05/01/2026
Five decades of shaping how the world understands placemaking, not as a design trend, but as a movement.
In their recent post, PPS captured a truth that remains highly relevant today:
“The heart of an affordable, vibrant and inclusive city needs to be public spaces that support more informal local economies, informal social life, and informal local culture"
This resonates deeply with current urban challenges, cities cannot be inclusive or affordable if public spaces only serve formal, commercialised, or exclusive uses. The everyday informal activities like small traders, spontaneous social interactions, local cultural expressions are what give cities their soul.
As planners and placemakers, this is a reminder that public space is not a ‘nice-to-have’. It is essential urban infrastructure to serve social, economic, and cultural that must be intentionally planned, protected, and nurtured.
Celebrating 50 years of PPS is also a call for us to continue pushing placemaking forward, especially in cities facing increasing inequality and urban pressure.
Read more here: https://www.sociallifeproject.org/reflecting-on-the-50th-year-of-building-the-placemaking-movement/
Malaysian Institute of Planners
PlacemakingX
This year, the Placemaking Movement reached important milestones worth celebrating. We've come a long way since our start, and we've still got a long way to go.
