1. What If We Built Our Communities
Around Places?
Institute for Quality Communities Placemaking Conference
April 3rd
, 2013
Placemaking As a Transformative
Agenda
@EBKent
@PPS_Placemaking

2. William H. (Holly) Whyte
The Organization Man,1956
The Exploding Metropolis, 1958
The Last Landscape, 1968
Plan for the City of New York, 1969
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, 1980
City: Rediscovering the Center, 1988

3. Climate Change
Sustainable
Communities
Civil Society/
Democracy Building
Public Health and the
Built Environment
Community Engagement
Smart Growth
Convergence of Movements/Disciplines
PLACES
Local Food
Systems
Transportation
& Land Use
Local Economies
Historic Preservation

4. 38 Years of Placemaking
 50 U.S. States
 43 Countries
 3000 Communities
 3 Million annual visitors to our web
site
 36,000 people get our electronic
newsletter
 19k+ on Twitter @PPS_Placemaking
 18k+ Facebook

5. PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Regions where we’re supporting Placemaking
 Singapore
 South Korea
 India
 Japan
 Hong Kong
 Czech Republic
 Montenegro
 Serbia
 Kosovo
 Croatia
 Hungary
 Poland
 Slovakia
 Romania
 Bulgaria
 Georgia
 Armenia
 Australia
 New Zealand
 Canada
 Netherlands
 Norway
 UK/ Scotland
 Sweden
 Italy
 Mexico
 Colombia
 Argentina
 Chile
 Brazil
 South Africa
 Kenya
 Abu Dhabi
 Chicago
 Los Angeles
 San Francisco
 Texas
 Michigan

6. We shape our public spaces, thereafter our public
spaces shape us. –adapted from Winston Churchill
Contrasting 1

7. Lowly, unpurposeful and random as they may appear,
sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a
city’s wealth of public life may grow. ─Jane Jacobs

8. It’s hard to create a space that will not attract people,
what is remarkable, is how often this has been
accomplished. ─William H. Whyte
Contrasting 1

9. What attracts people most it would appear,
is other people. ─William H. Whyte

10. If you plan for cars and traffic…
you get more cars and traffic.

12. If you plan for people and places…
you get more people and places.

14. When you focus on creating a “place,”
you do everything differently.

17. • Placemaking provides the link between:
– urban excellence
– economic development
– sustainability
– public health (physical, psychological, social)

18. What is Placemaking?
 Placemaking is turning a neighborhood, town
or city from a place you can’t wait to get
through to one you never want to leave.
 Placemaking is the creation of a built
environment that creates community,
stimulates interaction, encourages
entrepreneurship, fosters innovation and
nurtures humanity.

19. What is Placemaking?
 Placemaking is creating for everybody.
 The seed of democracy.
 Placemaking is the process of giving space a
story that is shared by many.

20. A study of three generations of 9 year olds
found that over a recent 20 year period, the
radius around the home that children were
allowed to play had sunken almost 90%.
Richard Louv

24. Campus Martius: Before

25. Campus Martius Vision:
• Detroit's Gathering Place
• The Crossroads of Downtown Detroit
• Our Town Square
• The City's Signature Landmark
• A Catalyst for Revitalization
• A Place Where the Community Celebrates
Major Partners:
• City of Detroit
• Detroit 300 Conservancy
• Detroit DOT

26. Campus Martius
2004
“It changes the image
of Detroit in everyone’s
mind. They see the
square on TV, hear
about what’s
happening there and
they see Detroit
differently.”
-Bob Gregory, Detroit 300

27. Campus Martius/ Cadillac Square LONG-TERM VISION/ Power of Ten

29. Campus Martius/ Cadillac Square LONG-TERM VISION

30. Campus Martius/ Cadillac Square LQC/ POWER OF TEN
Food Trucks
Beer Garden Prepared Food Market Surf Lounge
Food Trucks

31. Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper
 Comfort, Amenities & Public Art
 Activation Events
 Interim Public Spaces
 Light Development

32. Phases of Development Evolution
Phase 1:
Project-Driven
hase 1:
roject-Driven
Phase 4:
Place-Led
Phase 4:
Place-Led
Phase 3:
Place-Sensitive
Phase 3:
Place-Sensitive
Phase 2:
Discipline-Led
Phase 2:
Discipline-Led

33. Stay in Touch
pps.org
@EBKent
@PPS_Placemaking
ProjectforPublicSpaces