The document discusses the relationship between placemaking and technology (place-teching). It provides the example of the Central-Midlevels escalators in Hong Kong, the longest outdoor covered escalator system, which has played an important role in pedestrian access. The escalators cost $30 million to build and were designed to harmonize with the surroundings. Effective place-teching requires starting with a community vision, creating destinations rather than just designs, and listening to community needs over time.

1. Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 1

2. Placemaking is …
“…recognizing that cities are not just a collection of people but
can be places of beauty and innovation.”
“…the art and science of a development/redevelopment that
attract people, builds community by bringing people
together, and create local identity.”
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 2

3. … Technology complements and enhances
Placemaking.
The best infrastructure, design and technology put in place
ensure communities remain lively and survive for a long time.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 3

4. Examples where tech and design interplay:
- Designers use technology to gather ideas from local
communities; using technology to test design ideas;
- Providing easy transportation networks to access neighborhoods;
- Adopting technologies that sustain communities for their long-
term growth and survival.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 4

5. Hong Kong Central
Hillside Escalator Link
Detailed Design and Construction
Supervision
The Central-Midlevels escalators in
Hong Kong is the longest outdoor
covered escalator system in the world.
It’s the first public moving walkway
system in Hong Kong. it was officially
opened to the public on 15 October
1993, it has played a very important role
in pedestrianizing the Western District.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 5

6. Hong Kong Central
Hillside Escalator Link
Detailed Design and Construction
Supervision
The entire escalator system covers over
800 meters in distance and elevates
over 135 meters from bottom to top.
Total of 20 covered escalators and three
travelators. They are relatively short in
length, with breaks at 20 access points,
and whole journey takes about 20
minutes, travelling at a speed of 0.65m
per second.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 6
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay

7. Hong Kong Central
Hillside Escalator Link
Detailed Design and Construction
Supervision
A tidal flow system therefore operates,
with the escalators moving downhill
between 6:00am and 10:00am to
accommodate the morning peak, then
uphill for the remainder of the day.
The daily traffic exceeds 55,000
people, although originally forecast
27,000.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 7
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay

8. Hong Kong Central
Hillside Escalator Link
Detailed Design and Construction
Supervision
it costs HK$240 million (US$30 million)
to build. The escalator designed to
harmonize with its surroundings and
materials have been chosen for their
attractive appearance as well as for
their functional qualities.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 8
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay

9. Three Top Principles for Placemaking:
- Start with a Vision
- Create a Destination, not a Design
- Listen to the Community
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 9

10. Communities survive only if “place-teching” is a dynamic
process and governments, developers, urban planners and
designers continue to listen to locals and respond to their calls
for improvement and transformation when they are needed.
Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 10

11. Place-teching: lettering technology and placemaking interplay 11