Future Placemaking

Looking now to the future, a key consideration of where to focus placemaking efforts and investments is where they will impact the most people. To begin with, it is useful to see which places are the most active in Downtown. Using location-based intelligence from Placer.ai, we can see which parts of Downtown had the highest volume of visitors in 2022.

2022 DTLA Visitation Heat Map, Source: Placer.ai

Armed with this information and the insights it provides, the next step is to improve and activate the network in ways that encourage people to utilize it. Using a variety of placemaking tools, it is possible to reimagine how space is being used to promote greater engagement.

In early 2020, the DCBID hired architecture and urban design firm CRTKL to be part of a collaborative effort to conduct a Placemaking Audit of central DTLA. Together with designers and all-around creative thinkers, Bureau Spectacular, CRTKL conducted a study that assessed existing conditions and identified key placemaking opportunities and locations.

Placemaking Opportunities

Parking Lot Possibilities

Library Art Blocks-7th & Dine-Alleyways

Avenues of Grand Culture

Pedways and Pathways

Bunker Bridge Series

Storefront Stories

Library Art Blocks

Back of the Broad

LA Welcome Paseo

Vibiana Quad

Ped Scramble

7th & Dine

Alleyways

CRTKL, DCBID Placemaking Opportunities

“This placemaking study began with a detailed inventory of underutilized locations in the Downtown Center and ranked them across multiple factors. The resulting 15 finalists were reimagined — tapping into their true potential to promote public well-being, engage the community, and attract creative urbanites.”

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While these kinds of initiatives can result in an improved aesthetic appeal, they intend to also create engaging destinations that people want to experience and to create synergies between the other public realm assets identified earlier.