Place-Keeping

Open Space Management in Practice

Nicola Dempsey, Harry Smith, Mel Burton, Nicola Dempsey, Harry Smith, Mel Burton

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781135005221
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Urban Planning & Landscaping

Place-Keeping presents the latest research and practice on place-keeping – that is, the long-term management of public and private open spaces – from around Europe and the rest of the world. There has long been a focus in urban landscape planning and urban design on the creation of high-quality public spaces, or place-making. This is supported by a growing body of research which shows how high-quality public spaces are economically and socially beneficial for local communities and contribute positively to residents' quality of life and wellbeing.

However, while large amounts of capital are spent on the creation of open spaces, little thought is given to, and insufficient resources made available for, the long-term maintenance and management of public spaces, or place-keeping. Without place-keeping, public spaces can fall into a downward spiral of disrepair where anti-social behaviour can emerge and residents may feel unsafe and choose to use other spaces. The economic and social costs of restoring such spaces can therefore be considerable where place-keeping does not occur.

Place-Keeping also provides an accessible presentation of the outputs of a major European Union-funded project MP4: Making Places Profitable, Public and Private Open Spaces which further extends the knowledge and debate on long-term management of public and private spaces. It will be an invaluable resource for students, academics and practitioners seeking critical but practical guidance on the long-term management of public and private spaces in a range of contexts.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• List of illustrations
• Contributors
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• 1 From space to place: the importance of place-keeping
• 2 Understanding place-keeping of open space
• 3 The politics of place-keeping
• 4 The governance of open space: decision-making around place-keeping
• 5 Collective responsibility for place-keeping: are partnerships the solution for open space management?
• 6 Resourcing place-keeping: fighting for funding
• 7 Connecting making and keeping: design and management in place-keeping
• 8 The evaluation of place-keeping: unrealised potential
• 9 Coordinating place-keeping: towards more sustainable places
• References
• Index