Placemaking Europe

16/06/2026

12/06/2026

On June 4th 2026, th Leisure & Event Management students hosted their Urban Dialogue: Finding your place in the city event at Cafe Dox in Rotterdam, in collaboration with . The event was very successful, inviting and fostering discussions on prominent urban topics, with a focus on belonging. Many professionals took part, and the exchange of insightful and meaningful ideas stood out among everyone! There were many workshops, but the case study creative workshop was the most inspiring, as the participants co-created and developed underused and underdeveloped real-life case studies and challenges from around the world, engaging with the topic of belonging through different methods of placemaking and design.

07/06/2026

After a week of sharing stories about placemaking, transformation, participation and collaboration, there is perhaps one final conclusion:

Places change when people come together.

Not just locally, but internationally too.

Every time placemakers, urban thinkers, entrepreneurs, governments, developers and creatives meet, new ideas emerge, new collaborations start and new possibilities appear.

That is why communities like Placemaking Week Europe matter so much.

👉 Will I see you in Wroclaw from September 22–25?

Radiant greetings,
Sandra Poelman


Visuals: Glowingplaces

05/06/2026

Can you spot some members of our placemaking community?
Tag them in the comments. 😉

And the good news in this reel?

Placemaking is not a talent you either have or don’t have.

It is a discipline you can develop.

Over the years, I’ve learned a tremendous amount from books, podcasts, courses, study trips, conferences and conversations with placemakers from all over the world.

And I’m still learning every day.

Because every place, every community and every project teaches you something new.

👉 What has been your most valuable source of placemaking inspiration?

Radiant greetings,
Sandra Poelman


Visuals:
Glowingplaces

02/06/2026

What if placemaking starts long before a place is finished?

At DOMUSDELA, we discovered that people did not just want this historic site to be preserved.

They wanted to experience it, use it and become part of its future.

That insight changed the entire redevelopment strategy.

By opening the site during the development process through festivals, events and temporary programming, we created visibility, emotional connection and public support long before the grand opening.

👉 Have you ever seen a temporary event change the future of a place?

Radiant greetings,
Sandra Poelman


Collaborating organisations:
Gemeente Eindhoven, DELA, Provincie Noord-Brabant, Nationaal Restauratie Fonds, Bureau Franken, Hoesbergen Advies, DiederenDirrix Architecten, EN|EN Architecten, Bureau Lubbers and many others

Visuals: Glowingplaces, Zarayda Groenhart

01/06/2026

Placemaking is not decoration. It is a strategy.

This week, I’ll share a series of short stories about how placemaking can help transform places, connect people and create lasting impact.

And I’ll take you behind the scenes of projects that show how placemaking can scale:

from temporary activation to long-term transformation,

from isolated projects to city-wide cooperation,

and from abandoned places to thriving communities.

👉 What does placemaking mean to you?

Radiant greetings,
Sandra Poelman