S2:E9 The complexities and simplicities of placemaking – Ramon Marrades in conversation with Criena Gehrke

The Three Bells

Summary:

In this episode, our host Criena Gehrke speaks with Ramon Marrades, urban economist, and Director of Placemaking Europe. The two dive right into deep discussion on the human condition and our definition of progress. Ramon shares insightful thoughts on what works when connecting people to their environment, emphasizing the importance of authenticity. They later explore creative bureaucracy, how to create a strong public policy, if strategies should shift post-covid, and much more. Ramon also speaks about Placemaking Week, Placemaking Europe’s flagship conference and festival taking place in Pontevedra, Spain, 27-30 September 2022, and what he hopes will come out of the event.

Wrapping up the episode, Criena shares with listeners a new segment titled “Things That Keep Me up at Night” where she discusses visitor and audience trends, and how they have shifted since the pandemic. She openly wonders if humanity has had enough time to deal with the literal and emotional impacts of Covid – and addresses the unrealistic pressure to quickly recover.

References:

• Placemaking Europe– a network for placemaking in Europe, connecting practitioners, academics, community leaders, market actors and policy makers throughout Europe in the field of placemaking, public space, social life, human scale and the city at eye level.
• Placemaking Week – Europe's founding and largest placemaking festival. In the spirit of collaboration and inspiration, over 400 practitioners meet every year to share knowledge, learn and network.
• Our City? Countering Exclusion in Public Space– Book about strategies, projects, and proposed solution, co-authored by Ramon Marrades.
• Creative Bureaucracy Festival – a festival celebrating outstanding examples of innovative public administrations.
• Sustainable Development Goals – The UN’s call for action by all countries in a global partnership.
• 121db – The band that Ramon plays bass in.

Bio:

Ramon Marrades is an urban economist, writer, and activist with a passion for people and places. He is currently Director of Placemaking Europe and Strategy Advisor to the Creative Bureaucracy Festival. Before, he has served as the Chief Strategy and Finance Officer at La Marina de València, Valencia’s waterfront redevelopment agency, and a board member of the Worldwide Network of Port Cities (AIVP). Ramon is a co-editor of the book “Our City? Countering Exclusion in Public Space” (2019) and the host and co-curator of Placemaking Week Europe 2019 and the upcoming 2022 edition. His work focuses on the interface between public space and economic development. He has been a researcher at the University of Valencia (Spain), Western Sydney University (Australia), and FLACSO (Ecuador). He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Valencia and an MSc in Economics and Geography from Utrecht University. He received the Spanish Social Entrepreneur Award in 2012 and co-authored four books and published more than a hundred columns on urban issues in some of the main Spanish newspapers. In 2012, Ramon also co-founded Urbego, an international network of urban professionals dedicated to improving cities through active participation, co-creation, and knowledge sharing; personally leading projects in Australia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Colombia.