Public realm doesn’t make great places.
Great places come from animation. And vibrancy.
There are office districts in Central London with beautiful planters and paviours all around…
But at night, or on the weekends? Silence.
No movement. No vibrancy. And therefore, no sense of place.
So how can we fix this? Ultimately, it all starts with people.
People don’t go to places where there’s nothing to do. So to breathe a sense of movement and vibrancy into an area, it must offer something for people to do. Something that makes the trip worthwhile.
When you offer something compelling, it draws people in. And when you draw people in you activate places, create energy, animation.
From there, it’s something of a positive feedback loop.
Just imagine what Covent Garden would be like without its street performers – the dancers, acrobats, artists, and comedians – bringing people over in droves.
If we want to continue creating great places, we must start by asking:
“Why should someone come here?”
When you have a compelling answer to that question, you have the makings of a great place.
#placemaking #westend #coventgarden #publicrealm
Sr Marketing / Social Media Director
4moWalt Disney Animation Studios it would be wonderful to see my old co-worker Mark Henn again but I’ll be next door in London! Stop on over for some tea Mark!