Softer outcomes ultimately positively impact the bottom line
Truly successful听places听are听measured in more than just financial metrics; they are听interconnected systems of people and spaces, buzzing with听activity, purpose and joy. They听nurture听community and belonging. They have a sense of 鈥榩lace鈥�. They are, essentially, an ecosystem.听听
So听it follows that the aspiration, and legacy, for developers and landowners should be to听orchestrate听a community that acts as a perpetuating and self-evolving ecosystem.听
Why? Because听long-term, soft outcomes such as these positively impact those harder financial metrics.听
Evidence听from the shows that residents听who are healthier, happier听and more satisfied are more likely to take good care of their community.听
Other studies, including one听from the (Cebr) hint that they鈥檙e also more likely to buy or stay longer, and more likely to pay a premium.听听
But outcomes like these don鈥檛 have to be left to chance 鈥� they can be designed in from the outset.听听
Placemaking is a foundational process that unites every stakeholder under a defining, transformative vision
How听do we听create a 鈥榮ense of place鈥�?听听听听听听听
‘Sense of place鈥� is probably the most often-used term to sketch a development aspiration for the built environment. And yet, definitions of precisely what 鈥榩lacemaking鈥� means are as diverse and approximate as the number of people discussing it.听
Far听from听simply听activating or听鈥榖randing鈥櫶齛 new听place or space,听MindFolio听see听placemaking听as听a foundational process that unites听every stakeholder听under a defining, transformative vision听鈥� from which a customised ecosystem听and masterplan听should naturally emerge.听听
Placemaking is a听complex听process, which starts with immersion into听the place itself.听
Placemakers听must听dig deep to听uncover the听history,听culture,听peoples,听traditions,听and ambitions of a place. They must also听engage with听key stakeholders听鈥� landowners, developers,听residents and听local听authorities听鈥� to gain a听comprehensive听understanding of all their aspirations, challenges and priorities.听听听
Billund: Placemakers听must听dig deep to听uncover the听history,听culture,听peoples,听traditions,听and ambitions of a place
The听output听of this early听immersion听constructs听a听clear picture of the听genius loci, identifying the needs of participants, be they workers, residents or visitors.听
It鈥檚 a听rich resource of information and understanding听that听provides听a contextual听springboard for听the听clever ideation that听follows.听听
Placemaking听needs a听powerful, guiding Vision听Ecosystem听
Once you start to understand the ins and outs of a place and its people, it鈥檚 necessary to look beyond development 鈥榬ed lines鈥� to gain inspiration.
The ultimate goal of听Visioning –听a thoughtful and creative workstream听–听is to curate a strategic and imaginative ecosystem.听
This Vision Ecosystem should recognise that every design, component and feature must add value not only to itself, but also to the common worth, both now and in the future.听
Visioning听is more systematic than it sounds.
It鈥檚 a听360-degree鈥痙evelopment process, which concerns just about every aspect of the development cycle and can involve conceptual masterplans, differentiation strategies, brand propositions, or asset听betterments.听
Although every project is subject to different dynamics and needs, taking this approach goes a long way to avoiding missed opportunities and imperceptible mind-set traps.听听听
A great example of vision-led transformation is the small town of Billund in Denmark, home of the LEGO brand.听听
Centrally located in quiet rural Jutland, stakeholders, including LEGO, described a 鈥榙ecaying town听centre鈥� and the damaging effects of 鈥榗hasing tourism at any price鈥�, as significant issues in creating quality employment for residents, capturing retail footfall and attracting new talent to the borough.听
In response to these difficulties,听we听drew on the town鈥檚 unique heritage as the home of听the听LEGO听brand, but sought to听discover more meaningful and inclusive territory for the wider听community.听Billund had to be more than a 鈥榯oy听manufacturing听town鈥�.听听
Using a proprietary听process听we call 鈥榮ystematic creativity鈥�,听we tapped听extensive intelligence resources,听pulling in world-leading inspiration,听challenging mindsets, thinking,听testing听and exploring听ideas and scenarios听before rethinking once again.听
The joined-up dots overwhelmingly led the team to embrace and expand the 鈥榳orld about, for and with children鈥� as the overarching purpose and ambition for the town鈥檚 future and well-being.听
The final听ecosystem of strategy, place and content innovations envisioned Billund as the global 鈥�Capital of Children鈥�听which听proved to be the breakthrough catalyst for successfully engaging developers and investors.听听
From听creating Billund鈥檚 International School (expanded three times since 2013), hosting the government鈥檚 Council for Children, developing the international attraction of the LEGO House designed by BIG architects and winning the Danish Design Prize,听the execution of this vision has led to Billund鈥檚 successful transformation into an expanding, thriving urban destination capable of attracting residents and employees from around the globe and an听ever growing听stream of visitors of all ages.听
The use of creative visioning produces more insightful research听听
This is the point at which many听creative agencies听might deliver their work and step back.听
Visioning and research are separate but听best practice is to bring the two things together听and allow them to feed each other.听听
The power of combining the two disciplines听adds听depth and听value to听the insights听that emerge. Rather than posing听simplistic听鈥榣iking鈥� questions听without context, for example,听鈥榳ould you like a playground鈥櫶齩r听鈥榳ould you like a balcony鈥�,听visioning听seeds听the听research听piece听with听the听far-reaching, differentiated听and brand-centric听propositions.听
Consumer participants are听presented听with听realistic听trade-off scenarios, allowing stakeholders to听gain听deep consumer insights听around willingness to pay, barriers to purchase, and the ideal combination of amenities听for target customer groups.听
Crucially,听this method is听able to access听deeper, non-conscious drivers of loyalty, place attachment and brand affinity.听听
In short, while any development project can follow current design trends, or poll customers on the amenities they desire, the most successful developments听combine visioning with听analytical insights听to provide听the evidence that matters to financial stakeholders听鈥撎齜efore听a final vision is听committed to a masterplan.听听
Impact on customer experience:听Demonstrable connection between placemaking and customer satisfaction, tenure, and willingness to pay a premium.听
Impact on investment risk:听Demonstrable connection between placemaking and customer satisfaction, tenure, asset stewardship and willingness to pay a premium. Reduced churn, local authority approvals, good PR.听听
Combining visioning with insights and analytics makes for powerful听placemaking听
Placemaking should join the strategic dots between creative ideas and听consumer-facing economics.听听
It鈥檚听an听enormous body of work,听but armed with its outputs,听stakeholders听can听deploy evidence-based pricing听and trade-off听strategies to听maximise听their returns.听
For the user, placemaking听creates听value听in the form of community, belonging and improved health and happiness.
These听softer outcomes听ultimately听impact the bottom line in the form of customer satisfaction, full occupancy, increased tenure and asset stewardship.听听
Why would you leave that to听chance?听