A New Bottom Line: The Value & Impact of Placemaking

An exciting study from The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, The Daniels Corporation, Lemay, Entro and MASSIVart proves return on investment for placemaking interventions.

The study showed the following results:

• 50% increase in time spent at a location with placemaking interventions
• 53% increase in positive perception of the environment
• 77% increase in the likelihood for individuals to share information about the location
• 63% increase in positive feelings about the environment
• 53% increase in self-congruity (forming a sense of connection between the individual and the location)

The study presented 598 participants with office spaces, outdoor courtyards, lobbies, and transit stations to measure the difference in responsiveness to locations with and without placemaking interventions.

The potential benefits of these findings are extensive and include possibilities such as increased sales, productive use of space, and potential social and environmental benefits. Not only that, but more word-of-mouth recommendations can result in increased traffic and the observed increase in self-congruity and positive perceptions can lead to a stronger connection between individuals and the environment.

To learn more about the study and the positive ROI of placemaking, read the manifesto here.
 
To learn more about creative placemaking, read our guide here.