Rethinking how we make place

Have you ever walked through a space that just didn’t feel right, but couldn’t quite put your finger on why? Maybe it felt cold, disconnected, or simply not made for someone like you. Perhaps you’ve sat in a windswept plaza with nowhere comfortable to rest, or tried to navigate a footpath with a pram or mobility aid, only to find it too narrow, too rough, or too steep. Or maybe you’ve felt that certain places simply forget people altogether, especially those most often left out. These experiences aren’t isolated; they’re part of a growing conversation about how the design of our cities impacts our wellbeing, sense of belonging, and everyday lives.

Our built environments influence us more than we might realise. We live in a world that is actively shaped by human hands, yet many of us feel more disconnected than ever. From the layout of our cities to the systems that govern our lives, it's clear that not everything is serving us as it should.

Placemaking has long been a tool helping people reconnect with public space, but it hasn't always gone far enough. Many traditional approaches focus on surface-level improvements: a fresh coat of paint, pop-ups, and festivals. These aren’t bad things, but they rarely address the systemic issues that define a place: its history, values, power structures, or ecological health.

To evolve our practice, we need to look honestly at these limitations, not to abandon placemaking, but to imagine what comes next.

What if we created places that are not only lively but life-giving? Places that regenerate ecosystems, rebuild relationships, and restore a shared sense of purpose. Imagine seeing a neighbourhood not just as a backdrop, but as a living system.

Across the world, people are rethinking how we live, build, grow, and connect. You can see it in movements like regenerative agriculture and regenerative design, and now, Regenerative Placemaking. These approaches go beyond sustaining; they actively restore what matters.

As Paul Hawken highlighted in his book Blessed Unrest, thousands of organisations across sectors are already playing an active role in regeneration. They may openly associate with the name, or they may be using other names, but the underlying principles remain strikingly aligned.

Regenerative Placemaking builds on what comes before. It doesn’t dismiss tactical or creative methods; it uses them more intentionally, through the lens of systems thinking.

Regenerative Placemaking is not a new trend. It’s a new mindset.

After exploring, testing, and listening over 35 years on the ground working with communities, we at Village Well have developed our Regenerative Placemaking Model. One grounded in systems thinking, deep place listening, and long-standing principles of community-led change.

In our next blog, we’ll introduce our model and share how it can be applied in practice to create places that truly restore, reconnect, and regenerate.