The Notion of Place

What makes a place? It may be the coffee shop or convenience store at the edge of the block. It could be the neighborhood library, park, mall, or recreation center. It could even be the community's grocery store, big box store, restaurant, bar, or many other establishments. A far-reaching assumption is that places are composed of physical locations that define them. With this perspective in mind, Manhattan wouldn't be itself without its imposing skyscrapers, bustling gridded streets, and diverse cafes and restaurants. 

Not long ago, I used to have a naive perception that New York City was simply a sum of its physical parts. Add up the skyscrapers, high-density residential buildings, parks, cafes, restaurants, and subway lines, and somehow you end up with New York City. When I moved close to the city in 2022, my perception changed. The calculus above does not compute. New York cannot be copied and pasted into the Parisian suburbs or a rural county in South Dakota. Physical infrastructure only goes so far in the formation of places. Perhaps more pertinent are concepts concerning how humans interact with the physical environment around them.

There are four foundational concepts of places:

1. Land use - ultimately, a place's land use defines its purpose. For example, an area composed primarily of single-family residential land use has little else to do. On the other hand, a place consisting of mixed-use buildings, parks, and other human-based land uses has a greater chance of getting people out of their first spaces (their homes) and into third spaces.
2. Attractions and activities - places are defined by "things to do." Thriving places have many activities that foster social connections and bolster the local economy.
3. Connectivity - how do people get around a place? The norm in the United States is to drive and park their automobiles. Walkability and frequent, reliable public transit are essential in creating places rather than spaces. 
4. Comfort - Residents and visitors will spend more time in a particular place if they feel accommodated in that place.

A place speaks for itself and needs no introduction. They are happenings and are more akin to living, breathing organisms. Places rise and fall. They are tested through the trials of the present and the past. Take a walk in your own local community and reflect on the stories that it tells. Your neighborhood is a vibrant, interconnected community. You might also discover what I'd like to coin an "anti-place," which focuses on individual uses rather than a holistic picture. A place is not just a school, park, or corner store but a comprehensive system.

Some foundational elements create close-knit communities needed to distinguish a place from just a collection of buildings. Creating meaningful places is the shared responsibility of individuals, governments, and public and private organizations. Placemaking involves collectivism rather than individualism, flexibility over rigidity, and patience instead of rapidity.