Rethinking Sense of Place Interpretations in Declining Neighborhoods: The Case of Ami-dong Tombstone Cultural Village, Busan, South Korea

In recent years, urban regeneration strategic plans have been implemented across South Korea to curb the negative impacts of depopulation, physical deterioration and economic decline. By adopting a people-centered process, context-sensitive are formulated by integrating local people’s perceptions expectations. This paper examines in Ami-dong Tombstone Cultural Village, declining hillside village Busan, using “people–place–process framework place attachment” analyze process articulating “sense place” through community-driven approaches. Based on archival research, site investigations, secondary data semi-structured interviews, explores revival social capital, integration place-sensitivity improvement everyday landscapes affective, behavioral cognitive responses professionals community members involved project. Findings study show that attachment, sense participation can help re-creating meaningful places. Lessons from offer insights ways strengthen people–people people–place relationships design planning processes context with an aging population.