Project for Public Spaces has selected Detroit as the host city for the fifth annual International Placemaking Conference, to be held from June 24-26, 2026. The Downtown Detroit Partnership will be the conference co-host.
More than 500 public space professionals, including urban planners and designers, public officials, place managers, and researchers, will attend what’s called Placemaking Week, which emphasizes hands-on learning and innovative social events while leaving behind a public space legacy in host cities.
Embracing a wide variety of sectors and disciplines, the event creates a forum for attendees to develop and share strategies to advance placemaking both locally and globally.
The theme for the 2026 conference — From Recovery to Resilience through Placemaking — is deigned to serve as a reminder of the transformative influence of community-powered spaces that can help cities meet multiple challenges.
“We’re thrilled to bring together placemakers from all around the world to take learn from Detroit’s groundbreaking placemaking efforts, which are real-life demonstrations of the power of public space to change the story of an entire city,” says Nate Storring, co-executive director for Project for Public Spaces.
“Detroit is a city where Project for Public Spaces has deep roots and active collaborations, from Campus Martius Park to the Joe Louis Greenway. We’re looking forward to working with our longtime partners at the Downtown Detroit Partnership to showcase how placemaking can tackle the big challenges our communities face today.”
Detroit exemplifies the transformative power of placemaking, turning once-neglected areas into thriving community spaces through grassroots innovation, public-private collaboration, and cultural investment. But much more work needs to be done.
Landmark projects, according to the organizers, include Campus Martius Park, Michigan Central, the Joe Louis Greenway, the Detroit Riverwalk, and Belle Ilse, among others.
More details, including where the conference will be held, will be announced at a later date.
For more information, visit placemakingweek.org.
