STEP 2.
WHERE & WHY
Space evaluation & current situation
- to start differentiating between aspects of your focus space so as to decide which one to focus on
TIME TO DO THE EXCERCISE
45 minutes or more*
PEOPLE INVOLVED
1 – 25
TRAINERS
1 – 2
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
- Smartphones or tablets or digital cameras
- Laptop & projector
- Software to visualize the data
As you have now identified your stakeholders and their general needs you can now begin to work in making those needs more specific and focused. Depending on the groups you decide to focus on, a tool that in most cases can help you do so is photography: it is easy to implement, most people own a smartphone and know how to take pictures.
*(depending on size of group and age)
1. FOCUSING
In order to understand how your focus group experiences the place you are about to transform, you can organize a first activity around two simple questions:
1. What do you like best in X place?
2. What do you dislike most in X place?
It is usually better to start from what people do like in a place so that, given there is a chance to change things, not every aspect of the place becomes rejected. Also, in this way we can emphasize possibly positive aspects that the place may already have and expand them in the process.
It is also advised that the two questions are not addressed on the same day or, if need be, that there is a gap between the two shootings so that the question under focus remains clear.
A short but necessary introduction before taking pictures may include discussion on taking pictures
. both in order to focus on a detail or capture big areas
. of details, areas or things that matter personally to each member of the group – it;s ok to have different ideas about our common space
. while being careful not to include people’s faces or other elements that make them recognizable
2. GROUPING/ THEMATISING
Once everybody’s images are complete these
-
- can be gathered on one device.
- discussed by the group so as to identify groups or themes in the images. This is an important part of the process as many times the reasons for taking a picture either because people like or do not like something may not be readily obvious.
- count the number of images for each theme
- visualize the data
- discuss the data and set priorities
Depending on the priorities set by the group, 1 or 2 specific areas or themes are identified, for example ‘shade’, ‘play’, ‘interruction’ , ‘communication between neighbors’ and so on.
Another way to make the needs of the group more specific and focus the goal of the project is the following:
3. IDENTIFY THE PLACE AND ITS OPPORTUNITIES
(working template/material)
- to identify current place situations
- to identify the opportunities for the place
- to involve the stakeholders in the process
TIME TO DO THE EXCERCISE
30 minutes
PEOPLE INVOLVED
5 – 15
TRAINERS
1 – 2
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
-
- prepared paper with questions
- pens or markers
- stakeholder map from Step 1.
EXERCISE:
1. Make the question paper about the current situation of the place in which you are doing the intervention
examples:
1. Is the place attractive and easily accessible (transportation etc.)?
2. What is the surrounding of the place (what is nearby that people are/can use?)
3. Who lives in this neighborhood?
4. How do I feel in this place?
2. Now you identify opportunities with following questions:
- What do you like best about this place and why?
- Make a list of thing that you would like to improve in this place
- Divide the list in two rows and write: what changes could be made in long term interventions and which one in short term interventions
- Write down the costs for this interventions (add an row)
- Use the stakeholder map from previous step (step 1) and identify who can help you and how (local artists, school teachers, private constructors, politicians, people from the neighborhood etc.)
4. OBJECT – BASED LEARNING
(working template/material)
This “object recognition method” can be used to discuss, remember the things already learned and search for new information. The purpose is not only to find “right” solutions, but to consider for example consumption, the importance of building more and more in life now and in the future. Some of the questions, on the other hand, strengthen empathy skills, arouse curiosity, encourage cross-generational discussion or can serve as a basis for something else, for example creative or artistic work.
The discussion can be carried out, for example, with the help of a 3d image found on the internet, which can be found on e.g. museum websites. Or the group can be given an object to examine and they answer the following questions as accurately as possible. The object can be a building, monument, park, or a place in the nature.
- to strengthen the skills of source criticism and reasoning, encourage the use of imagination
TIME TO DO THE EXCERCISE
60 minutes
PEOPLE INVOLVED
5 – 25
TRAINERS
1 – 2
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
- questionnaire / instructions
- pens, markers, paper
EXERCISE:
Go through these questions / tasks in pairs or small groups. Share your thoughts with the whole team afterwards.
Exploration / sustainable development
1. What is this? Who did this, where and when?
2. Why was this done? For what purpose?
3. How was it made? What was needed to make it?
4. What is it like: shape, color, size and material? Describe the place/building so that even a blind person could “see” it.
5. What is the future of this item? Is it replaceable? Is it necessary?
Intergenerational
6. What does the place tell about its own time, its culture and people?
7. Do you have previous experiences with this kind of building? What kind of experience?
8. What is the value of this? Has it had historical, social, cultural or political significance?
9. Has the value changed during its history? Why? What is thought of it nowadays?
10. Has this building united people, groups, communities?
Imagination
11. Who owned this (gender, age, profession, position in society)?
12. What kind of person made this?
13. What would you like to ask about this item?
Inspiration, e.g. essay, drawing
14. Draw this place.
15. Write a story that includes this place.
16. Create an ad/video reselling it.
17. You have now discussed this place with another person. Make a cartoon out of your conversation. What new things did you learn about each other during this mission?
18. Next, give a speech to another group about this place.
CREATIVE PLACEMAKING TOOLBOX – PDF
(english)
PUBLISHER
KA-MATRIX
Association for social development
Jurja Haulika 22.
47 000 Karlovac
Croatia
email: info@ka-matrix.hr
web: www. ka-matrix.hr
FB: https://www.facebook.com/UDRUGAKAMATRIX
PARTNERS:
SUOMEN KULTTUURIPERINTÖKASVATUKSEN SEURA RY
Association of Cultural Heritage Education in Finland
Hallituskatu 2 B,
Business ID: 2148270–7
00170 Helsinki
Finland
email: info@kulttuuriperintokasvatus.fi
web: kulttuuriperintokasvatus.fi
FB: www.facebook.com/kupekasvatus
URBAN GORILLAS
78 Vasileos pavlou
1021 Nicosia
Cyprus
AUTHORS:
KA- MATRIX:
Manuela Kasunić & Denis Mikšić
SUOMEN KULTTUURIPERINTÖKASVATUKSEN SEURA:
Eeva Astala & Ira Vihreälehto
URBAN GORILLAS:
Despo Pasia & Marina Kyriakou
IMAGES & ICONS:
private archive | freepik.com | flaticon.com
DESIGN:
Studio Ratković
This website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
