NEWS
FIRST ASEAN REGION PLACEMAKING AWARD TO BE GIVEN OUT THIS YEAR
By Gunaprasath Bupalan
PETALING JAYA , 31 MAY 2021 : Businesses , corporations , communities , and individuals who are seeking to make the world a better place , one space at a time , can take heart that their efforts will be recognised soon .
The inaugural Placemaker Awards ASEAN 2021 ( PAA 2021 ) will be unveiled this year to honour the best of placemaking projects and give due recognition to community-building in Southeast Asia .
The awards , meant as a platform to showcase the best of placemaking projects is the brainchild of placemaking consultancy Nextdor Property Communications Sdn Bhd and Think City , a social purpose organisation focused on urban rejuvenation .
“ Good placemaking is important , given the rising rate of urbanisation within Southeast Asian cities ,” said Imran Clyde , co-chair of the organising committee for Placemaker Awards ASEAN .
With the COVID-19 pandemic creating havoc in many parts of the world , the need to create public space that is safe , inviting , and sustainable has never been more urgent as the world also needs to concurrently tackle things like urban decay , job creation , as well as the negative side of climate change .
Placemaking is way more than just decorating a wall with murals or cleaning up a litter-strewn back lane somewhere . Viewed in totality , placemaking is a multifaceted approach to the planning , design and management of public spaces that create vibrant spaces offering local stakeholders a sense of wellbeing , safety , and comfort .
In the spirit of encouraging more local councils , urban planners , non-governmental organisations , community organisations , architects , developers , or just groups of determined individuals seeking to transform their neighbourhoods into something better , PAA 2021 hopes to be that platform for entities within the Southeast Asian region to exchange or share best practices in placemaking . The regional award is aimed at showcasing the best placemaking projects and inspire aspiring placemakers , besides supporting the United Nations ’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 ( SDG 11 ). Other than spurring each other on towards better placemaking , the effort to submit one ’ s effort for regional and global evaluation will raise the profile of participants and help them gain industry-wide recognition . Even if no profits or personal gain are involved , this concerted effort to undertake good placemaking will only lead to better publicly accessible spaces for all . “ We hope that having such an award programme will drive greater competitiveness in the activation of spaces in which communities live , work and play , thereby promote authentic efforts to improve the community through the initiation of projects that add to the public realm ,” said Imran .
Imran Clyde , cochair of the organising committee for Placemaker Awards ASEAN
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Property360Digest e-magazine Issue # 9 - 2021