On placemaking

Placemaking represents a comeback for community. The iterative actions and collaborations inherent in the making of places nourish communities and empower people.

The so called spatial turn in the social sciences continues to provide us with some of the most compelling theoretical insight into the use of land, the production of space and the making of place. Attempts to humanize the process of spatial planning and design have evolved with the re-emergence of the importance of place and post-colonial discourse. This course brings to light the potential inherent to engaging creative, collaborative and ecological practices within placemaking processes and reminds us of their importance in combating the negative impacts of planetary urbanisation, anthropocentric climate change and social justice and cohesion.

Broader philosophical definitions such as ‘retrospective world-building’, the creation of a meaningful humanly authored world, ‘daily acts of renovating, maintaining, and representing the places that sustain us’ and ‘to create a sense of belonging through place’ probe the relationship between professionals, residents and the practice of placemaking. What placemaking knowledges and projects are there to learn from? How might practices and processes of placemaking from non-Western countries, Indigenous practices, feminist practices and others inform our efforts to make places and create spaces?

We will engage with the writings and projects of social theorists of space, urban anthropologists and planners, critical geographers and radical cartographers.

What to expect

Part of this course will be two outdoor activities in and around Cairo and presentations on placemaking practices.