São Paulo, Brazil
TBA
This summit will be co-organized by PlacemakingX and The Place Institute, with support from a network of regional partners and local hosts.
As global challenges—climate crisis, inequality, and fragmentation—intensify there is an urgent need to rethink how cities grow. Place-Led Development offers a people-centered approach rooted in:
Starting with public space and community needs.
Shaping development through participatory, local processes.
Creating long-term public value and short-term wins.
Building inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities.
This summit will explore how this model is being applied globally and how it can scale across different urban contexts.
The Place-Led Development Summit is the first thematic summit following the Second Global Placemaking Summit. It signals a strategic shift for the placemaking movement: focusing deeply on key agendas that can guide the future of cities.
This inaugural thematic summit will bring together 100 global Placemaking leaders, public officials, developers, designers, funders, and community advocates that work at the intersection of public space and urban development.
São Paulo is a clear example of Place-Led transformation.
Approved declaration of what it means to be a Place-Led Developer, including
- A strong communication strategy
- Resources and case studies
New connections and a growing international network (Learning Hubs)
Our spreadsheets on how we do business and prioritize public space
Global leaders in Place-Led Development
Government and public policy representatives
Developers in Place-Led Projects (Directors and High-profile Staff)
- REITs
- Real Estate Developers
The Place-Led Development Summit is the moment to realign urban development around people, public spaces, and the planet. Join us in shaping the next chapter of the global placemaking movement.
Place-Led Development is an approach to urban development that creates thriving, people-centered places by integrating Placemaking principles and community participation into the core of the development process. Place-Led Development is an approach to urban and real estate development that prioritizes the creation of vibrant, human-scaled places that are meaningful and enjoyable for the people who use them. It emphasizes community engagement, social life, and the incorporation of Placemaking principles into the entire development process, from planning to implementation.
Place-Led Development centers the needs, aspirations, and experiences of the people who will use the space, rather than solely the physical structures or profit margins.
Place-Led Development integrates the principles of Placemaking, which involve creating spaces that are functional, beautiful, and meaningful for the community.
Place-Led Development emphasizes designing at a human scale, considering how people experience and interact with the built environment at eye level.
Place-Led Development involves collaborating with the local community throughout the development process, from initial planning to ongoing management.
Place-Led Development aims to foster social interaction and a sense of community within the built environment.
Place-Led Development considers the long-term social, economic, and environmental impacts of development, promoting long term investment and inclusive growth.
By creating vibrant and desirable places, Place-Led Development can increase property values and attract investment.
By prioritizing the needs of people, Place-Led Development can contribute to a higher quality of life for residents and visitors.
by Placemaking Europe, 2022-present.
by The World Bank and Superwien, 2021.
by Hans Karssenberg (STIPO), The City at Eye Level, 2020.
by Ethan Kent, PlacemakingX, 2019.
The City at Eye Level Book, Fred Kent and Ethan Kent, 2017
by Ethan Kent, Project for Public Spaces, 2015.
Project for Public Spaces, 2014
Ethan Kent, Project for Public Spaces, 2013
Project for Public Spaces for UN Habitat 2012
São Paulo is emerging as a dynamic laboratory for Place-Led strategies in the Global South. Its complexity and energy provide a rich context for local-global learning and for showcasing urban innovation rooted in place.
Interested in partnering, hosting, or contributing?
