Valuing creative place making: development of a toolkit for public and private stakeholders: Stage 1: literature review 2018

Landcom, Newcastle University, Macquarie University, the University of New South Wales and City People are undertaking a Communities of Practice Collaborative Learning Project entitled Valuing creative placemaking: development of a toolkit for public and private stakeholders. The project seeks to develop a methodology and toolkit prototype to assist public and private sector stakeholders to gauge the value of creative placemaking in urban contexts. The overarching focus is on creative placemaking: here referring to both physical and tangible interventions, as well as more intangible creative processes\nundertaken during community-focused urban revitalisation activities, and as distinct from other forms of placemaking. Initial research identified a gap within the existing literature around the value of placemaking to its various stakeholders, as well as to the broader community. While the cultural and social value of placemaking is assumed in planning mandates for community engagement processes tied to development applications, there are difficulties in defining both the economic and social value of these somewhat nebulous — though intrinsically valuable — cultural pursuits. In this project we therefore seek to contribute to planning practice and urban policy by\nmapping key social and economic indicators which could potentially be used for evaluation. The first phase of this project is the undertaking of a literature review to understand and identify a range of\npossible indicators associated with the qualification and quantification of placemaking. This review of existing debates identifies relevant methodologies for assessing value and will support the development of a Toolkit for valuing placemaking. The literature review is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 defines placemaking, and locates the definition of ‘creative placemaking’ within the broader urban discourses. The chapter also outlines the specific activities\nthrough which placemaking is expressed or actualised. Finally, it summarises emerging themes and criticisms of placemaking processes and outcomes in the urban, social and cultural literature. Chapter 2 examines the typical ways in which placemaking is valued, which fall into three prevalent categories: environmental, social and economic values, and their attendant indicators. Where appropriate, case studies that illustrate the rationale for, or processes behind, certain value indicators are also referenced. Chapter 3 benchmarks a series of existing toolkits, frameworks and methodologies that are currently used to quantify the built, social and economic values of placemaking activities. The selected studies serve as a reference\nfor types of measurement frameworks, data sources and methodologies that assist in the quantification of placemaking. Chapter 4 concludes the literature review.