Seven Principles of Place

From visiting, studying and enjoying my sample places of the Inland Northwest, varied reading on urban design and placemaking; and research into place-conscious policy, education and community collaborations, I deciphered the following principles which frequently are present in exciting and attractive places:

Authenticity
Vibrancy
Experience
Narrative Conscientious
Accessibility
Connectivity
Remarkability

These principles are not absolutes, present in every instance of true place, but help show general trends, help to define true place and serve as guidelines to developing the characteristics of place. By looking through these seven interconnected lenses, we can better view and understand places and why they impact us. This blog will focus on these central concepts.

While I refined these ideas in cities like Boise, Baker City and Walla Walla, subsequent travel has helped me reinforce the validity of these concepts. Grevenbroich, Germany, a small town outside of Dusseldorf, centers around a dense pedestrian central commercial district interlaced with beautiful gardens and parks as only Germans can do. What's most startling is the proximity and transcendence of these green spaces—two minutes walking outside the center square (with its towering cathedral spire and Saturday open-air market) and you're rejuvenated under a canopy of branches near a burbling stream. Grevenbroich reinforces not only that small can be remarkable, but that constructs of vibrancy, accessibility and connectivity truly resonate for that places excellence.

Beautifully dense pedestrian core of Grevenbroich

The true benefit of density, proximity and connectivity