Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_480333

26 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2025 Trends Embracing the Past to Shape the Future: The Rise of Placekeeping in Design T his quarter, my focus on key de- sign trends highlights one of the most important – placekeeping. In a world that often prioritizes innova- tion without roots, placekeeping offers a restorative counterbalance. It’s more than aesthetic – it’s emotional, cultural and ecological. At its core, placekeep- ing is about honoring cultural identity: preserving the essence of a location through its stories, memories and lived experiences. In design and planning, placekeeping is the process of safeguarding the culture, history, landscape and narratives of a space while adapting it to meet a community’s evolv- ing needs. It asks us not to bulldoze over what was and re- place with “placemaking,” but to listen – deeply – to what’s always been there. We’re not just creating new spaces; we’re reinterpreting existing ones, threading past and pres- ent into a design language that speaks across generations. Why is this important now? Because communities every- where are grappling with growth, gentrification, and the erosion of identity. There’s a rising urgency to design with memory, to embed authenticity into public spaces that might otherwise fall prey to generic development – what some call generica America, a landscape of sameness with little soul. Here are a few examples of how placekeeping is emerg- ing in cities across the U.S., not as a trend, but as a move- ment. n South Park Heritage Trail – Raleigh, North Carolina. Spanning roughly 2 miles, this cultural trail will narrate the story of South Park, a historically Black neighborhood with deep roots in Raleigh’s social and cultural develop- ment. Located in the South Park Cultural District, the trail aims not only to celebrate the neighborhood’s legacy but to amplify its ongoing relevance. Interpretive signage, pub- lic art, and storytelling stations will make visible the peo- ple and events that shaped the area – many of whom have long been overlooked in conventional city planning. This initiative also offers a counternarrative to displacement, proving that history can serve as an anchor, even as neigh- borhoods evolve. Through this lens, placekeeping becomes a form of resistance and renewal – ensuring that growth does not mean erasure. n A Street Promenade – Bentonville, Arkansas. This city, known as the home of Walmart – has been undergoing rap- id transformation. As one of the fastest-growing metropol- itan areas in the country, it faces familiar challenges such as suburban sprawl and car-dependent streets. But Ben- tonville is committed to charting a different course. The A Street Promenade project is a visionary response: a mul- tiuse corridor designed to center community experience, cultural expression, and sustainable mobility. This project is a key component of the “Quilt of Parks” initiative, trans- forming a former vehicle corridor into a pedestrian-friend- ly spine connecting six public spaces with gardens, café seating, and cultural amenities. With Phases 1 and 2 already completed and full core completion expected in 2025, it rep- resents a major investment in downtown revitalization. n Parks at Lowry – Denver. This redevelopment is the for- mer Air Force base in Denver and exemplifies placekeeping by thoughtfully integrating the site’s military and aviation history into the design of parks through interpretive sig- nage, preserved structures, aviation-themed playgrounds and reused infrastructure like runways and roads; the parks embed historical memory into the everyday landscape. Names like Great Lawn and Tailwind Park evoke the site’s past, while collaborations with the Lowry Foundation and community storytelling further honor the legacy of those who lived and served there. These spaces blend ecological renewal with cultural remembrance, ensuring that Lowry’s identity is actively maintained and celebrated. n Why placekeeping matters. Placekeeping is not nostal- gia – it’s a necessary strategy to embrace history of a place for future generations. It strengthens the social fabric of a community by recognizing the value of collective memo- ry. It makes space for voices that may have been margin- alized. And, perhaps most importantly, it provides a design language that resists commodification, anchoring places in authenticity. Some of its core benefits include: Becky Zimmermann CEO, Design Workshop Brandon Huttenlocher The redevelopment of the former Air Force base in Denver exem- plifies placekeeping by thoughtfully integrating the site’s military and aviation history into its design.