Placemaking and Sport
Discovering innovative solutions for the sport and physical activity sector through placemaking.
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Placemaking and Sport Inspirational Resources
Our Placemaking and Sport inspirational resources have been prepared and compiled by our expert partners, Gehl and BG Be Active.
The aim of this collection is to gather different resources that can inspire people and organisations working or willing to work in the field of placemaking and sports.
In this section, you will find 4 steps. The first step consists of research and study documents; a suggestion for reading before taking action. The second step includes local and international placemaking examples. Starting from the third step, we provide more comprehensive tools: online courses, policy recommendations, municipal action pack, etc., for those who want to implement their placemaking ideas and plans.
Read before taking action
- Research is one of the most important stages for placemaking and sports projects/initiatives. The examples below will provide detailed information about the importance of physical activity in the public spaces and examples from different countries.
Placemaking for Active Recreation: Let’s Heal Our Cities research on physical activity in public spaces - Trends of civic engagement in placemaking projects: Placemaking for Democracy: a study of successes in Bulgaria and Norway
Who is ready to get inspired?
- Local placemaking examples from around the world:
If you are interested in more local and small-scale placemaking and sports activities, take a look at the Bogotá pilot example by Gehl. This report synthesises the process that Gehl led for the design and implementation of the Healthy Neighborhood Pilot in San Luis–a peripheral neigborhood in Bogotá where people increasingly suffer from obesity and diabetes.
https://issuu.com/gehlarchitects/docs/230907_bogota_pilot_project_report_shared_ - High level placemaking examples from around the world:
If you are interested in discovering high level examples from around the world, take a look at the publication prepared by the WHO, ‘Towards more physical activity in cities: transforming public spaces to promote physical activity – a key contributor to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Europe.’ This publication focuses on physical activity and how it can be supported through urban planning.
https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/345147
If you’re up for discovering more about placemaking methodologies
- Placemaking for Active Recreation – Approach
It is an actionable guide that can help you integrate physical activity into urban design effectively and inclusively. - Placemaking for Active Recreation - Online course
This online course has been prepared with the leadership of the BG Be Active. It is purposefully designed to facilitate knowledge sharing. It draws from a wealth of experiences, ideas, and examples sourced from various organisations, clubs, cities, and projects. - Placemaking for Active Recreation - Policy Recommendations
In these Policy Recommendations, you’ll discover insights and strategies designed to foster inclusive, activity-friendly environments. These guidelines advocate for more accessible, flexible, and cost-effective ways to promote physical activity and grassroots sports, inspiring policymakers and community leaders alike to rethink and reshape our urban spaces.
Tools that will help you implement your ideas
- Placemaking for Active Recreation - Action Pack
The Action Pack is brimming with key insights, strategic guidelines, and actionable steps to aid you in transforming your urban spaces into active, vibrant hubs. - Placemaking for Active Recreation - Toolkit
In the toolbox, you can find all the tools and resources to help you develop urban spaces for physical activity and recreation. This toolbox can be used both by sports organisations and placemakers. - Park(ing) Day for Fitness Manual
The mission of the Park(ing) Day for Fitness event is to draw attention to the many (untapped) possibilities that our cities offer for physical activity, the need for more open spaces where people can exercise safely, and further, to provoke a public debate on how to adapt in times of crisis and improve the quality of the urban environment. You can find the manual in 6 languages, prepared by the leadership of the BG Be Active. - Placemaking for Democracy: Community Toolkit
- Placemaking for Democracy: Municipal Action Pack
- How to Pilot Handbook by Gehl
This booklet, prepared by Gehl, summarises key considerations when working in public space and engaging with pilot projects.
Inspiration catalogue
(coming soon)
"Project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them."