placedness

The Placedness Project explores the meaning of place: that unique parameter that encompasses physical location, climate, culture, and the natural and built environment. What it is that connects us to place? What inspires us to care of the places we love? Our simple thesis is this: the more we can connect people and place, the more places we can protect and sustain.

We share on this page the findings from our most recent inquiries into place. Through our inquiries, we are learning how we collectively define place, what we value most about places of significance, and what we are doing to sustaining them.

IN APRIL OF 2020, AS MANY OF US WERE ON ORDER TO ‘SHELTER IN PLACE’ AS A STRATEGY TO MANAGE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, WE INTERVIEWED A GROUP OF CLIENTS AND COLLEAGUES AND ASKED A SERIES OF QUESTIONS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF PLACE.

We asked about the place where they currently were, both physically and emotionally, and where they saw themselves in a future full of unknowns. The visions we collected express a mixed sense of gratitude for what is and an awareness of the need for reinvention at all levels.

On Valentine’s Day 2019, we asked a small group of colleagues and friends to share stories with us about the places they have loved in their lives. The stories were wide and varied, all heartfelt. This is a collection of some of the responses we received.

We called this project “Placedness” with the intention of connecting “the sacred” with” place”, in hopes that this will inspire reverence and invite us to kneel down to the earth in gratitude, and give back to the earth more than we take. This is one thing we can all do. In fact, our life depends upon it, as does the future of our planet and all other species. We invite you to reflect on the special places in your heart, and share your stories with us.