changing spaces place making

Place

A place is a location that has physical characteristics and meanings attached to it by people

Physical characteristics

• relief

• geology

• climate

• coastline

• landscape.

Human characteristics

• population

• culture

• economy

• architecture

• infrastructure.

Multi faceted

This means there are many different aspects to a place, and no single factor completely defines it.

Demographics

characteristics of a population.

• population size

• population density

• age structure

• birth rate

• death rate

• migration

• ethnicity

• household structure

• population growth/decline.

How migration impact change place

International migration can:

• increase population

• increase cultural diversity

• provide workers

• create new businesses

• change demand for housing

• influence local culture.

However, rapid population growth can also put pressure on:

• housing

• schools

• healthcare

• transport.

Socio economic factor that change place

These describe the social and economic conditions of people living in a place.

Know:

• income

• employment

• unemployment

• deprivation

• education

• occupation

• house prices

• quality of housing

• access to services

• levels of wealth.

Deprivation influence place

Deprivation occurs when people lack resources and opportunities needed for an acceptable quality of life.

It can involve:

• low income

• unemployment

• poor health

• poor education

• poor housing

• limited access to services.

Cultural characteristics influence place

Culture includes:

• language

• religion

• food

• music

• art

• festivals

• traditions

• architecture

• sport

• ethnic identity.

Culture can create a strong sense of place.

Sense of place influence place

The sense of place is the collection of meanings, feelings and emotions people associate with a location.

Two people can therefore have completely different senses of the same place.

Political characteristics influence place

Political factors can influence:

• planning

• investment

• regeneration

• housing

• transport

• public services

• environmental management.

Important political players include:

• local councils

• national government

• devolved governments

• elected representatives

• international organisations.

Government decisions can significantly alter a place.

Build characteristics influence place

The built environment is the human-made environment.

Includes:

• housing

• offices

• factories

• roads

• railway stations

• shopping centres

• schools

• hospitals

• stadiums

• public spaces.

Buildings can reveal a place’s history.

For example:

old factories → industrial past

modern offices → post-industrial/service economy

Natural characteristic influence place

Natural characteristics include:

• climate

• relief

• geology

• rivers

• vegetation

• soils

• coastline

• natural resources.

These can influence:

• settlement

• economic activity

• tourism

• transport

• agriculture

• people’s perception of a place.

Place identity

Place identity = the characteristics and meanings that distinguish one place from another.

It is produced through an interaction between:

People + environment + history + culture + economy + connections

Place identity changes because places change.

Connections between places how they shape place identity

Places are not isolated.

They are connected through:

• transport

• trade

• migration

• communications

• investment

• tourism

• technology

• cultural exchange.

These connections operate at different scales.

Local

Neighbouring settlements and communities.

Regional

Connections between towns and cities within a region.

National

Connections across the country.

International

Connections between countries.

Global

Connections involving worldwide networks.

How Flows helped shape the demographic, socio-economic and cultural profile of these places over time.

People

Examples:

• commuters

• migrants

• tourists

• students.

Resources

Examples:

• raw materials

• energy

• food

• technology.

Money

Examples:

• investment

• wages

• government funding

• foreign direct investment

• corporate investment.

Ideas

Examples:

• culture

• innovation

• knowledge

• political ideas

• fashion

• media.

Globalisation

Globalisation = increasing interconnectedness between places through flows of people, goods, money, information and ideas.

Globalisation can:

• increase investment

• increase migration

• create jobs

• increase cultural diversity

• spread global brands

• change local economies

• make places more interconnected.

However, it can also:

• increase inequality

• contribute to deindustrialisation

• make local economies dependent on global markets

• encourage similar-looking high streets and shopping areas.

Time space compression

Time-space compression = the idea that improvements in transport and communications make distant places seem closer because interactions can occur much faster.

Caused by:

• faster aircraft

• high-speed rail

• motorways

• smartphones

• internet

• video calls

• social media.

Space

A location or area without necessarily having meaning attached to it.

How and why people perceive places in different ways based on their identity,

In differnt ways

Age

Young people may value:

• entertainment

• education

• nightlife

• social spaces

• employment opportunities.

Older people may place greater importance on:

• healthcare

• accessibility

• community

• familiarity

• quietness.

Gender

Different genders can experience public spaces differently because of:

• perceptions of safety

• lighting

• crime

• harassment

• transport

• design of public spaces.

Sexuality

LGBTQ+ people may perceive places differently depending on:

• acceptance

• discrimination

• presence of LGBTQ+ communities

• availability of inclusive spaces

• local attitudes.

