Place Making

To many Londoners, Brent Cross is best known for its shopping centre. Now, though, there is an ambitious regeneration project underway. Nick Searl, Partner at Argent Related and the joint lead on the project, joined us for a conversation to share how the ambitious development will put the spotlight on sport, play, and community wellbeing.

"The future of the city is the future of us. It’s who we are," says Jonathan Woetzel, McKinsey Global Institute. The question, then, is what changes do we need to make to bring people back to the city? And how do we do this safely, equitably, and in a way that makes us more resilient to future shocks?

The spotlight is on Glasgow as the hosts of COP26. What role do cities play in addressing global challenges such as climate change? Susan Aitken, Council Leader for Glasgow City Council, shares how can cities can leverage their events to grow their international reputation, engage citizens in key areas, and generate equitable development.

What role does sound play in recreating the experience of another location? How are places leveraging the uniqueness of their soundscapes to drive their place marketing and place branding?

In many ways, cities are living, breathing entities – and they’re evolving just as we are. We reached out to Jonathan Woetzel, Director of the McKinsey Global Institute, to understand how the crises of the 21^st century are shaping the development of our cities.

Our understanding on place branding is rapidly evolving. Here are our top reading suggestions from the last few years for those looking to expand their own knowledge and insights…

Just as tourism teams are looking to “reset” with a more sustainable approach, place leaders and economic development teams are reconsidering approaches to placemaking. There is a need to reinvent our public spaces to rebuild the attractiveness of places – and to reconnect communities that have been living in isolation for upwards of three months.

The dizzying transformations wrought by COVID-19 lock-downs are not simply economic and social shocks. They are also profound blows to the psyche of places – their sense of identity, purpose and sustainability. It’s a crisis of confidence. And confidence is one of the most critical resources any locale needs to move forward.

Placemaking is a process that "inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces... strengthening the connection between people and the places they share." But what does placemaking need in order to be successful?

The UK media is covered in headlines proclaiming the death of the high street. But this isn't true - they're just in a process of transformation. How are destinations using innovative placemaking and policy reforms to revitalise their city centres?