Urban Acupuncture: Hybrid Social and Technological Practices for Hyperlocal Placemaking

Abstract

This paper considers an emerging planning practice that uses networked connections to interact with urban places and re-create enlivened cities. The paper presents “urban acupuncture” as a new planning approach that broadens communication and strategically targets interventions across the city. Defined as an approach, which, through the use of digital social networks and interactions, involves citizens and planners in place activations in order to stimulate and reinvigorate place, thus creating meaningful relationships between citizens and their urban settings. This paper uses the UR[BNE] Brisbane Festival 2012 as a qualitative case study of urban acupuncture, best defined as a hyper-localized healing treatment through place activation to enliven and recreate cities. It examines the challenges faced and opportunities embraced by a network of urban professionals. Their aim was to activate the underused urban spaces of central Brisbane through the festival's activities and events. The findings identify the key elements required to design public spaces using socially and technologically networked interactions.

Keywords:

• urban acupuncture
• urban planning
• place activation
• urban informatics
• digitally networked
• social interactions

Notes on Contributors

Kirralie Houghton is a recent PhD graduate from the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. She has extensive experience as a planning consultant in Australia and Canada.

Marcus Foth is founder and director of the Urban Informatics Research Lab, and principal research fellow in the School of Design, Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology.

Evonne Miller is an associate professor in the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology and the director of the university's Research Training for the Creative Industries Faculty (CIF).

Notes

1 http://www.facebook.com/urbne.festival/