Placemaking Europe

Placemaking Europe is a non-profit foundation that operates as a pan-European network to advance the practice of placemaking—the collaborative transformation of public spaces to enhance local communities and everyday urban life. The organisation connects practitioners, academics, city officials, market players, and policy makers, facilitating knowledge exchange and supporting the implementation of placemaking projects throughout Europe. Established as a formalised network of placemaking professionals, the organisation’s headquarters is based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Its activities span dozens of countries and include members from a diverse set of sectors involved in public space and urban design. In recent years, Placemaking Europe has organised Placemaking Week Europe, the continent’s largest annual event dedicated to the field. Recent editions in Rotterdam (2024) and Reggio Emilia (scheduled for 2025) typically gather more than 400 professionals, including urbanists, municipal representatives, and community leaders to share case studies, pilot initiatives, and practical tools. Beyond conferences, Placemaking Europe leads capacity-building programmes such as 'Intercultural Cities in Placemaking', collaborating with municipal governments across cities including Bergen (Norway), Bradford (UK), Reggio Emilia (Italy), and others. The PlaceCity project, another example, focused on neighbourhoods in Oslo and Vienna, documenting strategies for sustainable urban revitalisation. The foundation’s activities include developing resources, convening expert groups, and supporting project implementation in fields such as public space design, citizen participation, and inclusive policy frameworks. Its network-driven structure allows for rapid dissemination of knowledge and piloting of new approaches across a geographically broad and culturally diverse landscape.