A place can therefore feel welcoming to one group but hostile to another.

Religion

Religious groups may develop strong attachments to places containing:

• mosques

• churches

• temples

• synagogues

• religious schools

• cultural businesses.

Religious buildings can become important parts of local identity.

Role

A person’s role affects their experience.

For example, a city can be:

• a home to a resident

• a workplace to a commuter

• a tourist destination to a visitor

• a shopping destination to a customer.

The same location therefore has different meanings to different people.

How level of emotional attachment to place can influence people's behaviour and activities in a place.

Place attachment = emotional bond between people and a place.

It can develop from:

• childhood

• family

• memories

• friendships

• culture

• experiences

• length of residence.

Strong attachment

May lead people to:

• defend their community

• oppose redevelopment

• campaign to protect heritage

• participate in local organisations.

Weak attachment

People who have recently moved to an area may have less emotional connection.

How the processes of globalisation and time-space compression can influence our sense of place.

Globalisation changes how people understand places.

For example:

A local high street may contain:

• Starbucks

• McDonald’s

• international clothing chains

• international restaurants.

This can make places more similar.

However, migration can also create distinctive multicultural places.

So globalisation can produce both:

Homogenisation

Places become more similar.

Diversification

Places become more culturally diverse.

Time-space compression and sense of place

Improved transport and communications mean people can interact with distant places more easily.

This can:

• increase global awareness

• encourage migration

• increase tourism

• increase investment

• spread cultural ideas.

People can develop attachments to places they don’t physically live in.

Places are represented through contrasting formal and informal agencies

Formal representations

Formal representations are usually produced by organisations using official data.

Examples:

• census

• government statistics

• GIS

• maps

• deprivation data

• planning documents

• geospatial data.

Census

A census collects information about the population.

It can provide data on:

• age

• ethnicity

• employment

• housing

• religion

• population.

GIS

GIS = Geographic Information System

It allows geographical data to be:

• stored

• analysed

• mapped

• compared.

GIS can reveal spatial patterns that aren’t obvious from raw data.

Informal representations

The specification requires:

• TV

• film

• music

• art

• photography

• literature

• graffiti

• blogs.

Today you can also consider:

• social media

• YouTube

• TikTok

• online reviews.

Why representations matter

Representations can:

• create stereotypes

• influence tourism

• influence investment

• affect residents’ identities

• influence outsiders’ perceptions

• contribute to place branding.

Example

A city represented in films as dangerous may develop a negative external image even if crime has fallen significantly.

Formal va informal representations

Formal	Informal
Census	Film
Government data	Music
GIS	Photography
Maps	Literature
Statistics	Graffiti
Planning reports	Blogs
Quantitative	Often qualitative

Key evaluation

Formal representations can be objective/useful but may miss people’s emotions.

Informal representations can capture lived experience but may be subjective and selective.

The concept of social inequality and how this can be measured through indices such as housing, healthcare, education, employment and access to services.

Social inequality

Social inequality = unequal access to resources, wealth, opportunities and quality of life.

It can occur:

• between countries

• between regions

• between cities

• within cities

• between neighbourhoods

• between different social groups.

  
  

Measuring inequality

The specification specifically identifies:

Housing

Look at:

• house prices

• rents

• homelessness

• overcrowding

• housing quality

• social housing.

Healthcare

Look at:

• life expectancy

• healthy life expectancy

• infant mortality

• access to GPs/hospitals

• disease rates.

Education

Look at:

• exam results

• school quality

• university participation

• educational attainment.

Employment

Look at:

• unemployment

• wages

• job security

• occupational structure

• underemployment.

Access to services

Includes access to:

• shops

• schools

• hospitals

• public transport

• green space

• digital services.

How and why spatial patterns of social inequalities vary both within and between places.

Spatial inequality

Inequality has a geographical pattern.

For example, within a city:

wealthy neighbourhood

→ high incomes
→ expensive housing
→ good services
→ high educational attainment

versus

deprived neighbourhood

→ lower incomes
→ poorer housing
→ higher unemployment
→ poorer health outcomes.

Why does inequality vary?

Factors include:

• historical industrialisation

• employment opportunities

• education

• transport

• government investment

• housing markets

• migration

• globalisation

• location

• accessibility.

Structural economic change

long-term transformation in the type of economic activity taking place.

One of the most important examples is:

Deindustrialisation

The influence of global connections and globalisation in driving structural economic change in places, such as de-industrialisation and the rise of the service industry

Deindustrialisation

Deindustrialisation = decline of manufacturing and industrial employment.

