Making Place in Tāmaki Makaurau

There’s more to placemaking than making public spaces pretty and fun. It’s about practice as much as outcome. Who is involved and how, as much as what happens and where. And it’s about history, visibility, privilege, social justice, soul and survival too.

What may look like an improved streetscape or an enjoyable event is also a step towards regenerating urban landscapes and lives. And this is super important as we craft our collective futures in the face of disruption on a number of scales. Done well, creative collaboration grows and shares skills, connections, hopes and dreams. It can ameliorate neglect, disconnect, decay and exclusion and increase value and worth. Among and between people as much as places. Because we are all people in places, right?

So how do we do it well? What are the key ingredients? And what do we already have right here, right now in Tāmaki Makaurau to step it up?