Living Spaces

INSIDE:� New frameworks for place management

� Making the best of unused spaces

� Staging events and entertainment

� Harnessing technology for new activities

� Character, identity and presentation

GUERRILLA LIGHTING

OUTDOOR SCREENING TRANSFORMING URBAN SPACES TEMPORARY PROJECTS INTERIM USES

NIGHTTIME ECONOMY

PLACE IDENTITY &WAYFINDING OUTDOOR EVENTS

NATURAL PLAY

ISSUE 1 | 2010

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In recognition of the sharedchallenge facing a range ofprofessionals, RUDI, the newly

formed Urban Intelligence Networkand the Institute of PlaceManagement (IPM) have put togetherthis publication with one key purpose:to remind ourselves that even thoughthings may currently be tougheconomically, our towns and citieshave a bigger role in society than justproviding us with a place to shop.A ‘living place’ exists to meet all sorts

of communal needs: a space forculture, heritage, physical exercise,social interconnectivity and links tonature, to name just a few.So, in this first edition of Living

Spaces, we have included articles thatboth explore the purpose of publicspace, and look at ways it can be‘activated’ for civic benefit withinvibrant and distinctive local urbanareas. Our content focuses uponmaking the most of existing placeassets, models for their effectivemanagement, and profiles ofinnovative ideas for bringing places tolife with originality and individuality.After all, the core belief we share is

that places are defined by theircharacter and activity – which in turngives their citizens pleasure and pridein ‘their’ place.Please get in touch ifyou would like to be involved infuture issues

� Cathy Parker,Development Director,Institute of PlaceManagement

� Peter Stonham,Chairman, RUDI andUrban IntelligenceNetwork

MAKINGPLACESTO BEPROUD OF

EDITORIALPeter Stonham, Editorial Director | E: [email protected] Parker, IPM, Guest Editor | E: [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORSJuliana O’Rourke | E: [email protected] Evans | E: [email protected]

PRODUCT MANAGERCarey Baker | T: 0845 270 7898 | E: [email protected]

PUBLISHERRUDI | ISBN: 978-1-899650-60-6

REGISTEREDOFFICEApollo House, 359 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QYRegistration Number: 768 3671 83 |T: 0845 270 7898

Individual copies: £7.50 | T: 0845 270 7898 | E: [email protected]

SPONSORSHIP ANDADVERTISINGMatthew Knight | T: 0845 270 7969 E: [email protected]

DESIGNAND PRODUCTIONNatalie Clarke | E: [email protected]

Why spaces must be living placesWhat constitutes the essence of place and how can the skillsof professionals combine to create and manage places thatengage and delight those who live,work in or visit them

Managing activities, harnessingopportunitiesThere is a range of interventions that can enhance andanimate urban spaces and places, look at the response ofurban areas to recent challenges and new initiatives that aimto re-energise them

Places in transitionJuliana O’Rourke looks at ways to address under used,neglected and transitory urban spaces and an initiative aimedat re-animating empty buildings

A positive investment in placeDerby’s Cathedral Green, a once underused green space ina run down urban landscape has been transformed into alively waterfront venue

The time for creativityIn times of recession, unlocking the involvement of artists andother creative people can help bring places to life and makemore of available resources

Giving places an identity checkA key element in achieving distinctiveness and engagementwith individual areas is to give them a clear sense of identityand to help in the interpretation and understanding of all ofthat is around

A space filled with possibilitiesMelbourne’s ‘Fed Square’ is the city’s meeting place at thecore of it’s cultural life offering everything from permanentexhibitions and outdoor screenings to informal places tomeet, eat and drink

Defining a new placeThe Liverpool One major new retail and commercial spacehas been designed to create a dynamic and flexibleenvironment that supports a lively range of activity

A model for making better places?Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) offer existing urbanareas the opportunity for better place management andeconomic vibrancy in the face of increased pressure fromnewer purpose built developments

Let there be light – in a new way!Making the best of the night-time environment for bothaesthetic and economic and social reasons is a challenge forthose seeking to improve urban areas

Natural play: adventures in landscapeA community adventure playground set within a historic parkis providing a space for spontaneous natural play in acontemporary, exciting and imaginative space in Plymouth

All the world’s a screen…Moving images have escaped from the cinema and the livingroom to become a regular feature in the public realm.What arethe issues of planning,management and programming behindthe screening of films and projections in street life

The sonic essence of placeThere is a great new opportunity provided by technology tobring urban spaces to life by sound, art and entertainment

More power to outdoor eventsAttracting people to use public and commercial privatespaces requires a sensitive approach to the supply ofnecessary power

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CONTENTS



The places where we were born,where we move to live, study,work or travel to visit, influence

us, define us and can change us. Thereis a huge literature, spanning sociology,anthropology, psychology andgeography underpinning theimportance of place. Indeed town andcity centres have been at the heart ofsocial, cultural, economic and civic lifefor over two millennia.But what is it about ‘place’ that has

such meaning? Whilst, in part, thebuildings, streets, squares and parkshave great significance, it is often asmuch about activity, events andinteractions that creates the‘specialness’ of somwhere.

The US-based Project for PublicSpaces has spent 30 years researchingthe characteristics of successful places.It sees these as being accessibility andlinkage. You can judge the accessibilityof a place by its connections to itssurroundings, both visual and physical.A successful place is easy to get to andget through. Also, comfort and imageare important. Whether a space iscomfortable and presents itself well iskey to its success. Comfort includesperceptions about safety, cleanliness,and the availability of places to sit.Uses and activities are also key.

Activities are the basic building blocksof a place. Having something to dogives people a reason to come to a

place – and to return. When there isnothing to do, a space will be emptyand that generally means thatsomething is wrong. Finally, the projectidentifies sociability. This is a difficultquality for a place to achieve, but onceattained it becomes an unmistakablefeature. When people see friends, meetand greet their neighbours, and feelcomfortable interacting with strangers,they tend to feel a stronger sense ofplace or attachment to theircommunity – and to the place thatfosters these types of social activities.Obviously, to make a ‘dysfunctional’

space into a successful place takes aconsiderable amount of effort.Nevertheless, the regeneration

Why spaces must be living placesOne of the most important defining features of mankind is the significance it givesto specific places. Places give us meaning; they remind us of our past, they anchorus in our present and can inspire different futures, says Professor Cathy Parker,Development Director, IPM

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programmes and other initiatives thathave strived to create successful placeshave often failed purely because theyhave focused upon improvements tothe physical infrastructure and realm(they are accessible and comfortable)but have ignored the activities andsociability elements. In addition, interms of town and city centredevelopment, the understanding of theuses of place is too focused upon thoserelated to economic gain. The privatesector has been embracedwholeheartedly in the redevelopmentof our towns and cities. My own city ofManchester has been transformed bylarge-scale physical regenerationprogrammes, pre-global financial crisis.But now, in times of credit crunch, ‘halfempty apartment blocks, abortedconstruction sites, the skeletal remainsof once exciting new projects – litterthe Mancunian landscape – concretememorials to the failure of marketsystems to secure the city’s immediatefuture’.The British Retail Consortium

reported last summer that one in everyeight shops is empty; mainstream TVshows document the problems manycentres have with anti-social behaviour,binge drinking and ‘the night-timeeconomy’ and the closure of many local

public services such as libraries anddoctor’s surgeries means that many ofour towns are not the institutions, at theheart of public life, that they once were.With the current lack of finance and

investment so severe that sees evenconstruction projects near completionbeing at best ‘put on hold’ and at worstabandoned, the answer to makingspaces living places lies in making themost of the existing physical assets of alocation and ‘energising’ or activatingplaces through smaller scale projectsand social interventions. This approachhas been embedded in the Departmentof Communities and Local Government‘Looking after our Town CentresScheme’.Unfortunately, despite our politicians

rallying round the institution that is theUK high street, there is very littlefunding or help on offer forcommunities to make much of a

difference. Even schemes that haveencouraged the use of empty shops forcommunity or cultural usage are oftenplagued by ‘red-tape’ issues and arechronically under-financed; even smallbudget initiatives need the rightamount of albeit not much money tobe successful.And so, turning to the content of this

publication, these themes are exploredin more detail. Some principles of goodplace making are discussed andshowcased, we have some practicalexamples of how towns and cities can‘do more with less’ and makeimprovements to the use of spaces andthe range of activities that can helpanimate them and improve theexperience of place, without necessarilyinvesting in major regeneration ordevelopment programmes. Its a timefor smart thinking and unlockinglatest potential. �

‘With the current lack offinance and investment sosevere that sees evenconstruction projectsnear completion being atbest ‘put on hold’ and atworst abandoned, theanswer to making spacesliving places lies in makingthe most of the existingphysical assets of alocation and ‘energising’or activating placesthrough smaller scaleprojects and socialinterventions’

WORKINGTOGETHER FOR BETTER PLACESIPM is the international professional body that supports people committed todeveloping, managing and making places better.There is enormous variation in what place managers do and the IPM recognise

the variety of subject disciplines that place management draws from and theimportance of cross-disciplinary working practices.This publication illustrates therange of activities that can happen in a place and the different disciplines that thoseworking to develop and manage them need to draw from, such as socialentrepreneurship; management; marketing; economic development; planning anddesign; and tourism and leisure.Linking the worlds of the practitioner, academic and policy maker – as well as

students – IPM is establishing an international network of people committed tomaking neighbourhoods, towns, cities, retail districts or any other places thebest they can possibly be.