Causes

• globalisation

• cheaper overseas production

• automation

• technological change

• increased international competition

• changing demand

• closure of uncompetitive factories.

Effects

Negative

• unemployment

• population loss

• derelict land

• reduced tax revenue

• poverty

• poorer services

• negative perceptions.

Potentially positive

If land is regenerated:

• new businesses

• offices

• housing

• leisure

• tourism

• improved environment.

  
  

  Growth of the service industry

  As manufacturing declines, services become more important.

  Examples:

  • finance

  • retail

  • tourism

  • education

  • healthcare

  • IT

  • professional services.

  This is sometimes called tertiarisation.

How cyclical economic change (booms and recessions) has varied impacts on social opportunities and inequality.

Economic activity goes through cycles.

Boom

• economic growth

• increasing employment

• rising investment

• increasing consumer spending.

Recession

• economic contraction

• unemployment

• falling investment

• business closures

• lower consumer spending.

Why are impacts unequal?

During a recession, lower-income groups can be particularly vulnerable because they may:

• have less savings

• have less secure jobs

• be more exposed to unemployment.

During a boom, wealthy areas may attract more investment, potentially increasing regional inequalities.

The role of government in reducing, reinforcing and creating patterns of social inequality in places through spending or cuts in key services such as availability and accessibility of education, healthcare, infrastructure and community services.

Government can either:

Reduce inequality

Through:

• investment in education

• healthcare

• infrastructure

• welfare

• affordable housing

• regeneration

• transport.

Reinforce inequality

If investment is concentrated in already prosperous areas, poorer places may receive less opportunity.

Create inequality

Cuts to:

• public transport

• healthcare

• education

• community services

can disproportionately affect deprived communities.

the types of evidence of social inequality that can be found there such as

Income

Higher income generally provides greater access to:

• quality housing

• transport

• education

• leisure

• services.

Gender

Can influence:

• employment

• wages

• caring responsibilities

• safety

• access to opportunities.

Age

Young people may experience:

• lower incomes

• limited employment

• expensive housing.

Older people may experience:

• healthcare needs

• social isolation

• accessibility problems.

Health

Poor health can:

• reduce ability to work

• reduce income

• increase costs

• limit mobility.

This can create a cycle of deprivation.

Personal mobility

People with access to cars or good public transport can access:

• more jobs

• better schools

• healthcare

• shops

• leisure.

Poor transport can create transport poverty.

Ethnicity

Inequality can be influenced by:

• discrimination

• employment opportunities

• migration status

• segregation

• income differences.

Avoid treating ethnicity as a direct cause of inequality — it interacts with wider social and economic factors.

Education

Higher educational attainment can improve:

• employment opportunities

• income

• social mobility.

Poor educational outcomes can limit future opportunities.

how social inequality impacts upon people's daily lives in different ways.

Inequality can affect:

• where people live

• what jobs they can access

• educational opportunities

• health

• life expectancy

• transport

• leisure

• access to technology

• social mobility.

Role of players in driving economic change

A player is an organisation or individual that has the power to influence a place.

Local government

Examples:

• councils

• combined authorities

• local development organisations.

They can influence:

• planning

• housing

• transport

• regeneration

• business support

• public spaces.

National government

Can influence places through:

• taxation

• infrastructure

• regional investment

• education

• healthcare

• planning

• economic policy.

MNCs

MNC = Multinational Corporation

A company operating in multiple countries.

Examples include:

• Amazon

• Toyota

• Unilever

• Microsoft.

MNCs can bring:

• employment

• investment

• infrastructure

• technology

• global connections.

But they can also:

• relocate

• close factories

• exploit cheaper labour

• create dependence on external decisions.

International institutions

Examples:

• IMF

• World Bank

• WTO

• European Union.

They can influence economic change through:

• loans

• funding

• trade rules

• development programmes

• investment.

Place making

the process of creating, improving and giving meaning to places through physical design, planning, investment and community involvement.

It can occur at:

• individual project scale

• street scale

• neighbourhood scale

• cultural quarter

• city scale.

how governments and organisations attempt to present places to the wider world to attract inward investment and regeneration.

Governments and organisations

Governments may try to present places positively to attract:

• inward investment

• tourists

• businesses

• skilled workers

• students.

This is often called:

Place marketing / place promotion

Why attract inward investment?

Investment can provide:

• employment

• tax revenue

• new infrastructure

• regeneration

• increased land values.

