Power of placemaking lies in local communities

Part of the success of Chengdu’s Taikoo district in China lies in the juxtaposition of its holy temples and commercial spaces, says Christopher Law, Founder of architectural and placemaking firm, the Oval Partnership. He takes us through ancient temples and historic neighbourhoods to understand the power of placemaking in creating more memorable places and stronger communities.

You have shared that building a compelling narrative and telling great stories are critical for placemaking. Why is this important?

Christopher: Storytelling is often underestimated as a vehicle for placemaking efforts. It is a simple yet powerful way to make a place come alive and feel more relatable and endearing. 

Storytelling was used strategically to engage and get stakeholders’ support for the revitalisation efforts of Chengdu’s Taikoo district. Image: Oval Partnership.  

Stories can make places more meaningful and engaging, especially if they resonate with the personal experiences and interests of people.  A book that may be of interest to placemakers is “The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories (2004)” by the British journalist and author, Christopher Booker. 

While the book examines the basis of storytelling in literature and film, it reminds us of how storytelling connects to our innermost psyche. In telling stories about places, we should think about building the plot and creating protagonists. We have to remember that the key focus of places is not just about the buildings, it is always about people. 

A key aspect of placemaking is in activating and curating public spaces. What are some qualities of good public spaces? 

Christopher: Our cities are filled with a variety of public spaces, and they play different roles. We need to plan and cater for a diverse range. A good public space should have essential qualities such as having good edges and a sense of enclosure. 

An example of the many diverse public spaces designed in Chengdu’s Taikoo district from vibrant ones to quieter spaces for people to relax in. Image: Oval Partnership.

Many of the public spaces that we love tend to be engaging and vibrant. However, public spaces can also be impactful and profound without much embellishment or having a large crowd. In many of the medieval monasteries or universities for example, there are quiet spaces, like a lawn or courtyard in its central area. Such an empty space can also create a strong sense of place. We can tell great stories about the meaning and spirit of places even through emptiness.  

You led the rejuvenation of Chengdu’s Taikoo Li district in developing its 2014 master plan, retaining its six historic buildings and introducing more modern amenities alongside them. How did you ensure the viability of a historic destination like this? 

Christopher: The district is anchored by its 1,300-year-old Buddhist Daci Temple. We spent time understanding the history of the temple and neighbourhood to determine how we can interpret and add on the modern layers. One thing we noticed about ancient places of worship, whether it is historic temples in China and Japan, or medieval churches in Europe, is that there are usually vibrant markets located in the surrounding areas outside. 

The charm of Chengdu’s Taikoo district lies in its careful juxtaposition of ancient temples and modern buildings, blending old and new elements beautifully. Image: Oval Partnership.

Thus, in our master plan for the area, we wanted to continue with this thousand-year-old tradition. The contrast of locating the spiritual temples alongside the commercial spaces makes this place more interesting and viable. 

For historic districts like Kampong Gelam in Singapore to stay relevant with the times, what should stakeholders focus on? Can we still retain our traditional businesses, while keeping up with the times?

Christopher: One of the district’s assets is its intangible heritage, which can be leveraged to explore new business opportunities. As the Chairman of the Blue House¹ Steering Committee in Hong Kong for over 20 years, I’ve observed how communities have turned their intangible heritage into a viable business opportunity. A prime example would be the housewives in the Blue House area, who came together to bake special mooncakes using traditional recipes and ingredients that are unique to the area. These mooncakes have become very popular and sell out quickly every year. 

The Blue House in Hong Kong. Image: Oval Partnership.  

You have shared that placemaking goes beyond making a street vibrant or having higher retail returns. What does placemaking mean to you? 

Christopher: Placemaking is a powerful way to build a strong sense of place, identity and belonging. Beyond just creating more vibrant streets and places, it is about communities coming together to develop solutions that address real social issues and challenges. This can build stronger economic and social capital, enhancing people’s quality of life.  

An example of a placemaking effort that has helped to build a stronger social capital is a project we were involved in, in the eastern part of Hong Kong. In key neighbourhoods where there were a higher proportion of seniors, we were exploring how the seniors could play more active roles. The residents came up with the idea of pairing 70-year-old seniors with 25-year-olds to share with one another places where they date. This made the seniors feel a greater sense of pride in being able to share their stories. It also made the young view their seniors and the neighbourhoods in a new light. The idea resulted in creating unique walking tours for the public on the history of key neighbourhoods and interesting places for dating. 

For effective placemaking, what are key skills we need to develop for practitioners and in communities? 

Christopher: Listening is an important communication skill in placemaking. As part of the listening process, placemakers need to first learn to be aware of their own personal prejudices and agendas. This will help them become more objective when listening to others and in trying to understand and empathise with their stories, challenges and needs. 

Beyond listening, placemakers also need to be able to manage disagreements and diverse views to build consensus amongst stakeholders. 

About Christopher Law 
He (on the far right at the 2024 Place Management Seminar in Singapore) is a leading practitioner on sustainable urbanism and neighbourhood development. He founded Oval Partnership in 1992 with Patrick Bruce. Under his leadership in the Oval Partnership, he developed the Open City design principle, manifested in the award-winning Sanlitun Taikoo Li Beijing and Taikoo Chengdu projects. He is a member of a number of public sector and third sector committees in Hong Kong including the Urban Design Advisory Group of the Development Bureau and the Public Private partnership Committee of the West Kowloon Cultural District. He is also the Chairman of the Blue House development in Hong Kong. 

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Thumbnail image credit: Oval Partnership. 

¹ Built in the 1920s, the conserved four-storey Blue House in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, was revitalised as the city’s first “Retain both Building and People” heritage conservation project in 2006. The building is a living heritage because of the conservation of its cultural, social and architectural elements, shaped by ground-up community efforts that Christopher Law led. He carried out an in-depth study of the building in understanding its connection to the neighbourhood and community. Today, the Blue House is a multi-functional complex building with residential units, stores, and community centres, with a community-operated museum that holds workshops, tours, and exhibitions to promote and sustain its local culture.