Exploring the Role of 'Visual Catalysts' on Influencing People's Attraction and Use of Place

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OVERVIEW The establishment <strong>of</strong> creative placemaking in <strong>the</strong> public realm is a growing phenomenon around <strong>the</strong> developed world (Bishop & Williams 2012). Although still in its infancy, <strong>the</strong> movement is one that is broad in scope; both in terms <strong>of</strong> scale and purpose. Manifestations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> practice can range from small-scale murals, to large-scale tactical art strategies. Likewise, <strong>the</strong>y can arise out <strong>of</strong> forms <strong>of</strong> activism, harmony, creativity or cultural expression (Lydon & Garcia 2015). Yet, even with <strong>the</strong> vast range <strong>of</strong> scale and purpose, <strong>the</strong>re are two constant overarching <strong>the</strong>mes that are at <strong>the</strong> core <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> movements resolve; that being <strong>the</strong> revival, and engagement, <strong>of</strong> people and place. Research thus far on creative placemaking has fallen logically into <strong>the</strong>se two broad domains; with <strong>the</strong> vast majority <strong>of</strong> research having been focused on <strong>the</strong> environmental and economic benefits, and detriments, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> physical place. Yet, <strong>the</strong>re has been limited research into <strong>the</strong> enduring social outcomes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se transient forms. In particular, understanding <strong>the</strong> role temporary place-based interventions can have on influencing people’s attraction and use <strong>of</strong> place, as well as <strong>the</strong>ir attachment to place. As such, <strong>the</strong> literature review sets out to cover <strong>the</strong> interrelated people-place topics <strong>of</strong> placemaking and place attachment. In relation to placemaking, <strong>the</strong> review explores <strong>the</strong> background and meaning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> concept to examine <strong>the</strong> role it can play in influencing <strong>the</strong> experience and purpose <strong>of</strong> place. Additionally, this section explores <strong>the</strong> phenomenon <strong>of</strong> creative placemaking and examines <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> a specific form which is <strong>of</strong>ten used in Sydney; with that being ‘visual catalysts’. In relation to place attachment, <strong>the</strong> literature review explores its meaning and background, <strong>the</strong> physical and social dimensions, <strong>the</strong> scale and scope, <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> temporality and time, and existing <strong>the</strong>oretical framework. In addition to providing a strong grounding <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> concept itself, this section outlines some opportunities and gaps in <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> research, and shows <strong>the</strong> link between temporary place-based interventions on impacting people’s attachment to place. PLACEMAKING By and large, placemaking can be understood as a people-place paradigm which enhances a group/individual relation to place through <strong>the</strong> promotion, and installation, <strong>of</strong> community driven strategies (Project for Public Spaces 2009). However, <strong>the</strong> understanding <strong>of</strong> placemaking as a grounded construct is still somewhat ambiguous. This is partially due to <strong>the</strong> multifaceted nature <strong>of</strong> it being a philosophy and process, as well as <strong>the</strong> imbued subjectivity <strong>of</strong> what defines <strong>the</strong> term ‘place’ (Pascucci 2015). This people-place paradigm has been comparatively studied very little in parallel with people’s experience <strong>of</strong> place, yet <strong>the</strong>y are both significant constructing agents in understanding how people relate, and bond, with place (Friedmann 2010). In <strong>the</strong> 1960s, <strong>the</strong> concept emerged from <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> Jane Jacobs and William Whyte in response to <strong>the</strong> modernist movement (Alle 2012; Gehl 2006). Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> 7
Kevin Lynch solidified <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> placemaking as an early emerging place-based construct through his studies <strong>of</strong> how people understand <strong>the</strong>ir surroundings (Lynch 1960). Parallel with <strong>the</strong> common criticism <strong>of</strong> modernist form not relating to <strong>the</strong> human scale, <strong>the</strong>se researchers pursued explorations <strong>of</strong> what particular qualities in public places make <strong>the</strong> lives <strong>of</strong> people more enjoyable, liveable and meaningful (Jacobs 1961; Whyte 1980). Whyte and Jacobs exposed (through divergent methods <strong>of</strong> research) that <strong>the</strong> physical quality and form <strong>of</strong> place impacted <strong>the</strong> way people use, and imbue, meaning to those spaces (Project for Public Spaces 2009). Consequently, this was <strong>the</strong> seminal research into <strong>the</strong> where, and what, people do to ‘make’ places. Additionally, Whyte (1980) through his research also revealed some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> social attributes which can alter <strong>the</strong> experience <strong>of</strong> place, and what can ‘make’ a