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Equity and Inclusion

FRI-B07: Cultural Infrastructure: How Identity Grounds Public Space

Friday, September 18, 2026
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM PT
1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Identity moves through landscape, and landscapes perform. This session examines how public space sustains cultural identity through design, civic frameworks, public art, participation, and stewardship. It presents strategies for shaping civic environments that function as living cultural infrastructure supporting collective life and shared meaning over time.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Analyze how cultural identity informs the planning and design of public landscapes, shaping spatial organization, program, and long-term patterns of use.
  • Evaluate approaches for engaging communities and incorporating local knowledge to inform design decisions and produce more responsive, inclusive, and contextually grounded public spaces.
  • Describe how living landscape systems and cultural narratives can be integrated across scales to support environmental performance, cultural expression, and long-term stewardship.
  • Examine interdisciplinary collaboration among designers, artists, cultural practitioners, and communities to create public landscapes that support social life, cultural continuity, and shared ownership.