Art and Placemaking

Art is intentionally placed everywhere – you just have to look for it.

Here, we’ll look at some examples of the way outside artists have contributed to creative placemaking in our projects.

Creative placemaking

Creative placemaking can be described as the deliberate integration of arts and culture into community development. This can happen at the smallest scale of a privately-owned space, or at a massive and comprehensive city-wide level. By adding elements of interactive architecture and artwork to a space, designers and artists can make a space more dynamic and desirable for those using it. This positive association with a space can radiate out in unexpected ways.

Think of a park with a perfectly-placed bench under a shade tree and a built-in chess board. Users might not have gone to the park to play chess, but when they see the board is available, they sit and play. And now, perhaps, they’ve developed a weekly routine to play with a friend they met at the park. Think of a collection of rotating local art in an office space. Employees with little exposure to local art might look forward to that monthly rotation of artwork. Better yet, they might develop a love for local art and start frequenting galleries and art shows.