Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximise shared value. More than just promoting better urban design, placemaking facilitates creative patterns of use, paying particular attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution. With community-based participation at its centre, an effective placemaking process capitalises on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, and it results in the creation of quality public spaces that contribute to people's health, happiness, and well being.

Join us for this hui where we will talk with experienced Place Makers of Tamaki Makaurau discuss their experiences, challenges, successes and failures.

Our panel will consist of:

Denise Bijoux:
Denise runs Catalyse and delivers the annual Placemaking Week in Tāmaki Makaurau. She was the founding Chairperson of Gribblehirst Community Hub, is a founder of Morningside Urban Market Garden and is a Board Member of the International Association of Community Development and Regional Leader at PlacemakingX. Denise was a recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2012 and co-authored a book on locally-led change in Aotearoa called Learning by Doing. A key element of her work is contributing to the development of people-centred, locally led change through creative, flexible and collaborative ways of partnering with communities and organisations - awhi mai, awhi atu.

Frith Walker:
As Head of Placemaking at Eke Panuku Development Auckland she works within the Design and Place team on the creation of successful public space networks, supporting the programming and activation of Auckland’s public spaces, and championing the difference a healthy public realm can make in terms of creating liveable cities.

Jewelz Petley:
Jewelz Petley is a long time West Auckland resident with whakapapa to Te Rarawa and an advocate for social equity. Currently she works for the Community Social Innovation unit at Auckland Council as a Specialist Advisor – Youth Economy. She and her team work hard towards the goal of “rangatahi having mana motuhake and are creators of a new inclusive economy” by supporting, enabling and developing Youth-led initiatives.

Waikare Komene:

Want to learn more about Place Making in Aotearoa – then check out:

https://www.placemaking.nz/