deeper relationships and stimulate more interaction. Additionally, a healthy lifestyle/entertainment district is often the heart of a city and with which most people identify themselves.
“We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things.” - Stephen Hawking