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The animation and orchestrationof economic, social and culturalactivity in the public realm

requires special skills in bringingtogether stakeholders and agreeingprogrammes.Once upon a time high streets, public

squares and other parts of the publicenvironment seemed to almostmanage themselves. Traditional activityin a town centre – movement,exchange of goods and diversions, suchas street entertainment – justhappened. Then came a much more

structured regime of traffic andhighway management, purposedesigned shopping centres in the towncentre, followed by competitive brandnew environments created out of town.The response of the traditional high

street over the past few decades hasbeen hesitant and patchy. Some placeshave risen to the challenge andreinvented themselves, but others seemto have been caught in a spiral ofdecline leaving a confused, poor qualityand unattractive legacy.A number of those concerned with

the future well being of ourcommercial centres have beenaddressing this issue and seeking toidentify the framework that is mostlikely to deliver success.For instance the British Retail

Consortium (BRC) report ‘21st CenturyHigh Street’ published in 2009recognises that the high street plays acrucial role at the heart of thecommunity, but warns that they needto evolve as society changes. The

report illustrates the additional impactsthat the recession has had on highstreets and town centres across the UKand observes that in many places ithas merely accelerated a trend ofdecline that was already happening.Shopping habits have changed

significantly over the past 20 years andthe high street must now competeagainst an increasingly diverse rangeof shopping locations and channels.Modern lifestyles demand flexibilityand convenience and, as the BRCbelieve, our high streets will need tocontinue to change to meet consumerdemands and could become verydifferent places to those of two orthree decades ago.The BRC publication explores how the

re-birth of the high street can beachieved and sets out twenty keyrecommendations. They come under sixcore headings and start with ‘creating aunique sense of place’ and an ‘attractivepublic realm’ and also cover ‘planningfor success’, ‘accessibility’, ‘safety andsecurity’ and ‘supportive regulatory andfiscal regimes’.The Association of Town Centre

Management (ATCM), whose approachhas a broader agenda than simplyretailing and work with all thoseinterested in promoting the vitality andviability of town and city centres, offerthe following essential characteristicsas being at the heart of every towncentre:

� A retailing centre that serves theneeds of the local community;

� Leisure, entertainment and culturalfacilities;

� Public and private sector services;� An employment and business

sector;� Accessibility by a choice of

transport;

Managing activities, harnessing opportunitiesThere is a range of interventions that can enhance and animate urban spaces andplaces, from energizing commercial activity and encouraging new forms of retail topromoting specific events and themed activity in the quest to make placesdistinctive and engaging.Tom Evans and Peter Stonham look at the response ofurban centres to recent challenges

A modern high street faces a range of challenges and must adapt to cater for changing needs and potentially diverse andconflicting uses

The traditional high street seemed to buzz with activity andaccommodate a range of users with commoncharacteristics and purposes



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� The perception of the localcommunity as their town centre.The ATCM have introduced a range of

initiatives aimed at re-invigoratingtown and city centres and helpingthem to overcome the impact of therecession. A new toolkit aimed athelping high streets back onto the roadto recovery is being developed inpartnership with national bodies and anew "gold standard" that recognisesgreat entertainment and hospitalityareas at night has also been launched.Both of these initiatives are detailed inthe following pages.Meanwhile, the practice of ‘place

management’ has been taken toanother level since the establishmentof the Institute of Place Management(IPM). The new internationalprofessional body supports peoplecommitted to developing, managingand making places better and aims todevelop the profession of placemanagement. The IPM has establishedan international network of peoplecommitted to making places the bestthey can possibly be and links theworlds of the practitioner, academicand policy maker.

PHYSICAL DESIGN & PLACE USEPractices and professionals working todevelop urban environments recognisethe symbiosis between physical designand the way places are used. But it isonly recently that multi-disciplinaryworking practices and projects thatcreate better places for all users havebegun to be implemented andaccepted as good practice. Thingshappen when you redesign places andit’s essential that those who createplaces have in mind the way they areused after they are designed, so thatthe design facilitates rather thaninhibits activities.The pioneering redesign of

Kensington High Street in West Londonimproved the street’s image byremoving street clutter, guardrails andbollards and redressed the balancebetween vehicles and pedestrians tocreate a more accessible street andwelcoming environment. The scheme,which was made possible by theleadership and commitment of aforward thinking Councillor, DanielMoylan, has established itself as a

landmark urban design project and isoften cited as good practice. Thereconstruction of Central Manchesterfollowing the IRA bombing providesanother example of a developmentthat created a more accessibleenvironment for a variety of users.Here the introduction of an integratedtransport system and more pedestrian-friendly places, along with thepreservation of distinctive architecturaland historic urban fabric, contributedto the reinvigoration of the city.Meanwhile, an ambitious project to

redesign a busy traffic intersection andimprove pedestrian access has recentlybeen completed at London’s OxfordCircus, a public space at the heart ofthe capital. With the aim of improvingmovement, a team from Atkins, whomanaged the project, used 3Danimation and pedestrian modelling tosimulate crossing activity anddemonstrate the ways in which thespace would be used. The redesignremoves roadside barriers and allowspedestrians to cross the roaddiagonally, creating a less congested

and a more pleasant environment forshoppers and workers.The success of these projects shows

that creative thinking in the redesign ofplaces, along with a focus on users andmovement, can bring significantbenefits to the image and experienceof a place. Because of the very natureof these projects, many relied uponexpertise from a range of professionalsand adopted an inter-disciplinaryworking approach.A leading proponent of inter-

disciplinary working practices and thedesign of multi-functioning urbanstreets is John Dales of UrbanInitiatives. He chaired a significantconference on the concept of ‘sharedspace’ in December 2009, which wasorganised by Local Transport Today toexplore how streets should be sharedmore effectively between the varioususers of urban space. Writing on thesubject for the same publication hestates that “one of the main challengesfacing those responsible for the healthof streets today is dealing with thenegative legacy of the ‘always

The new redesign at Oxford Circus creates a less congested and a more pleasant environment



segregate’ philosophy that dominatedUK highway design for around fivedecades”. As those working to improveurban places will appreciate, Dales saysthat ‘streets are hugely complex andtheir design must take that intoaccount. There should be no ‘off thepeg’ solutions’. The ‘shared space’concept is just one approach to thedevelopment of our streets as urbanplaces; it has many critics, but is beingimplemented with some success in anumber of locations across the country.

RE-ENERGISING URBAN CENTRESThe recession has had many effects onour towns and cities, but none is moreevident than the number of emptyshops which have become anunwanted scar on the face of most UKhigh streets. Local authorities andcentral government have recognisedthe problem and initiatives such as theMeanwhile project, which is explored indetail on the following pages, havebeen developed to help re-animateempty and under-used buildings withtemporary projects and leases.As well as empty premises, there are

both underused outdoor spaces andother sites where demolition has takenplace, and due to the economicsituation, unproductive eyesores andmagnets for crime have appearedwhich could be put to much moreproductive use. Technologicaldevelopments and creative thinking areboth helping in this situation and meanthat you can now have a range ofevents and even introduce newenvironments to an urban centre.Interventions with both social activity,agriculture and lighting are alsobecoming increasingly well established,but frustration with regulations andbureaucracy about ownership andplanning considerations have promptedthe growth of both guerrilla gardening,and now guerrilla lighting.The ATCM have just begun working

with the Improvement and DevelopmentAgency and National Skills Academy forRetail to create a toolkit that helps highstreets onto the road to recovery. Thepartnership have asked for suggestions oftried and tested initiatives that arepractical enough for town centres to

implement relying only on the help oflocal partnerships. The most effective100 initiatives are being compiled into areport ‘tool-kit’ which will be madeavailable to all Town Centre Managers,Economic Development Officers,Regional Development Agencies,Chambers of Commerce, the retailindustry and policy makers and will befreely available on-line. The associationalso hopes the toolkit will ensure that thevoices of town centre managers, localgovernment, businesses and communitymembers are all heard nationally.

OVERCOMINGTHE CHALLENGEIt has been a challenge for traditionalurban areas to respond to the era ofnewly designed and controlledenvironments in out of town shoppingcentres and retail parks, but if they playto their advantages they may have the

last laugh by offering much morehuman scale, individual andadventurous environment. Buildingcharacter and identity from scratch isextremely difficult, and it’s hard tocreate the pattern of eclectic mix thatexists in our town and city centres.Places that aren’t over managed orpoliced and are less structured in naturemay well see an increase in interestfrom those people increasingly lookingfor less controlled environments and amore ‘authentic’ experience.There are numerous examples and

initiatives that those working toimprove our towns and cities can learnfrom and make use of, many of whichare detailed in this publication, butindividual responses appropriate for aparticular situation are the key if thechallenge of creating better placesrelevant for all users is to be realised. �

Skating comes to town: a temporary ice rink was set up in Hastings shopping centre for the Christmas and NewYear period



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THE MEANWHILE INITIATIVE

Something is happening on the highstreet. Empty shops are spreadingas the recession bites, spoiling town

centres and destroying social andeconomic value. Not willing to sit tightand let town centres remain blighted byempty properties until a commercial usereappears, forcing landlords to bear thecost of an unproductive asset andcausing pedestrians to put up withshuttered facades and lifeless street, theMeanwhile initiative is working to re-animate these spaces with temporaryprojects. Meanwhile spaces allow localpeople and community groups toexperiment with new projects andenterprises, relieve the burden forlandlords of an empty property andsupport surviving businesses on the highstreet by stimulating new footfall andusers in the town centre.The Meanwhile initiative, announced

in April 2009 as part of theGovernment’s Town Centres Policy, issupporting local authorities, owners oflocal properties, and local groups tobring empty town centre buildings intotemporary community use. Given thedynamics of downward spirals, themeanwhile approach has to be fast-moving, responsive, flexible, andfocused on action. This momentumquickly hits a range of obstacles in theform of leases, rates, insurance,planning, health & safety, and all kindsof compliance.These are systemic barriers: in many

cases ‘the system’ is not designed tofacilitate or even allow for ‘meanwhile’

use. The project is finding anddeveloping a range of creative ways tosmooth the path for Meanwhile spacesthrough model leases and agreements,simple rate relief information, a newMeanwhile insurance product, LocalDevelopment Orders, and specialMeanwhile surveys to assess buildingcondition and compliance.

