The meaning of place-making in planning : historical overview and implications for urban and regional planning : review article

• Published in: Acta structilia Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 91 - 117
• Main Authors: Roos, Vera, Puren, Karen, Jordaan, Tarina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of the Free State 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Contextual design; Kontekstuele ontwerp; Place; Place-making; Plek; Plekskepping; Stads- en streekbeplanning; Urban and regional planning
• ISSN: 1023-0564

In its course of development, urban and regional planning has been greatly influenced by the modernist movement, which left human environments with various problematic ecological and social conditions. In reaction to these conditions, alternative planning approaches branched from the planning profession, one of these being the development approach known as place-making. Place-making is the physical designing of a place based on locational contexts. Place-making is offered as an alternative planning approach to current planning practice to ameliorate and possibly prevent continuation of the problematic ecological and social conditions. However, this implies that there has to come about a shift in the focus and aims of current planning practice. The main implications of place-making are that planning should become more contextually driven, holistic, multidisciplinary, as well as human and quality centred. Also, it is proposed to increase research on place in the South African context. Die ontwikkeling van stads- en streekbeplanning is grootliks beïnvloed deur die modernistiese beweging, wat menslike omgewings met verskeie ekologiese en sosiale probleme gelaat het. In teenreaksie op hierdie probleme, het verskeie alternatiewe beplanningsbenaderings die lig gesien, waarvan plekskepping een was. Plekskepping is die fisiese ontwerp van 'n plek gebaseer op die plek se in situ kontekste. Plekskepping word geopper as 'n alternatiewe beplanningsbenadering tot huidige beplanningspraktyk om sodoende die ekologiese en sosiale probleme te verbeter of te voorkom. Dit impliseer egter dat huidige beplanningspraktyk 'n verskuiwing in fokus en doelwitte moet ondergaan. Die hoofimplikasies van plekskepping is dat beplanning meer konteksgedrewe, holisties, multidissiplinêr, asook mens- en kwaliteitgesentreerd moet word. Ook word dit voorgestel dat meer navorsing oor plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gedoen word.