Placemaking and the City

Cities are back in fashion; on television (Sex in the City), in music (with ‘urban’ now the codeword for black, popular and rhythmic), in architecture (where density generates the most rewarding opportunities), among international agencies (seeking ways of managing post-Fordist and post-industrial societies), and within the planning establishment (with the reversal of ideas on the uses of the city). One of the most important issues facing planning at the beginning of the twenty-first century is how to revitalise cities. Today, cities are seen as assets rather than liabilities. Their role as engines of economic growth is widely accepted and their spheres of influence the city is becoming recognised as fundamental building blocks in the national fabric.

Bench Bombing in Philly

One simple way to transform public space

Read more here - Link

Sensual Streets - 7 Senses Streets

Residential streets are public spaces, at our front door. We engage with them throughout the day - commuting to work, afternoon walks with the dog, putting the bins out. Yet for most of us this space remains a placeholder between the traffic channel and our front fence. It's time to convert them into usable, inspiring place.

The above picture shows how the street is transformed into a tree-lined play and exploration zone, incorporating a sensory garden, community gathering space and improved connections between the street and the parklands that meet the cul-de-sac.


Here's the link to the article written by Tobias Volbert, a Landscape Architect and Project Development Manager at Playscape Creations.
http://www.placefocus.com/Blog/