THE MEANWHILE LEASEThe process of developing an enablingmodel document is not easy becauseMeanwhile really is something new anddifferent but, of course, must operatewithin English law. The finalised versionof the direct lease between owner andoccupier is available online fromwww.meanwhile.org.uk. An alternativeversion is also available, covering thesituation where an intermediary (acouncil, a charity or Meanwhile SpaceCIC) takes on the lease and provides asub-lease to the occupier. From January2010, the Government aims to supportthe use of ‘meanwhile’ leases forlandowners and voluntary groupswishing to set up temporary allotmentson land awaiting development.Several places have taken the initiative

themselves and got on with innovatingand experimenting. The Meanwhileteam made a deliberate choice to workwith areas where people were alreadymaking things happen on the ground, orat least look like they wanted to. Quirk

(2007) identified three key ingredientsfor successful asset transfer – politicalwill, imaginative officers andcommunity business sense. ForMeanwhile spaces to work, co-operativelandlords are also needed.The Meanwhile plan outlines what has

been achieved in the initial phase anddescribes the plans to consolidate androll out the project over the next 10months. The outcome will be that overthe winter and into next spring andsummer, Meanwhile will support morevibrant town centres, supported by awell-connected, ever-expanding, crosssectoral network dedicated to keepingthe timber boarding at bay, proactivelyarresting decline and seeking newfutures for town centres.It is planned that the Meanwhile

approach will also move beyond towncentres to include deprived estates(especially those identified byConnecting Communities). TheMeanwhile Space CIC will be developedas a sustainable delivery organisationthat will take on a long-term role inpromoting meanwhile use; advisinglocal authorities, owners and occupiers;developing the knowledge base andbuilding networks; taking the risk onintermediate leases; and supportingstrategic empty space management.

� More information:www.meanwhile.org.uk

Places in transitionJuliana O’Rourke looks at ways to address under used, neglected and transitoryurban spaces and an initiative aimed at re-animating empty buildings



LAND IN LIMBO

Across our cities lies a landresource, derelict and neglected,frozen between long-term uses:

dubbed ‘land in limbo’ by a recentreport from Commission forArchitecture and the Built Environment(CABE). According to the National LandUse Database, says CABE, brownfieldland in England stood at some 62,000hectares in 2006, with just over half ofthat classed as derelict or vacant – theequivalent of 60,000 football pitches.These mothballed sites could, at

relatively low cost, be converted toamenity spaces which contribute totheir immediate environment withcosts offset against the insurances toshore up buildings or hoardings andsecurity. Temporary uses for such sitesare no doubt always considered, (shortterm leases, parking, storage, studios,etc) but they do not necessarilycontribute to upping the game inplace-making.The principle of the interim

landscape is not new. Sixteen yearsago, landscape architects WhitelawTurkington created a wildflowermeadow and informal kickabout space

on the banks of the Grand Union Canalfor Tower Hamlets HAT, for the sameoutlay as it would have taken to hoardand secure the site, ensuring that thesite was well-used until redevelopment.Chris Baines, an academic and CABE

Space enabler, is an expert on interimuses of temporarily vacant urban openspace. Speaking at a RUDI event inMarch 2009, he suggested that there is‘finally recognition of the importanceof “land in limbo”, and how it could beused for civic benefit.’There are many examples across

Europe and beyond of vacant orunderused land and buildings beingused to support community culturalcentres, city farms and urbanagriculture initiatives: grazing animalshave been introduced into underusedland in Sheffield, for example.However, says Baines, too fewexamples of this kind of scheme existin the UK. Barriers to developing suchsites, such as fixed mindsets and fearof risk, need to be overcome, he adds.Temporary uses such as markets andfestivals can be as popular as short-term proposals, and also serve toenhance communities socially andenvironmentally.CABE’s Peter Neal agrees. ‘Not all

public spaces have to be there forever,’he says, ‘but we should seek to make

them as attractive and interesting aspossible.’ Several schemes areresponding and encouraging functionaluses for undeveloped land and land inlimbo, such as sustainable urbandrainage and the production of nurserystock that could be used for plantingthe permanent landscapes ofsurrounding developments.‘Once you recognise that land in

limbo is a resource, an asset ratherthan a liability, then it’s inexcusable tosimply be in denial about it and donothing about it,’ says Baines. ‘Thetruth is that most local authorities arein denial about what happens in thislandscape. They are culpable if theydon’t take it seriously.’Fears that these interim ‘spaces in

waiting’ become so valuable anamenity that communities wish toblock future development need to beaddressed from the outset withcovenants or legal agreements.Forward-thinking developers stand togain from creating such developing andinterim landscapes – many of whichcould last for 10-15 years…the lifetimeof a child, stresses CABE. Says Baines:‘The temporariness of this landscape isits strength. It allows you to be braveand innovative because you know it isnot going to be a permanent physicalwhite elephant or legacy.’ �

At Peninsula Square in North Greenwich, the 5m highgreen wall is a temporary device which can be dismantledand reused but, in the interim, creates an edge to thesquare, a habitat for wildlife and contributes to theamelioration of the microclimate, not to mention screeningan unsightly car park

Policy makers are beginning to look differently atsustainable land use.At Hannover Kronsberg urbanextension, Germany, land is given over to sustainablelandscaping and drainage initiatives

In March 2006, an initiative began to open abandoned factories in Ljubliana, Slovenia, for temporary use. One example is theRog bike factory, owned by the City of Ljubljana, which had been left to decay for 15 years.The current mayor is a supporterof the new uses, including art workshops, an adjacent hostel, cafes and clubs, and has visited the sites several times, say thecurrent residents. Plans to develop the site have been stalled for many years, and it currently provides a popular andwelcome inexpensive workspace and cultural outlet for many of the city’s young people



In August 2007, the BBC announced:‘It’s another big day in Derby’sdevelopment as work starts on the

£3.8m Cathedral Green, creating amodern new footbridge as well asseating and space for outside events.’Two years later, Derby is proud to seethe swing bridge nominated for thePrime Minister’s award for BetterPublic Building.Derby City Council and its partners

understand the importance of greenlungs within dense urban areas, and thekey role that green spaces play increating sustainable communities.Cathedral Green was identified in theDerby Cityscape Masterplan and PublicRealm Strategy as a major open spacewithin Derby city centre.The masterplan recommends

residential-led development on the sitessurrounding the green, with someactive commercial use on the groundlevel. The open space is seen as a driverfor the delivery of approximately 920new residential dwellings on ten siteswithin 450 metres of the CathedralGreen. The enhancement of thisvaluable green open space wasconceived as part of the sustainableregeneration of the city centre.Wilson Bowden, one of the most

active property development companiesin the region, has prepared plans forwhat will be one of the city’s highestprofile residential-led mixed-useschemes immediately adjoiningCathedral Green. They are currentlyrevisiting plans to meet demandsimposed by the economic climate.

The concept for the design is drawnfrom the local textiles industry forwhich Derby is world renowned, anindustry that in turn owes its success tothe fast-flowing waters of the RiverDerwent. The basic bridge form isderived from a tailor’s shears orscissors, in particular the action of thehinged blades as they open and close.When in its closed position, in times

of high flow or floodwater, the bridge isin use along a north-south axis – theRiverside walk running alongside theMill and southwards toward ExeterBridge. The bridge serves as both apedestrian link and a cycleway, but hasalso been designed as a place to meetand greet: a destination in its own right.The introduction of seating within the

body of the bridge encourages peopleto linger and take in views of theCathedral, Silk Mill, the river and thesurrounding areas.Emphasising that good design and

public space management adds value inreal terms, the local authority hasrecorded the total number of visitors tothe Silk Mill Museum as increasing bymore than 50 per cent, from 13,780between April and August 2008 to21,223 in the same period of 2009,since the new space opened. Thissignificant result underlines the role thatwell designed public space can play inenhancing the setting of major publicbuildings. It also proves that investing inquality public place brings increasedfootfall leading to positive financialreturns, as well as raising awareness ofimportant local heritage.

A positive investment in placeDerby’s Cathedral Green, a once underused green space in a rundownurban landscape, has been transformed into a lively waterfront venue.It’s also been a key for inward investment, says Pranali Parikh

The bridge brings people from diverse backgrounds to theriver and has made the riverside habitat more accessible.Once sandwiched between a busy traffic street and a non-accessible river, the Cathedral Green urban space hastransformed the waterfront



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The Bridge design came aboutthrough an open design competition.Three innovative entries wereconsidered by a joint team of DerbyCity Council and Derby Cityscapeofficers with representatives from Opun(Regional design review panel,Regeneration East Midlands). A teamled by Rambolls was selected to executetheir final design.

