Placemaking Chicago is one of many cities taking a people-centered approach to planning, design and management of public spaces. Put simply, it involves looking at, listening to, and asking questions of the people who live, work and play in a particular space, to discover needs and aspirations. This information is then used to create a common vision for that place. The vision can evolve quickly into an implementation strategy, beginning with small-scale, do-able improvements that can immediately bring benefits to public spaces and the people who use them.
Placemaking in Seattle’s Little Saigon
Working with SCIDpda, Department of Planning and Development (DPD), and the , community members are gathering together to define neighborhood assets and needs in relation to neighborhood identity, urban planning, parking, and economic development. Through this process, we hope to
- Increase community capacity
- Create a strong vision for the future of Little Saigon
- Develop recommendations and strategies that may be implemented by the community over time
- Apply for funding to implement projects emerging from planning process
Some of the current project ideas are around neighborhood identity and cultural awareness:
- Decorated crosswalks
- Banners and signs on light poles
- Public art: sculptures, murals
- Park, permanent and/or temporary
Interested in being a part of the process? Want to lead your own placemaking project? Contact us at to join the next meeting.