Module 8: Place Meaning and Attachment

This module covers place meaning and attachment evolve from people-place relationship reflected in the functional, emotional and social connections with a place. It explores meanings attached to people’s experience and they influence behaviour and cognition in the context of urban spaces and places. The definitions and concepts of place attachment and its dimensions will be explored in understanding urban transformation and regeneration in light of the sense of place and place attachment principles. Relevant concepts include place dependence, place identity, place memory, sense of belonging and rootedness. The topic also discusses factors that influence place attachment and its measurement. The topic highlights the importance of place-based approach and principles in the era of urban regeneration and its implication on the continuity of place meaning and identity, particularly in the Asian context. It advocates the importance of the psychological dimension in designing and regenerating urban places.