CREATINGA DISTINCTIVE PLACEIt is not only the sun that brings out thebest in this popular new place. The rainemphasises the subtleties of the design:the lost arm of the river that extendedround the Silk Mill island isreinterpreted in an artwork by NayanKulkarni. A collaboration between artistand designers, the artwork is aninterpretation into landscape of the MillRace, a waterway that once ran throughthe site and powered the Silk Mill.The themes of water, movement, light

and energy are explored within aground surface marked by dark greygranite, interspersed with sparklingpofyrey stones. This element provides acontrast in colour and texture to thesurrounding york stone andincorporates lighting and a mosaic ofpaving features. Not only does itshimmer with water, the undergroundlights accentuate the ripple effect ofwater cast in stone. After dark, thespecial effect of underground lightingadds a distinctive touch that addsgreatly to visitors’ experience of place.Cathedral Green provides a focal

point, a viewing platform and a meeting

place from which to appreciate thethree gems of Derby – Derby Cathedral,the River Derwent and the Silk Mill.Evoking the rich textiles heritage of thearea, the bridge and Cathedral Greentogether enhance the setting of the SilkMill – part of the UNESCO DerwentValley Mills World Heritage Site.The bridge is used all day by a wide

range of the public, from young peopleon skateboards to elderly couplesresting on benches. The success ofCathedral Green as a place for peoplelies in the welcome that the public ofDerby have shown it, quickly adoptingthe new space and making it their own.Being a key public place and a majorarea of city centre green space, it hasattracted a high profile, and theconsistent flow of people throughoutthe day has increased naturalsurveillance in the area, with positiveeffects for reducing vandalism and anti-social behaviour.The new green has highlighted one of

Derby’s previously forgotten assets, theRiver Derwent that flows through theheart of the city centre. Be it thebirdwatchers viewing peregrine falconsnesting on the Cathedral tower, childrenchasing ducklings on the riverbanks, orthe elderly feeding the fish in the river,the bridge brings people from diversebackgrounds to the river and has madethe riverside more accessible. It is anoasis of green in the city, an urbanopen space that caters to all.

� Pranali Parikh is the urban designmanager with Derby Cityscape

Cathedral Green provides a focal point, a viewing platformand a meeting place from which to appreciate the threegems of Derby – Derby Cathedral, the River Derwent andthe Silk Mill.The bridge design reflects Derby’s history ofbeing at the forefront of industry and radical engineering. Itsdynamic movement creates a spectacle when in operation.The total project cost of £4.2 million was financed by £3.8million from Growth Point funding, £100,000 from Derbyand Derbyshire Economic Partnership (DDEP) and the restfrom Derby City Council

An artwork by Nayan Kulkarni, a collaboration betweenartist and designers, incorporates lighting and a mosaic ofpaving features. Underground lights accentuate the rippleeffect of water cast in stone. After dark, the special effectof underground lighting adds a distinctive touch that addsgreatly to visitors’ experience of place

‘The bridge serves asboth a pedestrian link anda cycleway, but has beendesigned as a place to meetand greet: a destination inits own right’



Traditionally, when the going getstough – creativity gets dumped!Whenever expenditure gets tight,

quality of design and materials, alongwith landscaping and public art, havefrequently been lost as costly extras.But it’s actually a time to plan, stepback and re-think how we embedcultural involvement and apply ‘totalplace’ thinking within development.Such thinking needs to embrace

public space, the environment andsustainability issues. It must also ensurethat places and spaces are welcoming,encouraging users to interact andengage with each other and theirenvironment. Hard times encourageus, through necessity, to eschewpressure to seek new and shiny goodsand experiences, and to step off thenever-ending retail treadmill and tore-connect with home-made, local andnon-retail pleasures. People seekmeaning: we cease being just customersand remember we are also citizens.Contemporary craft and innovativecommunity engagement projects arewell placed to celebrate this innovativethinking, and should be a key elementof the place makers’ skillset.A new emphasis on the importance

of sustaining cultural activity andworking creatively to keep communitiestogether has re-emerged in the USthrough Obama’s presidency. OurGovernment is also attempting to flagup the importance of retaining quality(although regrettably a correlation withbudgets is not yet noticeable).Awareness of the importance of

retaining creativity in difficult times iswidespread. Over the past twelvemonths my organisation has been indialogue with projects in Russia,South Africa, Canada and Japan,looking at ways in which artists can beinvolved in regeneration projects andchanging environments.

EMBRACINGCREATIVITYIn Swindon, a timely project is takingshape, with the local authority leadingon several initiatives to fill the gap leftby big development slowing down.The creativity intrinsic to, and in somecases leading, these projects has comeabout partly because artist NatalieWoolf and public art consultant DianaHatton have been welcomed by theteam leading regeneration in the area.Plans for the re-design and re-

furbishment of Swindon’s centralnetwork of streets will includeinnovative and technically challengingpavement design by Natalie Woolf. Theoriginal design was for pavers that were

The time for creativityIn times of recession when life goes on hold, it’s actually a time to plan, step backand re-think how we embed cultural involvement in place and apply ‘total place’thinking, says Maggie Bolt

“Every £1 of public money invested in the arts levers in a further£2 from elsewhere, creates jobs and contributes significantly tothe fastest growing sector of our national economy … culture isimportant for any government which places quality of life for itscitizens at the heart of its agenda”Arts Council England Chief Executive Alan Davey

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

Corporate memories are short at the best of times so it is always important torefer to best practice, other projects and case studies and learn from past‘mistakes’.We must study different practices and frameworks in order to be able tomake the case for retaining mixed creative teams which involve artists.The website www.publicartonline.org.uk is a unique resource, with a huge range

of case studies, strategies and policies, practical advice and information on currentpractice and practitioners. It is important to have the right skillset prevalent in anydelivery team, and there are many experienced public art consultants who canbring ideas, artists and funding strategies to bear on projects, often workingjointly with lead artists.



15

responsive to weather, but theemphasis is now on lighting elements.The stone cutting in the pavers willstore water and represent the difficultyof urban water drainage. The lightingelement has been linked to a weatherstation so that patterns of changingcolour speed and frequency andmovement across the site arerepresentative of the nature thathas been lost.A general debate is also underway as

to the best use of derelict ‘developmentland’. One proposal is for a series ofshort-life projects (up to five years)which will, via communityengagement, ensure creative solutionsare embedded within the design andresulting usage of the space).Folkstone has also been bucking the

trend by placing its faith in a major arts-led programme managed by the Artsand Regeneration Charity ‘CreativeFoundation’. Like many seaside townsaround the country, Folkestone hasbeen in decline since the middle of the20th century. The Foundation wantedan innovative answer to this byensuring that urban regeneration didnot only focus on economicdevelopment, but also on creating a

place where people wanted to live andwork. For Folkestone, culturalregeneration is a driver for change.The much admired Folkestone

Triennial forms a major component ofthis strategy. Other elements of theregeneration programme include amasterplan for the redevelopment ofthe harbour and seafront, a new £38mcity academy specialising in the arts, auniversity campus with a focus on artscourses, plus a new performing artscentre and a Creative Quarter withmore than 100 artists established in agrowing number of refurbished studio,living and retail spaces.In Londonderry, urban regeneration

company Ilex has placed arts andculture at the centre of its regenerationplans by supporting the Foyle Public ArtProject. The selected proposal by VongPhoaphanit and Claire Obussier,entitled ‘Mute Meadow’, touches on theissues of identity, history and theriverscape on which the city stands.This focus on art connects

Londonderry to the European citieswith rich heritages that have alsodeveloped public art projects as a wayof negotiating the future. The project ispart of a process of regeneration and

re-thinking the city’s identity througharts initiatives, and is viewed as a majorcontribution to the total process. TheArts Minister acknowledges that thework will place arts and culture at thecentre of Londonderry’s regeneration,encouraging tourism and investment.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONSThe range and diversity of publicart practice in the UK over the past10-15 years has built up a body ofunderstanding that the arts are not onlyan essential part of everyday life, butalso provide stimuli and contexts for allour activities. It is also now clear thatthey can be central to economicrecovery as well.But this can’t happen in a vacuum.

As with everything, good planning,research and bringing on board theright expertise helps ensure a successfuloutcome. Remember: it is even moreimportant in times of recession to notjust meet expectations, but to exceedthem. It is only by ensuring thatcreativity imbues the regenerationprocess that this can be achieved.

� Maggie Bolt is the Directorof Public Art South West

ABOVE:Artist NatalieWoolf’s impressions of pavementdesign in Swindon, with an emphasis on lighting elements.The stone cutting in the pavers will store water andrepresent the difficulty of water drainage in an urban setting

TOP RIGHT: Cultural regeneration a driver for change inFolkestone. Elements of the regeneration programme includea masterplan for the redevelopment of harbour and seafront

RIGHT: Foyle Public Art Project’s selected proposal, byVongPhoaphanit and Claire Obussier, is entitled ‘Mute Meadow’and touches on issues of identity, history and riverscape



As areas of our towns and citiesbecome increasingly similar,with chain shops and identikit

architecture prominent on many urbanstreets, there is growing recognitionthat places which retain character andlocal identity are developing acompetitive advantage. They score interms of visitor economy success, andas desirable places to live, work andspend leisure time in. This has led tothe emergence of new disciplines

around defining and managing theidentity of place, and new thinkingabout initiatives to improve the appealof urban areas.Forward-thinking local authorities and

others involved in the positivedevelopment of urban places haveadopted strategies and initiated projectsto limit the negative effects of culturalglobalisation, and increase a sense ofindividuality and distinctiveness. Projectshave ranged from the refurbishment ofheritage buildings and reworking ofurban areas to make the most of uniquearchitectural features, to the introductionof distinctive street signs, support of

events or festivals that celebrate localcharacter, and the development ofmarketing initiatives that highlightunique assets and local identity.An inventive townscapes

regeneration project in BurscoughBridge, a large village in Lancashirewhich had lost its sense of identityover the decades, transformed the areaand led to a renewed sense ofconfidence amongst residents as wellas brining benefits to local retailers.

