This research addresses the domain of public art focused on participatory design and co-design, grounded on an integrated perspective of place perceived in its complexity – relating to human, geographical, economic, biophysical, political, historical, cultural and ecological dimensions that widely characterize local life experiences. It is rooted on the connection between labour activities and local natural resources locally revealed. Considering place the primary concept, and its construction around labour, the diverse aspects of place are seen primarily as being connected with labour in that physical place. Three projects developed in South and South-eastern regions of Portugal will be analyzed. In order to create an open model to involve local people to participate in the projects, a practice-based research was experimented using an emphatic approach anchored on models of listening and dialoguing. This
work begins with the three projects description, namely Paths of Salt, Artistic Interactions with Cacela Velha and Creative Practices around the Production of Cork. This is followed by the concepts of cultural and social dimensions of sustainability which are crucial for the sustainable community development. Finally, the three projects will
be examined through the emphatic approach of listening and dialoguing as strategies of improving knowledge and people’s quality of life in its relation with the environment