How architects and planners attempt to create meaningful and authentic places through design, such as places that encourage mixed community use or the 24 hour city.

Architects and planners

They can influence place through:

• building design

• public spaces

• transport

• pedestrianisation

• mixed-use developments

• cultural buildings.

Mixed-use development

A development containing different functions, such as:

• housing

• shops

• offices

• restaurants

• leisure.

Advantages:

• encourages activity

• reduces need to travel

• can create vibrant communities.

24-hour city

A 24-hour city has activities taking place throughout the day and night.

Examples:

• restaurants

• nightlife

• transport

• entertainment

• offices

• cultural activities.

Potential benefits:

• tourism

• jobs

• investment

• vibrant atmosphere.

Potential problems:

• noise

• antisocial behaviour

• conflict with residents

• pressure on housing.

How local community groups shape the place they live, such as residents associations, heritage associations and social media.

Local communities

Communities can shape places through:

• residents’ associations

• heritage organisations

• campaigns

• community businesses

• social media

• local events.

This is important because placemaking is not always controlled by governments.

Rebranding

Rebranding = changing the image and identity associated with a place.

A place may rebrand because it has a negative or outdated image.

For example:

industrial/declining → modern/cultural/tourist

Reimaging

Reimaging = creating a new representation or perception of a place.

It can involve:

• advertising

• media

• architecture

• events

• cultural activities

• new landmarks.

Regeneration

Regeneration = the process of improving a declining area economically, socially, environmentally and physically.

Can involve:

• new housing

• offices

• transport

• public spaces

• environmental improvement

• cultural facilities.

How a range of strategies can be used to rebrand places

Strategies for rebranding

The specification specifically requires:

Sport

Examples:

• Olympics

• football

• major sporting events.

Can attract:

• tourists

• investment

• media attention.

Art

Examples:

• galleries

• street art

• festivals

• cultural events.

Heritage

Uses historical identity to attract:

• tourists

• investment

• residents.

Retail

Examples:

• shopping centres

• flagship stores

• regenerated high streets.

Architecture

A landmark building can become a symbol of a place.

Examples:

• museums

• stadiums

• concert halls

• skyscrapers.

Food

Food can help create a distinctive identity through:

• markets

• restaurants

• local products

• food festivals.

A range of players and their role in placemaking,

Government / EU funding

Can provide:

• grants

• infrastructure investment

• regeneration funding.

Corporate bodies

Businesses may provide:

• investment

• employment

• sponsorship

• developments.

Not-for-profit organisations

Can:

• protect heritage

• support communities

• run cultural projects.

Community groups

Can:

• campaign

• influence planning

• organise events

• protect local identity.

Contestation

Contestation = disagreement or conflict over how a place should be developed or represented.

How and why some groups of people contest efforts to rebrand a place.

Different groups have different interests.

For example:

Developers

Want:

• profit

• investment

• high land values.

Government

Wants:

• economic growth

• regeneration

• employment.

Residents

May want:

• affordable housing

• community facilities

• protection of identity.

Environmental groups

May want:

• green space

• environmental protection.

Therefore, placemaking can create conflict.

appreciate how qualitative approaches actively create particular place representations

Qualitative data = non-numerical information.

Examples:

• interviews

• observations

• photographs

• questionnaires with open questions

• diaries

• focus groups.

These can reveal:

• emotions

• opinions

• identity

• experiences

• perceptions.

Example

Interviewing residents can reveal whether they feel regeneration has improved their sense of place.

analysing the impacts of different media on place meanings and perceptions

You need to understand how media can influence place meaning.

Positive representation

Can:

• attract tourists

• attract investment

• improve reputation

• strengthen identity.

Negative representation

Can:

• create stereotypes

• discourage investment

• discourage tourism

• stigmatise communities.

Important evaluation

Media representations are selective.

They don’t necessarily represent the experiences of everyone living there.

the use of geospatial data to present place characteristics

Geospatial data = data that has a geographical location attached to it.

Examples:

• census data

• crime data

• house prices

• deprivation data

• land-use data.

Usually displayed using:

• GIS

• choropleth maps

• proportional symbols

• heat maps

• dot maps.

how quantitative data is used to present place characteristics.

Quantitative data = numerical data.

Examples:

• population

• income

• unemployment

• house prices

• crime rates

• life expectancy.

Advantages

• measurable

• comparable

• can identify trends

• useful for maps and graphs.

Limitations

• doesn’t explain people’s feelings

• averages can hide differences

• data can become outdated

• statistics can be interpreted differently.