The project, involved the residentcommunity and used local myths andtraditions to create a series of uniquepublic realm improvements and renewthe area’s identity.Andy Thompson of BCA Landscape,

who led the project in partnership withdesigners Smiling Wolf, believes that ‘acollective notion of identity is anotoriously complex idea to pin down’and that ‘ultimately it’s the smallthings that have meaning, woventogether from a greater picture, ratherthan grand sweeping sloganeering orimaginary visions’.The key challenge of creating a

unique sense of place was the themeof the first national Place Identityconference which took place inManchester on 2nd October 2009,organised by RUDI in partnership withthe IPM. It was the first event to bringtogether urban designers, placemanagers and marketeers, economicdevelopment officers and tourismprofessionals to debate the importanceof character and identity for urbanareas. The conference aims to be anannual event which will widen thedebate and encourage knowledgesharing around this subject area.Highlights of the inaugural event canbe found in the box opposite.Improvements to the character of an

area and initiatives that aim to enhancelocal identity need to be communicatedeffectively as part of an overallmarketing strategy if their full benefitsare to be felt and a return on investmentrealised. Place marketing is nowcommonly used by towns and cities as astrategic approach to the promotion oftheir area in the competition for visitors,investors, residents and businesses.Indeed, the approach has beendeveloped in many places from a focuson short and medium term promotions,with the primary objective of attractingpeople and finance, to a more long-termprocess that also aims to invigorateplaces and introduce a sense of prideand belief amongst those who live there.Local bodies that adopt a strategic

approach to the positive promotion oftheir area, involving local communitiesand other stakeholders, can clearlydifferentiate their area from others andcommunicate effectively what makesthem special. While many large townsand cities have their own dedicatedteam of people responsible for placemarketing, a growing number of localauthorities are bringing in externalconsultants to provide fresh ideasabout enhancing the image,

Giving places an identity checkA key element in achieving distinctiveness and citizen engagement with individualareas is to give them a clear sense of identity, and to help in the interpretation andunderstanding of all of that is around.Tom Evans explores the identity of places



performance and profile of a place.As well as place marketing, towns

and cities looking to enhance theidentity of an area and improve theurban experience are increasinglyfavouring the use of wayfinding. Theapproach uses a set of design elementsthat aid users in the navigation of thebuilt environment, but can also assistin developing the image of an area.A number of companies have

emerged in recent years to offerservices that help users gain a betterunderstanding of a town or city. Suchcompanies are becoming instrumentalin defining and reinforcing identity forplaces and many take a multi-disciplinary approach that combinesthe disciplines of urban design,environmental psychology, marketingand information design.The Sign Design Society, which was

set up in 1991 to promote excellencein signing and wayfinding, is theprofessional body for many involved inthis particular area. The membershipof the society is broad and includesthose interested in the process offinding effective solutions to thechallenges faced by ever morecomplex environments.

Town and city centres are faced withincreased competition from a range ofdestinations. A competitiveenvironment that makes it ever moreimportant for places to clearly

differentiate themselves and enhancewhat makes them unique if they are tosucceed in inspiring residents andconveying a positive image to potentialvisitors and investors. �

17

EXPLORINGTHE BENEFITS OF PLACE IDENTITYAND LOCAL CHARACTERA specialist range of speakers joined delegates from across the UK in October2009 to debate ways of utilizing and preserving local identity for economic successand community cohesion.DrTom Mordue,Assistant Dean of theTeesside Business School, and a member of

One NorthEast’sTourismAdvisory Board, set the tone for the day and opened up awide-ranging discussion with a paper that explored the relationship between tourismdevelopment, urban governance and urban public space.He posed a series ofquestions about the management and development of the visitor economy in a localarea and examined ways of balancing the need of the visitor with that of localresidents. Investing in a quality public realm was a theme that ran throughout theconference and was tackled early on byAndyTordoff,Assistant Director ofEnvironment at Regional DevelopmentAgencyYorkshire Forward.He demonstratedthe difference a quality public realm can make through a series of examples andhighlighted the need for greater research to be carried out with regards to a returnon investment.The conference uncovered the extent to which place marketing is nowseen as an essential tool for any town or city wishing to attract new investment andvisitors.Changing perceptions of a place can bring significant benefits, but as bothCathy Parker,Director of IPM and JohnTill ofThinking Place pointed out, this must bedone well and with the involvement of the local community if it is to succeed over thelong term.For further information about this annual conference visit www.rudi.net or

contact Tom Evans at [email protected]

OPPOSITE: Local myths and traditions of Burscough Bridgeare used as part of a townscape initiative to enhanceidentity

BELOW:A wayfinding scheme by Placemarque enhanceslegibility and identity in the City of London

‘Forward thinking localauthorities and othersinvolved in the positivedevelopment of urbanplaces have adoptedstrategies and initiatedprojects to limit thenegative effects of culturalglobalisation and increasea sense of individualityand distinctiveness’



Federation Square is Melbourne’smost significant public place: morethan five hectares of cascading

civic and commercial spacescomprising the major civic square,external performance spaces, a largeatrium space, a 400-seat performancespace and 40 tenancies and operationsincluding national museums, galleries,riverside areas, garden areas, cafés, barsand car parking.More than 50 million people have

visited since its opening, and ‘FedSquare’ is now the city meeting place,its ‘live site’ for outdoor broadcasts, andthe home multicultural events andfestivals, rallies, promotions andcommunity events and musicperformances. Currently, more than1,800 events occur in the public spaceseach year, most of which are free.In 2007, a formal economic impact

study was conducted, demonstratinginterstate and international visitorexpenditures generated in the state by

Federation Square annually at $51.3million in 2005-06 prices. Thistranslates into an annual $88 million inVictorian gross State product at marketprices, and 756 full-time equivalentemployment positions across the state.These results justify the initial $450million investment by the VictorianGovernment and the City of Melbourne,with support from Federal Government,in creating an ongoing, positivecontribution to the State of Victoria.

PUBLIC DEBATE AND DIVERSITYWell before building started in 1998,Federation Square was alive in theminds of Melbournians. Public debateabout the site on the corner of Flindersand Swanston Streets had raged formore than 80 years and, whenconstruction was completed in October2002, the design by London’s LabArchitecture studio continued topolarise opinion. The managementchallenge at Federation Square in the

early days was to pursue its broad aimsof engagement, while individuals, themedia and a range of stakeholderscriticised the physical form. Fed SquarePty Ltd’s (Federation Square’smanagement company) engagedhundreds of diverse communities,forged relationships with sporting andarts organisations, and set uppartnerships with major events,reaching out to and reflecting thesentiment of the community.Four years later, Chris Johnston of The

Age, Melbourne’s daily broadsheetnewspaper, declared: ‘…it’s now clearthat this grand, unusual plaza is thepost-modern village green andamphitheatre it was meant to be.’Where the original management team

had little time to envisage the future,Fed Square Pty Ltd is now focused onevolution. Fed Square Pty Ltd, acompany wholly-owned by StateTrustees Limited as custodian Trusteeon behalf of the State of Victoria, sees

A space filled with possibilitiesMelbourne’s ‘Fed Square’ is the city meeting place and a creative partner in itscommunity and cultural life. It offers something for everyone – exhibitions, screensplaces to meet, eat and drink and activities that touch mind and soul

AustraliaDay

–John

Gollings



19

itself in the business of communitybuilding. Notwithstanding its entirelycommercial structure, its core objectivesare to achieve an international position,and to offer leading edge activities anda great visitor experience. Its businessplan focuses on long-term sustainabilityfor both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ infrastructure,management for inclusion, communityownership, creative engagement andleading-edge development.

THE MOVETO MEGA CITIESThe world-wide trend is for larger cities,indeed for ‘mega-cities’ where urbandensity will continue to increase, as willdemands on infrastructure, services andthe frameworks for social cohesion. Thedrivers and demands of economies arerapidly evolving. Existing cities,industrial in their genesis, now organisethemselves around knowledge,experience, services, innovation andalternative economies. The internationallanguage of reborn cities has beeninformed by Richard Florida, Jan Gehl,Charles Landry and others.Their argument is for economic and

social viability through a human focus,responding to and reflecting the social,economic, ethical and emotionaldynamic and spirit of a community.New urban environments and ‘creative’cities are not to be shaped by the jargonof planning or the historical patterns ofarchitecture, but rather by newquestions: Does it involve you? Makeyou want to participate? Does it helpyou be curious, imaginative, creative,innovative and inventive?Environmental sustainability

challenges have galvanised this workfurther. William McDonaugh, in hisgroundbreaking Cradle to Cradle, arguesfor the design of a new system ofinfrastructure and products which, aftertheir useful lives, ‘create somethingnew’: for example, buildings thatproduce more energy than theyconsume, waste which can becomenutrient, buildings that can be gardens.Cities with increased building density,smaller living and working occupancy,services accessibility and goodconnectivity can be sustainable. But tobe liveable, a city needs to optimise ourexperience of well-being.Taken together, these ideas have in

common the goals and benefits of

creating cities that are worth living inrather than accepting a future of glassand steel with pockets of social andeconomic dysfunction. It is a challengethat developing cities must be ready for.Melbourne, as a prospective mega-

city, has embraced such ideas. The roleof design and management regardingpublic places is key. Federation Squareitself, both by design and surprise, isMelbourne’s bridge from old city to newcity. The basic mix of design, public andprivate use, managed in the context ofits originating Civic and Cultural Charter,has become a contemporary andtechnically savvy meeting point for thecity’s experience economy, socialdiversity, creative brand and energy andthe power of public expression.In terms of accessibility, challenges

related to disability access and

wayfinding have occupied considerableresources. Access initiatives and a newuser-oriented signage system are in theprocess of completion. ‘Fed Square’ as acentral touch point for visitors andlocals alike has been confirmed in a‘minutes and metres to Fed Square’map developed with stakeholders. Asimilar process has occurred with a bikemap to and from the Square, andrelated services for cyclists have beenupgraded. A memorandum ofunderstanding with the state’s publictransport marketers and providers hasresulted in better integration of accessand transport information, on site, intransport and on websites.A zonal approach has been applied to

marketing, assisting users to betterunderstand and navigate the variety oflocations and experiences on site. Therecent relocation of tour buses to theprecinct has reinforced the site as astarting point for visitors.

