In late June, Downtown Detroit proudly welcomed the 5th International Placemaking Week, bringing together more than 642 placemakers from 179 cities across 12 countries to experience firsthand the partnerships, public spaces, and community-driven work shaping our city. The conference opened with a welcome from Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield and a special video message from Governor Gretchen Whitmer, underscoring the importance of placemaking to Detroit’s and Michigan’s continued growth. The conference was bookended by two signature Party in the Park events, beginning with a welcome celebration at Campus Martius Park and culminating with the closing celebration at Beacon Park, showcasing two of Downtown Detroit’s vibrant public spaces and the role they play in bringing people together through exceptional placemaking.
Throughout the week, attendees experienced not only Downtown Detroit’s transformation, but the collaboration, innovation, and shared vision that continue to position our city as a global leader in placemaking.
For the DDP, this was far more than co-hosting a conference. It was the culmination of years of intentional work. David Cowan and Laura Dean led the effort to secure Detroit as the host city, winning a highly competitive bidding process including 15 other cities from around the world, followed by more than a year of planning alongside partners to deliver an exceptional global event.
Our team led workshops, panel discussions, tours of Downtown’s parks and public spaces, welcomed international delegates, and created opportunities for partners across Detroit to tell our collective story. A full day of programming took place at Michigan Central, where attendees experienced one of the country’s most ambitious redevelopment projects while hearing directly from the leaders behind its transformation. The conference concluded at Hudson’s Detroit, allowing guests to experience another iconic project reshaping the city’s skyline while learning firsthand about the vision, partnerships and investment that brought it to life. These remarkable venues are more than conference spaces. They are living examples of Detroit’s revitalization, giving attendees an authentic look at how collaboration across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors is driving the city’s continued momentum.
One of the conference highlights was DDP’s workshop exploring the power of public-private partnerships. Attendees experienced our award-winning parks and public spaces firsthand, learning how year-round programming, thoughtful design, and collaborative investment are creating vibrant, welcoming places that strengthen Downtown every day.
Throughout the week, one message resonated with attendees: Detroit’s momentum is real, and it is built together. Whether touring Downtown, exploring neighborhoods, or participating in conversations about the future of cities, visitors left inspired not only by Detroit’s transformation, but by how it happened. One of the biggest takeaways was that Detroit’s success is rooted in authentic collaboration. We didn’t create this momentum despite Detroit’s residents and stakeholders; we created it because we listened to them. Every major investment and public space reflects the voices and commitment of residents, small businesses, corporate partners, philanthropy, civic leaders, and the City of Detroit. Attendees repeatedly pointed to this model of shared ownership and partnership as one of Detroit’s greatest strengths and a blueprint for other cities to follow.
Hosting International Placemaking Week reinforced DDP’s role as a national and global leader in placemaking while providing an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the partnerships, innovation, and shared vision that continue to transform Detroit. It has been an extraordinary week for our city, our organization, and everyone who helped make it possible.
Check out the first day’s collab recap on the DDP’s Instagram , and CBS’ coverage of the kickoff at the Harmonie Club.