place. As observed by Whyte (1980), people attract people, but people also tend to do what o<strong>the</strong>r people do. Additionally, Whyte (1980) observed that people, for <strong>the</strong> most part, tend to follow <strong>the</strong> consistent and predictable accepted place scripts <strong>of</strong> a designated place. For example, Whyte is well recognised for <strong>the</strong> observation that “people tend to sit where <strong>the</strong>re are places to sit”. This is significant in <strong>the</strong> sense that placemaking can be a mechanism which disrupts a space in terms <strong>of</strong> form and function, which can subsequently disrupt <strong>the</strong> behaviours <strong>of</strong> people in a space (Donald & Canter 1994). Yet, <strong>the</strong>re still remains a gap in knowledge into <strong>the</strong> specific social behaviours that change as a result <strong>of</strong> placemaking interventions, and as such how <strong>the</strong>se changes in social behaviours can influence <strong>the</strong> attraction and use <strong>of</strong> a place. In recent times, placemaking has expanded to new dimensions <strong>of</strong> research; particularly heightened in breadth and depth through <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> globalisation and urbanisation (Markusen & Gadwa 2010). For that reason, placemaking has taken on an array <strong>of</strong> meanings, as has <strong>the</strong> meaning <strong>of</strong> place itself. Stewart (2010) defines <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> place as being dynamic, and one in which individuals and communities can change at will; a definition that is somewhat similar to that <strong>of</strong> Friedmann (2010), who argues that place is made and remade on a daily basis, yet retains a form <strong>of</strong> continuity and order in setting and identity. This suggests that <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> time and temporality is significant in <strong>the</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> place, and that fur<strong>the</strong>r research is needed to greater understand <strong>the</strong> role it plays in influencing people’s use <strong>of</strong> place. Additionally, <strong>the</strong> meaning <strong>of</strong> placemaking has also become extensively contested. Wight (2005) simply defines placemaking as practical and suitable planning, whereas Brunnberg and Frigo (2012) argue that placemaking is an extension <strong>of</strong> urban planning which is community driven to create meaningful, social places. The Project for Public Spaces (2009) is more expansive with <strong>the</strong>ir definition, seeing it as “community-driven, visionary, function before form, adaptable, flexible, culturally aware, ever changing, multi-disciplinary, inspiring, collaborative and sociable”. In addition to this, <strong>the</strong> Project for Public Spaces, being a key organisation in <strong>the</strong> movement <strong>of</strong> placemaking, has also established ‘eleven principles for placemaking’ (as shown by figure 2.1). This framework takes clear, overarching continuities that define placemaking (with a vital one being community) and allows a solid grounding for research to divert from; such as understanding <strong>the</strong> social value <strong>of</strong> temporary place-based interventions. However, for placemaking to grow as a discipline a clearer, more coherent definition will need to emerge for a <strong>the</strong>oretical framework to be widely adopted (Wyck<strong>of</strong>f 2015). 8
Page 1 and 2: EXPLORING THE ROLE OF 'VISUAL CATAL
Page 3 and 4: ABSTRACT Acts of c
Page 5 and 6: Table of Contents
Page 7 and 8: LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 - Eleven
Page 9 and 10: RESEARCH PROJECT OVERVIEW The pract
Page 11 and 12: OBJECTIVES To narrow down t
Page 13: PART TWO _ LITERATURE REVIEW 6
Page 17 and 18: CREATIVE PLACEMAKING In recent year
Page 19 and 20: PLACE ATTACHMENT For the</s
Page 21 and 22: TIME AND TEMPORALITY The role <stro
Page 23 and 24: PART THREE _ METHODOLOGY & METHOD 1
Page 25 and 26: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH The study <st
Page 27 and 28: distinctive icons of</stron
Page 29 and 30: CASE STUDY 1 : UNDERFOOT One <stron
Page 31 and 32: CASE STUDY 2 : EORA - THE LAND The
Page 33 and 34: METHOD PLACE CENTRED BEHAVIOUR MAPP
Page 35 and 36: of people in <stro
Page 37 and 38: DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS For this <str
Page 39 and 40: PART FOUR _ DATA ANALYSIS 32
Page 41 and 42: BEFORE VIVID The first period <stro
Page 43 and 44: Figure 5.3 - The observation patter
Page 45 and 46: DURING VIVID The first period <stro
Page 47 and 48: Figure 5.7 - The observation patter
Page 49 and 50: AFTER VIVID The first period <stron
Page 51 and 52: Figure 5.11 - The observation patte
Page 53 and 54: DATA TRIANGULATION The core finding
Page 55 and 56: S1 (1) S1 (2) S2 (1) - During VIVID
Page 57 and 58: NUMBER AND FLOW OF PEOPLE Ano<stron
Page 59 and 60: DISPLAYS OF AFFECTIONS Similarly,
Page 61 and 62: follow the social
Page 63 and 64: PART FIVE _ DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSI
Page 65 and 66:
‘Visual catalysts’ also shift a
Page 67 and 68:
the change <strong
Page 69 and 70:
immediately transient; a reflection
Page 71 and 72:
REFERENCE LIST Agnew, D 2011, Handb
Page 73 and 74:
Hill, MR 1984, ‘Stalking
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Treckson 2015, Measuring Livability
Page 77 and 78:
NAME ______________________________
Page 79:
APPENDIX D JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
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Exploring the Role of 'Visual Catalysts' on Influencing People's Attraction and Use of Place

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