ACTIVITY INITIATIVESA range of initiatives has beenimplemeted to increase the sense ofwelcome and invitation on site. Thisranges from a site-wide customerservice excellence programme toaddressing shortcomings in shade andseating through the establishment of atemporary ‘comfort zone’ activity.Flexible shade and seating are madeavailable each day in a variety of

‘In 2007 a formaleconomic impact studywas conducted,demonstrating interstateand international visitorexpenditures generated inthe state by FederationSquare annually at $51.3million in 2005-06 prices’

The

LightinW

inter–MarcelA

ucar



locations, depending on weather andactivity. The website has beenupgraded to better guide users, and toexcite them about possibilities.Contemporary technology(Bluetooth/SMS TV/SMS messagesoard) reach out to visitors in a varietyof ways.Part of establishing a sustainable

creative agenda at Federation Square issimply drawing the focus back topeople, rather than buildings orinstitutions, as creative leaders in aspace. This involves encouragingpeople to think, plan and actimaginatively, whether they are visitors,staff or collaborators, and themanagement team approaches thischallenge with three distinct tactics.The first is re-conceiving of

Federation Square as a stage – beingflexible with the buildings and spacesphysically and seasonally. The annualAdvent Calendar project, initiated in2006, involves draping the face of theEast Shard in a giant canvas withwindows opened each night overChristmas, accompanied by outdoorperformances. Using the East Shardfaçade was a significant intervention

into site usage, with rigging pointsinstalled and altering the way the siteis seen in order to facilitate creativeuse. Fed Square Pty Ltd seesopportunities to work with artists as akey part of this process.The second and third tactics are

inextricable; encouraging people in –inviting them to be inspired by thespace and to see it as flexible – andbacking this up with a willingness tomeet logistical challenges.The Light in Winter is a major new

project that seeks to combine theseprinciples – challenging seasonality,inviting external creative input as wellas re-conceiving how the physical spaceworks. In 2006, Federation Squareinvited Robyn Archer, former directorof the Melbourne International ArtsFestival, to develop a new annual event.Archer proposed a festival of light,drawing in artists and communitygroups in to create an evolvinginstallation each winter, as the size ofFederation Square is ideal for large-scale illuminations and lightcommissions. The small scale ‘occupy’(art in unsual spaces) programme isdesigned on the same principles, and

works with the element of surprise.Engagement in community and

culture is core business for Fed Squareand attention has been given tointegrating programming streams thathave burgeoned as the Square hasmatured, with a view to creatingcohesive experiences. These streamsinclude education, broad-rangingevents, creative, sporting, multi-mediastrategies and extensive work withmulticultural communities.Increasingly, programming is seen as apart of place-making. Ultimately, FedSquare is a place for people.In addition, many actions are

oriented to making sure the precinct issafe and clean, and that visitorsatisfaction is measured and actedupon. Deals have been done to providefree WiFi, a programme of guides andambassadors is in place, new initiativeslike Late Openings have beendeveloped with stakeholders.Inappropriate seating is being replacedand more public toilets are planned –all designed to create and re-inforce thesense that the precinct works forpeople: truly the community’s meetingplace at the heart of the city. �

Education and creative events are a focus for Fed Sq management

AustraliaDay

–DavidSimmon

ds



The major Liverpool One project,initiated by Liverpool CityCouncil in 1999, was completed

by developer Grosvenor in 2008. Interms of creating much more than ashopping centre, driving growth andboosting economic viability, LiverpoolOne has fulfilled client expectations.By the late 1990s, following decades

of decline, Liverpool stood a lowly 17thin the national retail rankings, a hugedecline for a city boasting a vibrant citycentre until the 1960s. Fewer visitorsled to a dropping off of commercial,cultural and leisure activity. Followingresearch, Liverpool City Councilprepared a development brief toprovide almost 100,000sqm of primeretail space, required to combatcompetition from out of town shoppingcentres such as Cheshire Oaks and theTrafford Centre, and regional centressuch as Chester and Manchester.Based on a masterplan design by

BDP, Grosvenor won the developmentcompetition to become the City’spartner in 2000. The ambition, agreedby all, was to respect Liverpool’s urbancharacter and create an environmentof open streets, individual buildingsand places of special character. Theinvestment opportunity wasdependent upon the retail content ofthe project, but Liverpool One is not a‘shopping centre’. It rebuilds the fabricof the city centre; a commitment tothe idea that our cities are the socialand commercial heart of society.Liverpool One achieves its objectives

by creating a cityscape of individualbuildings integrated into a new publicrealm. The routes and spaces of thispublic realm weave all the uses of thedevelopment into the grain of theexisting adjacent urban quarters, andencourage movement between andthrough the new and existing districts.The nature and quality of the public

realm, which ties the new and oldtogether, is critical to the perception ofthe new development and the

effectiveness with which it integrateswith the surrounding cityscape.The BDP masterplan is founded upon

key principles, rigorously applied, eachof which contributes to the idea of thecity as a totally permeable network ofinterconnected places. Liverpool One ismade up of more than 30 buildings,each with their own identity, just likethe surrounding historic city. Thedifferent massing and footprint of eachbuilding responds to their immediatecontext and integrates them into theexisting urban fabric. The scale ofbuildings, and the streets they define,increases across the development fromthe intimate three-storey setting ofBluecoat Chambers to the grand civicscale of Liverpool’s waterfront.

A CONNECTIVE PUBLIC REALMMost of the routes within Liverpool Oneclearly follow the historic pattern of theurban grain and blend into thesurrounding pattern of the city. Theseroutes don’t just bring people into thedevelopment as a destination, but allowpedestrians to traverse the scheme,using it as part of the city fabric to reachplaces elsewhere in the city. With theadjoining existing retail district recentlyreceiving landscaping treatment, thetransition of public realm finishes intoLiverpool One is seamless.In addition to the retained streets a

new route has been created, which forthe first time makes a direct link fromthe retail core of the city to the AlbertDock. This route has had a massive

positive impact on the way the cityworks and feels, and it resolves aspatial tension that had emerged asthe city evolved in recent decades.The Albert Dock had become an

increasingly popular place over the last20 years since it was regenerated withmuseums, an art gallery, shops andrestaurants, but due to its originalstatus as a secure commercial dock ithad remained isolated from othervibrant parts of the city. Liverpool Oneprovides a major boulevard directly tothe dock, pulling together the existingretail centre and the waterfront into amuch stronger, unified, city centre.Liverpool’s waterfront continues to

change from a private commercialrealm into an accessible leisuredestination, and the waterfront isarguably the city’s greatest asset intoday’s place-making and leisure-basedregeneration agenda.

A SENSE OF PLACEInterwoven into the masterplan was astrong desire to give the project a realsense of place – of being in, andbelonging to, Liverpool. Understandingthe difficultly of making a wholedistrict of new buildings feel specific toa place, the masterplan takesadvantage of the topography andlandmarks of the city. It creates aseries of vistas: those to the AnglicanCathedral and Liver Building, amongstothers, were defined by controlling themassing and form of the new buildingsin the masterplan to frame views,creating striking juxtapositions of newand old. This has proved to be a highlysuccessful approach, and thenumerous views from Liverpool Oneinto other parts of the city extend theaspirations of integration and legibility.Now completed, Liverpool One has

had a huge positive impact upon thecity, and has won numerous awards.Quoting the RIBA Award Judges: ‘TheLiverpool One Masterplan has single-handedly reversed the fortunes of the

Defining a new placeLiverpool One, a £1 billion pound retail-led investment, has transformed andre-activated the heart of the city, says Jamie Scott

‘There is a significantpublic realm in thisproject, designed tocontribute to the wholecity, rather that asequence of enclosedinherently private malls’



23

city ... the result is a vibrant andeconomically successful retail, leisureand mixed use quarter – an entirelyrevitalised city centre that nowconnects properly with the Docks.’

THE ROLE OF RETAILWhilst noting the two hotels,residential and office accommodationwithin the development, some criticscomplain that the scheme is overlydominated by retail at street level. Thisis to misunderstand the objectives andcontext of the development. Tocompete with other destinationsLiverpool needed to greatly enlarge itsMRA (Major Retail Area), an inevitablerequirement of our consumer society,and the objective was to create acritical mass of retail to attract thewidest possible range of visitors. Onerarely hears complaint that retail isdominating London’s Oxford Street.Whilst fulfilling its own specific brief,

Liverpool One is only an element of

the city centre and, in parallel, the CityCouncil was promoting other projectssuch as a major Conference Centre andCruise Liner Terminal. Taken togetherwith other initiatives, these projects allcontribute to a wider strategy for thesustainable and mixed useregeneration of the whole city centre.At an ideological level, concerns have

been raised over the move away fromlocal authority control to privatemanagement of the public realm in thiskind of development. The significantcost of a development such asLiverpool One is primarily funded byretail investment, historically associatedwith enclosed shopping centres. It isimportant to appreciate that there is asignificant public realm in this project,designed to contribute to the wholecity, rather than a sequence ofenclosed, inherently private malls.The quality of the public realm is due

to the commitment and investment ofthe developer, Grosvenor, and from the

outset they identified the need for aquality environment. This need forquality extends to ongoing cleanlinessand maintenance, and as landlord it isin their interests to manage theseaspects of the public realm for theirtenants and visitors.Liverpool now has a major long-term

stakeholder in its city centre, payingbusiness rates on land that waspreviously derelict. To get to thisposition Liverpool One has requiredinvestment that only a majorcommercial organisation can secure.Having seen the initial investmentestablished, the city now benefits fromhaving a commercial partner, withspecific skills in managing a complexretail-led development, who will wantto protect their investment bycontinuing to promote the city and itslong term regeneration objectives.

