Place Activation &
Placemaking

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality”

Walt Disney

Placemaking lives exclusively in the plane of human thought. It is mysterious, intangible, subjective and experiential.

All manner of research, design, and construction may see the creation of a technically beautiful place, but without the spark of human interest and engagement, it may not even exist, somewhat like the paradox of Schrodingers’s cat.

The art and science of placemaking involve identifying methods that seed the community’s imagination and identification with that place when applied to a place. Places where the communities inner ear tells them that it is somewhere that will uplift them, engage them or entertain them.

Setting the stage

Successful placemaking paints a new picture of a chosen area – where the canvas is the streets, laneways, parks and gateways that lead to it.

The media may include a range of structural features, including ephemeral street art, theatre, dance, and dining experiences. These may be conventional – they may be experimental. The artists are the community and businesses who are encouraged and empowered to investigate and enliven the stage.

These new sights, sounds, experiences and memories will help residents and visitors see ‘their’ place in a new fun and exciting light, leading to an appetite for more.

The momentum draws more people. More people - especially at night - will boost public safety, boost business and perhaps lead to infrastructure projects - all ultimately enriching the quality of life.

Image of Maitland at night during an event. There is a big neon sign saying After Dark.

Maitland After Dark event was just one of the many events that evolved from the strategy.

When can I integrate placemaking
and place activation?

Placemaking and place activation can happen at any stage - whether in established towns, villages, and cities or during the early design of a new community or precinct. While the goal remains the same - to create vibrant places that attract people and bring urban spaces to life - the method varies depending on the context.

New Communities & Precincts

Placemaking is integrated into the initial design phase, ensuring that spaces encourage connection, interaction, and a shared identity from the outset.

This could mean:

Designing public spaces that allow for informal gatherings such as children’s birthday parties.
Creating a network of parks, playgrounds, and exercise spaces and tracks that foster a healthy, active community.
Integrating art and cultural projects that allow people to participate and shape their new environment.
Hosting early activation events that help residents form connections - but with the right infrastructure to support them long-term.

Established Communities

Placemaking often requires retrofitting into an existing urban fabric, where ownership and maintenance responsibilities can be more complex. While outcomes may feel more organic and ad-hoc compared to a planned-from-scratch precinct, this can result in distinct, place-specific character. The challenge is finding ways to:

Work within existing structures and public spaces to create gathering opportunities.
Activate underutilised areas while respecting local heritage and community identity.
Deliver low-cost interventions that enhance public life in meaningful ways.

Regardless of when it’s introduced, placemaking and activation shape spaces people want to be in—creating not just functional environments but places with life, character, and a strong sense of community.

The Design Partnership Approach

In collaboration with ARTSCAPE, we developed the Place Evolution Process as a framework for Placemaking, Place Activation, and Place Planning projects.

This approach recognises that places evolve—change is rarely instant but a gradual process of testing, refining, and adapting to what works and what doesn’t.

To guide this evolution, projects are divided into three key stages:

The Seeding Stage – Testing small-scale projects to gather community feedback, collect data, and assess which initiatives have the potential to become permanent.
The Establishment Stage – Transitioning successful Seeding Projects into more permanent features by introducing supporting infrastructure and long-term planning.
The Mature Stage – Ensuring sustainability of projects and the place. This involves deepening community engagement by integrating the most successful Establishment projects into the fabric of the place.

While remaining flexible, this structured approach allows places to grow organically, adapting to community needs while fostering long-term vibrancy and success.