Placemaking Conference 2019

The University of Oklahoma – Norman

Monday, April 1, 2019

Placemaking in Action

The 2019 Placemaking Conference took place on April 1, 2019.

Over the course of six sessions throughout the day, 10 expert speakers presented on topics related to economic development, art and culture, community health, and community planning. These presentations presented an interdisciplinary view of potential responses to community challenges.

In 2019, the 630 attendees represented a broad range of industries and issue areas, demonstrating broad connection to the topic of placemaking and community improvement.

Attendees traveled from 45 Oklahoma counties and 11 other states.

Please enjoy videos from the conference below. Closed captions are available for all videos.

Merchants in Action

with introduction by Ron Frantz, Coordinator of Environmental Design, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture

Kennedy Smith

Co-Founder, Community Land Use + Economics Group

Kennedy Smith spoke about retail trends, and the ways that independent local businesses can survive in the current era when supported by effective community development frameworks. The presentation provided key policy steps and action items to improve retail performance in cities.

Placemakers in Action

with introduction by Shawn Schaefer, Director of the OU-Tulsa Urban Design Studio

Elena Madison

Vice President, Project for Public Spaces

Laura Hoagland

Manager of Community Outreach, Southwest Airlines

Jill Brown DeLozier

Vice President, Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership

Laura Hoagland, Elena Madison, and Jill Brown DeLozier spoke about a collaboration between Southwest Airlines, Project for Public Spaces, and Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership to re-design and program Kerr Park in downtown Oklahoma City.

The presentation emphasized community participation, health benefits of park spaces, equal access across socioeconomic/demographic groups, and the inclusion of art and culture in public space.

American Cities in Action

with introduction by Charles Warnken, Ph.D., Director of Regional & City Planning, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture

Mick Cornett

Author, The Next American City

Former Four-Term Mayor, Oklahoma City

Mick Cornett spoke about the most important emerging lessons from mid-sized cities with examples from his own 14-year experience as mayor of Oklahoma City.

Explorers in Action

with introduction by Stephanie Pilat, Ph.D., Director of Architecture, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture

Dylan Thuras

Co-Founder & Co-Author, Atlas Obscura

Dylan Thuras described the mythology of places, and showed how unexpected places can tell stories that draw visitors and help preserve place while celebrating unique local characteristics.

Oklahomans in Action

with introduction by Elizabeth Pober, Director of Interior Design, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture

Allison Bailey

Founder & Producer, Holiday Pop-Up Shops

Urban Retail Specialist, Price Edwards & Co.

Lauren Nitschke

Community Advocate, Waurika, Oklahoma

Kelly Tompkins

Director, Main Street Enid

Owner, Hive Appeal

Allison Bailey, Lauren Nitschke, and Kelly Tompkins told stories about placemaking efforts in Oklahoma City, Waurika, and Enid. The presentations show how placemaking efforts work in communities of all sizes.

Bailey’s key message was about creating programs and content that served the immediate neighborhood and furthered development goals. Nitschke’s message was that determination to take one step toward improving your community can open the doors for the next projects and continual progress. Tompkins’ message showed how the public participated in interactive art installations to build community and promote walkability and health.

Artists in Action

with introduction by Deborah Richards, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture

Rick Lowe

Artist

2014 MacArthur Fellow

Creator, Project Row Houses

Rick Lowe presented projects that show how to engage diverse communities in art and cultural programming with results that uplift communities. He also posed questions for the audience to encourage participants to think about their roles as outsiders or insiders.