� Jamie Scott is an architect andurban designer at BDP in Liverpool

The design brief, prepared by the masterplanning team,determined that the development’s new park should createa green oasis, in contrast to the surrounding hard surfaces ofthe city centre, with the ability to accommodate a range ofoutdoor seasonal events. In response, the main amenities ofthe park comprise a ‘Grand Lawn’, richly planted terracedand walled gardens, sites for pavilion buildings, shelteredseating, mature trees and flexible paved areas.Chavasse Parkis fully accessible and open day and night, providing thewhole city with a much needed, high quality, green space.The open spaces allow people to do (and spend) nothing. Itscentral location, cleanliness and sense of security makeChavasse Park a popular destination in its own right



In the search for effective deliverymechanisms for local economic andsocial well-being a focus for the way

areas define themselves and develop isbeing increasingly provided by BusinessImprovement Districts (BIDs), entitieswith the advantage of both formal statusand secure funding, to lead in the role ofplace management. BIDs are key playersalongside local authorities and many ofthese in London are active in schemessuch as the pedestrian-friendlymeasures at Oxford Circus, theenvironmental enhancements inCamden and, in the direct experience ofthe authors, the Business ImprovementDistrict Better Bankside seeking toachieve an environmentaltransformation in a mixed area of innerSouth London under the Bankside UrbanForest banner.The adoption of BIDs in the UK should

be seen in the wider context of towncentre management. For more than 20years, there has been significant andwidespread interest in differentapproaches to town centremanagement. The focus hasprogressively broadened to the pointwhere we now speak of the wider

agenda of ‘place management’. BIDsform part of this growth, while offering adistinct and different approach.As the panel alongside explains, BIDs

are established through a ballot of thosewho will be expected to pay a speciallevy to improve the defined area and areauthorised by local government basedon local plans reflecting the priorities ofthose who will be sharing the expenses.A board of directors oversees the workand is principally composed of privatesector people with some governmentrepresentation. BID plans typically areauthorised for a maximum of five yearsand may be renewed at the end of theBID term.Themost significant feature of the BID

model for the UK is in the way that itgenerates reliable revenue. Critically theBIDmodel came at a time when the‘voluntarism’ that underpinned thefunding of town and city centrepartnerships was beginning to be tested.The partnership model was becoming avictim of its own success. Multiple retailersand other centre occupiers had begun toflinch at the cumulative costs ofsupporting partnerships in up to 400centres. This inflamed an ongoing

grievance against ‘free-loaders’ whoreceived the benefits but didn’t contribute.Since the enactment of the UK BIDs

legislation in 2004 the development ofBIDs has exceeded the expectation ofmost. To date there have been in excessof 120 ballots resulting in 88 BIDs.The pattern of development has been

characterised as ‘waves’ – withcommercial and town centres BIDsbeing supplemented by a growingnumber of industrial estate BIDs – butthere is no indication of the growthcurve abating.With the more obvious locations

already developed, a ‘third wave’ of BIDsis now underway, and includes moremarginal locations where propertyvalues are lower.London has led the way in BID

development. With just 12 per cent ofthe population, it provides 17 of the 88BIDs in the UK (19 per cent at the timeof writing).Although successful BIDs typically rely

on there being a degree of ‘organisation’in commercial centres, there are avariety of other factors that determinesuccess or otherwise. In assessing BIDfeasibility in a number of locations, TheMeans, a regeneration and ‘smartertravel’ consultancy focusing on makingbetter places, has developed a matrix ofappraisal criteria. These are applied tothe whole of a potential area, as well asto smaller ‘zones’ within it:

SUSTAINABILITYIs the revenue generated from the levyin proportion to (or in excess of) therevenue required to service the area inquestion?

VIABILITYCan the levy be set at a reasonable leveland still generate adequate funds for theBID? (At this point no-one has developeda model that sets the cost of running aBID against, say, the square metreage ofeach area.)

A model for making better places?Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) can offer a model for better placemanagement, design quality and sustainability in the face of increased competitivepressure says PeterWilliams and Giles Semper

HOW BIDSWORK

A BID is a business-led and business-funded body formed to improve a definedcommercial area.The majority of BIDs exist in town centres, however there areincreasing numbers in industrial areas, as well as commercial and mixed-uselocations.The BID mechanism allows for a large degree of flexibility and as a resultBIDs vary greatly in ‘shape and size’.A BID is formed following consultation and aballot in which businesses vote on a BID proposal or business plan for the area.Theballot, covering a fixed term though attendable, is generally run by the localauthority or outsourced by the local authority to a third party.All businesses eligibleto pay the levy are balloted.Annual BID income is typically £200,000-£600,000 butcan be less than £50,000 per annum or over £2 million. For a BID to go ahead theballot must be won on two counts: straight majority and majority of rateable value(the value of a commercial property unit).This ensures that the interests of largeand small businesses are protected and.The genesis of Business ImprovementDistricts (BIDs) is usually associated with North America, with the first sightings inCanada.The model has since spread to other English-speaking countries, such asSouth Africa, Ireland and the UK.There is growing interest in mainland Europe,with Germany and the Netherlands in the vanguard.



25

MARKETABILITYWhat is the likelihood of winning a BIDreferendum? The costs of marketing theBID and running the referendum needto be in reasonable proportion to theeventual levy outturn. There needs to bean adequate number of businesseswhich will directly benefit from the BID.Broadly, it is assumed that shops,restaurants, sports and leisure facilities,arts and culture facilities will reap agreater reward in terms of increasedbusiness. Offices and most other typesof property will reap a lesser reward inthis respect, but will benefit in terms ofgreater employee and client satisfaction.

DO-ABILITYCan BID services complement (or ‘joinup’ with) existing services in such a wayas to make a significant difference?Some of the considerations are:

� Is there a ‘gateway’ area which canbe improved?

� Are there streets that could benefitfrom improvements?

� Is there a landmark visitor attractionwhich can be better serviced?

� Is there a pressingsocial/environmental issue which can beaddressed?

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYBusinesses can work to deliversocial/educational programmes to thecommunities in which they are located,particularly when there might bebenefits in terms of reduced crime andanti-social behaviour. This would givepreference to areas with a residentialpopulation, particularly ones that sufferfrom social exclusion. While we areconvinced that many locations will meetthe above criteria, doubts remain abouthow the growth in the number of BIDscan be sustained after the more‘obvious’ locations have consideredthem. What are the impediments to BIDdevelopment going forward? We haveidentified three broad challenges whichmay restrain or arrest their advance, andconsidered what the remedies might be.An important feature of BIDs is that

they are private sector-led. However thepublic sector has played anindispensable role in acting as thecatalyst to start the process in differentlocations, often providing the up-frontrisk finance. While there is provision in

the BIDs regulations to reclaim startup/campaign costs from the BID levy,that would only be possible in the eventof a successful vote. There is littleevidence of businesses being preparedto forward fund BID development.Equally, the earliest BIDs emerged from

supportive public sector or tradeassociation-driven learning networks suchas those operated by The Association ofTown Centre Management, The CircleInitiative, Society of LondonManufacturers, Scottish BIDs, and EastMidlands Academy. Further BIDdevelopment will depend to a largeextent on other agencies being preparedto follow this route.Increasingly BIDs are critiqued for

their apparent lack of democraticaccountability. They are portrayed as aform of corporatism with limited aimsother than to drive up sales, and beingestablished to serve one set of masters.To these charges have been addedfurther concerns around the civilliberties agenda, encapsulated in thephrase ‘the privatisation of public space’.BIDs need to be sensitive to this charge,examine their objectives and operations,and respond. Best practice in BIDsalready provides a coherent andconvincing riposte.While Clean, Green and Safe are still

the staples, BIDs are stretching theirprogrammes to include corporate socialresponsibility, employment initiatives,smarter travel, area promotion, businessnetworking & support, environmentalperformance and recycling.This broadening agenda widens the

focus onto the so-called triple bottomline – people, profit, planet. Several ofthe Central London BIDs offer freerecycling to their membership. This isdriving up recycling rates while at thesame time reducing costs forparticipating businesses. IncreasinglyBIDs are adopting more of the localeconomic development agenda withenterprise and employment focusedinitiatives: Camden Unlimited hastackled the growing problem of retailvacancy through introducing aninnovative pop-up shop model.BIDs can play a key role in place

management. Local centre users are notjust ‘retail customers’. They includethose of all ages, those visiting thelibrary and town hall, for recreation and

for business. However places do needactive management. There is no reasonto believe that they are civil by default.The informal policing of the past is notset to return. People are both lessrespectful of all levels of authority andless inclined to intervene. Contrary tobeing a threat, BIDs are already playinga role in democratizing placemanagement. Street wardens, forexample, need not be exclusivelysecurity personnel. The most successfulBIDs have accentuated theambassadorial role with visitors andbusinesses. They have linked patrollingwith environmental monitoring, wherestrong relationships have developed withrelevant council services, so thatproblems get reported and fixed. TeamLondon Bridge BID has pinpointed longneglected urban spaces and transformedthem through their ‘pocket plaza’programme.One thing is common to all BIDs

however - they must face the reality thatany failure to satisfy their constituencieswill see them voted out of office, hencethe need to deliver real benefits and forexcellent communications with theirmembership and other stakeholders.

