Participatory Place-making is a collaborative hands-on approach to creating and/or improving a public space, a streetscape, a neighborhood or a town/city.  It is a process focused on observing, asking questions and listening to the answers of those who live, work and play in a particular place.  The goal is to support people to use their imaginations, to share their aspirations, and to express a shared vision. 

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Participatory place-making puts people and their needs at the center of the endeavor. It builds on local assets and on maximizing their potential.  It can be used at every scale ranging from a room in a building to an entire region and focuses on the physical, social, and cultural aspects of a place and how to best and fully express these as they relate to the users of the place.  

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Once a vision that inspires participants is articulated,  an iterative process working with participants leads to the identification of ways of achieving the vision.  A preferred alternative is built by incorporating these features and then an action plan is developed to help to implement the goals embedded in the vision.

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 Community Circle worked with designers in the following participatory place-making projects.