Placemaking mediating dilemmas by addressing the gaps in post-disaster recovery process: Long-term citizen-driven place-nurturing in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina

Disasters create spatial, temporal and social gaps as people are displaced into temporary or interim situations. During this time affected people often experience the dilemma of prolonged uncertainty about the future, as well as the loss of connections with other persons that had existed and been built through shared time and space. This research hypothesizes that the process of placemaking which involves strengthening social capital of local residents and project stakeholders, can address these gaps and help mediate the dilemma of a prolonged state of uncertainty after a disaster. Recognizing the importance of examining cases of recovery after a significant period of time has passed, as it provides a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the effectiveness of post-disaster actions, the authors focus on two cases of citizen-driven, post-disaster placemaking in New Orleans, LA, USA – Lafitte Greenway and Sankofa Wetland Park – in communities affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and investigates the roles and characteristics of placemaking over the extended recovery process. Based on semi-structured stakeholder interviews, this study generated a grounded theory of citizen-driven, post-disaster placemaking, and confirmed the importance of the concept of "place-nurturing” for more sustainable, long-term recovery.