Promotion: narrative not built environment is the key to making a place "sticky" says Era-co global director Steven Cornwell who shared his insights into placemaking with Dezeen.
The concept of "stickiness" in urban design and community building refers to whether people will want to stay in a place rather than simply move efficiently through it.
While some urbanists argue that physical environment is key to making a place sticky, Cornwell sees it differently he says.
Era-co's placemaking work has included Hollywood Park in Los Angeles
"Placemakers like myself believe that stickiness is in a place's narrative," he said. "When you understand people, you envision places that attract them and give them a sense of belonging." According to Cornwell, he started Era-co in 2019 after carving out a niche at the intersection of marketing and placemaking.
Previously, he had become dissatisfied with marketing as the main tool for delivering outcomes related to stickiness in real estate. He observed that only around one in 10 of the places created using this approach fulfilled their objectives around this goal.
Since then, Era-co has worked on placemaking strategies for communities including Greenwich Peninsula in London, the Guinness Quarter in Dublin and Hollywood Park in Los Angeles.
"I took what I learned and set out to create places that make a difference in people's lives," said Cornwell. "Today, our team empowers communities t...