The Art of Placemaking: Interpreting Community Through Public Art and Urban Design

by Ronald Lee Fleming

This expertly researched book makes a radical case for accessible public art that fosters a powerful civic experience of connection to place. The author advocates narrative, site-specific public art that engages the popular imagination through common references to history, folklore, culture and geography, and demonstrates how the integration of approachable art with local landscape, architecture and urban design can facilitate identification with locale. Dozens of case studies of spectacular and innovative works throughout the United States are accompanied by practical information, cost and policy analysis, artist interviews, examples of failures and major controversies, and strategies for the future, making this book an essential reference for anyone involved with transforming and improving our public spaces.

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Nutkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a dry read, but since it is a more academic text, I expected that. I read some chapters fully, but ended up skimming a lot of it. The highlighting of specific projects and types of placemaking projects was really helpful for visualizing possibilities. From this, I have actually come up with a great site for some placemaking & community art in my area and am going to work on making that happen.

[Allison C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not exactly something to bring to the beach, but this book has become my bible for adding meaning to urban design.