Montague, L., 2016.

Theory's Role in Placelessness

Landscape architects work in the public domain to create shared outdoor settings that support and enhance human activities. This chapter addresses Relph's broad assertion that built environment professionals have an important role to play in reclaiming and making places. It reviews some of the theory and research that influence professional intentions, including a reflection on how the concept of 'place' influences design thinking. The chapter considers ideas of 'publicness' and how 'sense of place' has relevance to design of the public urban landscape. It discusses the current interest in place-making, briefly tracking its emergence and popularity as an alternative approach to urban landscape design. The chapter examines two recent landscape redevelopments in Sydney, each exemplifying how contemporary urban landscape design practice has dealt with the complexities of urban sites and their social contexts to create places of distinction.