Accessible Spaces in Urban Placemaking

An urban design methodology called placemaking produces significant and valuable public spaces that cater to the public and not just function as parking spaces for cars and large built masses like shopping malls. In an urban setting, placemaking can develop public areas and help bring up communities along with these patches of land, creating a sociable and interactive atmosphere for which architecture in our present world thrives. But creating such communities along the way introduces us to a completely new demographic of people—children, the elderly, the disabled population, and the LGBTQ+ community, to which we have to carter our design. “Accessibility” and “inclusivity” as one of today’s newest issues, making forward strides in our urban environment, are a necessity. All these are approaches taken to indulge this population and make the spaces more approachable and enjoyable for them. This research paper dives into the urban, public world of such spaces, analyzing their demand over the past three decades, the way placemaking has changed its approach in designing for all along with collaborating with approaches of inclusivity and accessibility, and how these terms help in creating an environment in which everyone can progress. It is important to provide for all types of categories of people even catering to the different arrays of disabilities like deaf, blind, wheelchair-based disabilities, and even the mentally disabled. Investigating throughout this paper, the need for accessible public spaces and the need to renovate and enhance already existing spaces will be apparent.