Words have a way of trending in architecture that make them seem like innovations. Placemaking is one of those words. Placemaking, an approach to urban planning and design that creates inviting environments on a community scale, has always been a part of architectural vocabulary. But our recent understanding of the impact of “place” has deepened. The purposeful design of place is an opportunity to significantly enrich people’s lives — fostering not only community, but a greater self-awareness of the highly individualistic beings that comprise it.
