For generation after generation, in many different cultures and in many different climates, people came together and created places that uniquely reflected their collective needs. And then we lost the art of placemaking. Without it, the life of the individual is blighted, the life of the community is stillborn and the future of the planet is jeopardised.

With it, people can find expression for their own creativity, communities can develop their own vision and leadership and the planet can be secured for the enjoyment of future generations. In this, the second year in the life of the Academy, we present fifteen great places at the level of the City, Town, Neighbourhood, Street and Place.

Each of these places is the result of an appropriate and legible ordering of space for the purpose of personal and public exchange - social, cultural, spiritual and economic, in a way that enhances the life of both the individual and the community. Some are old; some are new; some have looked after themselves through changing times; some have benefited from timely and life-saving interventions; all are united by their ability to learn.

Through the relationships that are being established with each of these places, the Academy is seeking to create a body of evidence-based enquiry that can inform our quest to identify and deliver best practice in Urbanism.

Great places have the power to fire the imagination of their citizens. No one can create them on their own. If, collectively, we are to create them once again, we must first share a common view. This is the mission of the Academy.


John Thompson
Chairman, The Academy of Urbanism