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Placemaking: Impacting the Community through Design

By Ron Dick, AIA, LEED AP

December 10, 2024
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Creating spaces that foster community pride, celebrate local uniqueness, and cater to diverse groups is vital to a community’s identity. There are six key principles to successful placemaking design, and Design Collaborative’s hometown of Fort Wayne is home to several examples.
Promenade Park Pedestrian Bridge
Promenade Park Pedestrian Bridge

Reinforce Community Uniqueness

Every community has its distinct charm and character. Placemaking through design can enhance these aspects, reinforcing what makes a community unique. By incorporating local culture, history, and aesthetics into public spaces, we can create environments that celebrate community pride. Think of it as creating a physical narrative of the community’s story—one that residents and visitors alike can connect with and enjoy.

For example, the new gateway markers being installed at three major entrances to Fort Wayne feature a color scheme authentic to Fort Wayne and native plants to serve as a memorable welcome to visitors.

Authentic Enhancements

Authenticity is key when it comes to enhancing local identity and sense of place. This means designing spaces that reflect the true essence of the community rather than imposing generic designs. By engaging local artists, historians, and community members in the design process, you ensure that the result genuinely resonates with the community’s values and heritage.

That’s exactly what happened when Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation set out to renovate one of its largest parks – Franke Park. Once phase one wraps up later this year, it will include a new entrance from Goshen Road, a bridge and roadways throughout the park, a pavilion, and native landscaping—all designed to harmonize with the existing park and the surrounding neighborhood. This development is in line with the park’s master plan and aims to enhance its appeal as a destination for mountain biking, trail exploration, summer day camps, and visits to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.
Franke Park Site Plan
Franke Park Site Plan

Attractions for Diverse Groups

Successful placemaking involves creating attractions that appeal to various user groups. These spaces should serve as dynamic, inclusive hubs of activity where the community can come together and thrive.

Downtown Fort Wayne’s Promenade Park does just that – offering activities for everyone, from a children’s playground and walking trails to a concert pavilion and water recreation activities. Diverse attractions like these ensure that everyone feels included and engaged.

Landmark Spaces

Creating landmark spaces is another critical aspect of community placemaking. These landmarks symbolize that something exciting is happening in the community, drawing people in and encouraging them to explore further. Whether it’s a striking piece of public art, an iconic building, or a beautifully designed park, landmarks create memorable points of interest that enhance the community’s landscape.

Here at home, excitement flowed throughout the city with a new addition to the downtown landscape. Skyline Tower, a 12-story multi-use complex featuring retail, office, and residential space, is helping to attract urban professionals and revitalize the downtown corridor. It draws people from all over the city and beyond to live, work, dine, shop, and play downtown.
Skyline Tower Drone Footage2
Skyline Tower Drone Footage2

Accessible and Welcoming

Accessibility is a crucial component of successful placemaking. Public spaces should be designed to ensure everyone feels welcome and comfortable, regardless of age, ability, or background. This means incorporating features like ramps, seating areas, and clear signage, as well as considering the needs of various user groups during the design process.

The Pearl Street Arts Center is one example of designing with inclusivity top of mind. The former food production facility has been renovated to contain several elements aimed at making the arts center accessible for all. Features include a six-foot high ramp from the street to the building entrance and an adult-sized changing table, eliminating barriers for some members of the public to attend events in the building.

Evolving to Stay Relevant

Lastly, it’s essential for community spaces to evolve continually. This ensures they remain authentic and relevant to the community’s changing needs and preferences. Regular updates, new installations, and fresh programming can keep spaces vibrant and engaging, fostering a sense of excitement and anticipation within the community.

Parkview Field and the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo have done an excellent job adapting to the changing needs of their visitors, providing new experiences and making them repeat destinations year after year.
Franke Park Birdseye Rendering
Franke Park Birdseye Rendering

Community placemaking can take place on different scales, from small pocket parks like the Oxford neighborhood park to large urban plazas. The goal is to create memorable experiences for residents and visitors, regardless of the size of the space.

Are you ready to enhance your community through thoughtful and inclusive placemaking? Let’s talk about how we can help you design a space that celebrates and strengthens your community’s unique identity.

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