Title: Place management of a creative city: the case of Izmir

Authors: Onur Mengi; S. Bahar Durmaz Drinkwater; Aslı Ceylan Öner; Koray Velibeyoğlu

Addresses: Department of Industrial Design, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey ' Department of Architecture, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey ' Department of Architecture, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey ' Department of City and Regional Planning, Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey

Abstract: This study investigates how place management is used to render a creative city through the combination of soft factors as intangible characteristics and hard factors as tangible characteristics of the built environment. The study focuses on Izmir, Turkey; exploring its potential as an emerging creative city. The methodology is a descriptive analysis of recent urban design and planning activities of creative cities, reviews projects and strategies in Izmir. Findings provide a framework for place management tools and their strategic use for integration of art, design, creativity and knowledge in creative cities. Place management is used as a tool for image building and identity enhancement, and for quality of place to attract creative and knowledge workers. In the case of Izmir, hard factors triggered the formation process whereas soft factors have taken strengthen the initiative. However, both of them are yet not strong enough to creative public awareness and critical mass.

Keywords: creative city; design city; place management; hard factors; soft factors; Izmir; place management; identity enhancement; image building; social networks; creative public awareness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2017.086437

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2017 Vol.8 No.3, pp.271 - 291

Received: 02 Feb 2017
Accepted: 31 Mar 2017
Published online: 10 Sep 2017 *

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