Creating good places inspires and has measurable value

Urban design and placemaking practitioners have been arguing for the value of well-designed places that provide a good quality of life since urbanisation and consequent suburbanisation took hold in the 20th century.

“But we are seeing that now more than ever,” says Camilla Siggaard Andersen, global urban resilience research lead, Hassell. She said that the argument is something that now resonates with everyone.

Siggaard Andersen said that placemaking is about creating spaces that have a meaningful presence in people’s lives and environments that inspire an emotional connection.

And placemaking does have a measurable value. “Data tells me that a small playground can add up to 5% to a value of the properties that are located within 300 metres of that playground and data also tells me that society benefits when children are active and they spend time outdoors and they socialise with other children,” she told Real Asset Media’s Richard Betts.

“The story of ‘the place’ really is always this layout story and you can find environmental, social and economic reasons to engage with good placemaking. But we need to become a lot better in telling those nuanced stories and telling them with both quantitative and qualitative evidence. The only way to do that really is to talk to people because a great place is going to look slightly different to different communities.”

Click on the video above to watch the full interview or listen to the podcast below.