When Concrete Gets a Soul: Reflections on Imagine. Create. Activate!
What Cities Really Run On: Culture.
Last week, we came back from Imagine. Create. Activate! in Chicago, and my brain and heart are still buzzing. Three days of conversation, creativity, and collaboration left me convinced that art and culture aren’t “extras” for our cities, they’re infrastructure. As Developer Michael McLean so brilliantly reminded us, budgeting for art and culture is as foundational as budgeting for roads and power lines.
This event wasn’t lectures and presentations, it was about building something together.
Square Footage Is Nothing Without Feeling.
One of the inspiring sessions leaned into the idea of “lived emotion.” It’s all about what a place feels like. That’s the secret sauce of Creative Placemaking. You put the resident at the center—the user, the neighbor, the human being who will laugh, work, and live in that place. And then we look at what we want them to feel.
As one of the big takeaways put it: a building needs Form, Meaning, and Activity to spark a sense of place. When people see themselves in a place—when it reflects who they are and who they aspire to be—that’s when real attachment forms.
Highlights
There were countless moments that stood out:
Philippe Demers opening keynote on the MASSIVart journey and how creativity redefines entire cities.
The host committee reception at Baker Barrios Architects’ office, with views of Chicago’s skyline that reminded us what this city is all about.
Josh Miller and Hannah Drake of The (Un)Known Project Trail kicking off Day 2 with stories that hit deep.
A tour of Englewood led by Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, and Tonika Johnson showing us how her project Unblocked stitches history back into community life.
The electric, hands-on Drawn Together Workshop with Coté Soerens, where fear dissolved into collaboration once interaction took root.
The Incubation Lab, where new CPC Fellows Nese Altinas and Stephanie Fleming pitched projects that prove the future of placemaking is in bold, young hands.
And finally, Theo Edmonds closing plenary, reminding us that creativity is America’s greatest renewable resource.
If you missed it, check out the website for Imagine. Create. Activate! and the LinkedIn posts—there are some fantastic recaps and images floating around under Imagine, Create, Activate!.
What It All Means
For us, as sponsors and actively involved hosts, the conference was important on many levels. It drove home one very simple truth: real estate needs engagement. Communities need connection. And our spaces desperately need souls. And Chicago needs all of the above…as do many urban communities
The best part? Imagine. Create. Activate! didn’t just leave us with ideas—it left us with momentum. A cohort of over 100 creative practice leaders from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico now bound together by shared projects, future collaborations, and a belief that placemaking is the key to healthier, more vibrant cities.
This wasn’t just a conference. It was a movement. And we can’t wait to see what grows out of it, including a much bigger conference in Memphis, in April 2026.
See you there!