� Peter Williams and Giles Semper arepartners in The Means, managingconsultants to the Better Bankside BID

At Better Bankside, with so much property developmentunderway, the BID has promoted a strategy for the spacesbetween buildings, looking for opportunities to steal spacefor incorporation in the public realm through carefullydesigned interventions. Making what little space there isavailable work harder, is being pursued through theintroduction of containerised planting and placement ofpink chairs



Since the 2003 Licensing Act cameinto force in November 2005 a newnocturnal ‘army’ of police, licensing

officers, night time managers, marshals,town centre managers and street pastorshas emerged; on a mission to keep towncentres clean, safe and convivialthroughout the night.The recently introduced Purple Flag

Accreditation Scheme can also help.Purple Flag is a way of raising standards,inspiring effort, developing goodpractice, acknowledging and celebratingsuccess. In simple terms – areas thatmeet or exceed the standards can fly theflag – similar to the Green Flag schemefor parks and open spaces.Purple Flag was the brainchild of the

Civic Trust, after which it was transferredto the Association of Town CentreManagement (ATCM) to take theaccreditation and training schemeforward. The scheme came out of athree-year research project called NightVision, examining evening and night-timeeconomies. It concluded that, morepeople would use town centres at night if:

� they were safer, more accessible andoffered more choice;

� they offered a good mix of clienteleto improve perceptions

� a wider range of attractions wouldlead to longer term economic viability.The concept and methodology evolved

over the course of eight pilot towns,seven pathfinder areas, market testingwith stakeholders and innumerablepresentations to professional bodies inthe UK and overseas.The five themes that make up the

Purple Flag Core Agenda are designed tocapture the rounded perspective of ‘theaverage night time consumer’. Thesebring together in one place the range ofskills that are relevant to creating asuccessful night-time destination.There needs to be evidence of a clear

aim and common purpose for themanagement of an area, and how itoffers a positive experience. After-hourspolicy crosses many professional,budgetary and sectoral boundaries. Thechallenge is to bring clarity and focus toa complicated field.For example, getting home safely after

an evening out is a prime requirement.So too is the ability to move around thecentre on foot with ease.

Successful hospitality areasmeanwhile contain a blend ofoverlapping activities that encouragepeople to mingle and spend time. Theyrespect and reinforce the character andidentity of the area – demonstratimgflair and imagination in all aspects ofdesign for the night.It appears that the most powerful

argument for Purple Flag is aboutperceptions. Across the country localauthorities, town centre managementpartnerships, crime and disorderreduction partnerships and police havebeen working hard to make centres saferand better for after-hours visitors. Butthis effort goes largely unnoticed in thepress and media, who generally focus onthe negative and sensational. The resultis that many town centres at night haveacquired an unduly negative stigma.A number of Pathfinders have helped

to develop Purple Flag – The CityCentres of Bath, Birmingham, Kingston,Manchester and Westminster’s LeicesterSquare and Covent Garden. These areashave made huge improvements to theirevening economy and will be the first tobe formally assessed and be consideredfor Purple Flag status.The experience of Purple Flag offers

an insight into the changing function oftown centres and the role of urbanmanagement professionals. We suggesturban professionals should be moreengaged in this area, and in addressingthe challenges it poses.A town centre at night is a completely

different environment to the day.

� Toyubur Rahman is DevelopmentManager at the Association of TownCentre Management. He is a towncentre manager and town planner

� Paul Davies was Head of Policy andDevelopment at the Civic Trust. He isa town planner and architectspecialising in urban regeneration

Getting it right at nightThe evening and night-time economy is a vital ingredient in the appeal of town andcity centres. Get it right and they will enjoy a welcome income from tourism,visitors and leisure. But get it wrong and perceptions can plummet overnight.ByToyubur Rahman and Paul Davies



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Seeing the light – in a new way!Guerilla lighting teams are staging dramatic lighting events in order to drawattention to the possibilities, and importance, of lighting in the urban environment,says Juliana O’Rourke

Guerrilla lighting declares war onbad lighting. It protests againstthe wasteful use of light, and

raises awareness of the power of light. Itcreates ephemeral and magicalmoments of quality lighting that arerecorded and sent to the media andpoliticians to instigate action against badlighting. ‘Lighting Guerillas’ suggest thatpoorly-designed lighting should beprevented, and that all cities should beencouraged to establish, and enforce, aminimum standard of quality.Inter-disciplinary design practice BDP

launched the initiative in 2006 todemonstrate ways in which thesustainability and aesthetics of urbanareas can be improved by lightingdesign. ‘Guerrillas’ frequently targetplaces in which the inconsiderate use oflight, or the need for considered lightingdesign, is identified. Once ready, theyact: under stealth, they head through theshadows into the site.Under the guidance of a leader, a

number of teams create transientlighting designs by using high-poweredtorches, battery powered LED projectors,luminous dot lights and an array of gelsand filters. Instructed to be in a specificposition at a given distance from theirtarget, the teams simultaneously light upvarious aspects of a city’s architecture onthe sound of an air horn, creating adramatic spectacle.In early December 2009, more than

50 Lighting Guerrillas hit the streets ofManchester for the most recent GuerrillaLighting event. Organised by BDP’sManchester lighting team, the event setout to highlight the importance of thenight-time environment by spectacularlytransforming three sites near to the BDPManchester studio. The aim was todemonstrate ways of making places andspaces socially inviting for the public,and to promote the issues of asustainable nightscape through cleveruse of light.The installations are photographed, the

lighting turned off and the teams move

on to the next site. The teams are madeup of local lighting designers, architects,interior designers, artists, developers,project managers and manufacturers, allof whom are keen to draw attention tothe possibilities, and importance, oflighting in the urban environment.Competition is not the issue, and

brighter is not better. ‘Guerrilla Lighting

campaign challenges perceptions oflighting in an urban environment,’ saysBDP lighting designer ChantelleStewart. We’re raising awareness of thepotential of sustainable, intelligentlighting design by involving people inthe lighting of highly recognisable,prominent locations.’Professionally-designed architectural

lighting enhances the nightscape of ourcities and towns but requires the use ofenergy. In order to ensure that a correctbalance is achieved between the benefitsof good lighting and irresponsible use ofenergy, more control is required. TheGuerillas point out that not all buildingsneed or deserve to be lit, but suggestthat strategic lighting plans should existfor all cities.The effects are spontaneous but a

great deal of concept and design time isneeded in planning for the event toachieve a powerful effect. The visuallystimulating addition to the nightscape istemporary, but the record of the eventis uploaded onto a website for all toenjoy. Following the event, theGuerrillas head off to a local bar for awell-earned drink and the pictures fromthe sites are projected for all to see theresult of their efforts.Says BDP’s Brendan Keely: ‘The recent

Manchester event was a massive successand raised the profile of the night-timeenvironment. It showed that well-designed use of light can transformspaces and places into visuallystimulating and socially invitinglocations. With this comes theresponsibility to design using minimumenergy and the need to control light soas not to add to light pollution resultingin sustainable design for people, placesand spaces.’ Since 2006, GuerrillaLighting has travelled around the worldand events have already taken place inLondon, Glasgow, Helsinki, Jyvaskyla,Birmingham, Dublin, Isle of Mann,Belfast, Dublin, Poland, Istanbul,Tampere, Reykjavik, Oslo, and Stoke.Events are being planned for 2010 inSunderland and Singapore.To learn more: the event was filmed

and photographed by David Barbour andSanna Fisher-Payne and was followed inreal-time, with twitter updates andphotographs being posted throughoutthe event.http://www.youtube.com/user/BDPdotCOMhttp://guerrillalighting.net �

Using high-powered torches and LED luminaires andcoloured filters, guerrilas create temporary lightinstallations within the urban architecture



An innovative new play space inDevonport, Plymouth, is helpingto inject a new lease of life into

an attractive but once under-usedhistoric city park. Following a detailedconsultation process with localstakeholders, the landscape team fromAtkins has created a natural play areathat is attracting families and inspiringyoung people from across the city.‘Figures show that use of the play

area is up from 3 per cent to morethan 13 per cent since it opened inSeptember 2009,’ says Chris Coldwell,Senior Project Manager, Plymouth CityCouncil. ‘The play area has had a hugeimpact on how the park is used.’Recent rises in child obesity rates

are one of the many drivers behindnew approaches to creating innovativeplay spaces for young people. Childobesity is a problem in the localDevonport ward, says Coldwell, andwas one of the reasons why thecouncil was prepared to champion acreatively-designed, inclusiveenvironment, rooted in extensivecommunity consultation.‘It’s been a long development

process,’ he adds, ‘but we wanted tofulfil the spirit of the funding brief,which was to meet community needsin terms of play, appropriate to thesetting of this historic park.’With funding from a successful

Heritage Lottery Fund bid, togetherwith extensive community andstakeholder input, the grade II listedDevonport Park has been revitalised.A team from Atkins was asked todesign an innovative new play space to

replace the existing, traditionalplayground. The design aesthetic of thenew playground is based on ideas ofnature and active play within dynamicspaces of varying scale and character.An emphasis has been placed on

creating spaces that offer spontaneousand self-motivated play in a safe yetadventurous environment, free ofconstraint yet also meeting safetystandards. The playground offersopportunities to engage with natureusing features appealing to the senses:landform and rocks, a sensory gardenand a maze.

FREEFORM PLAYAtkins’ starting point for the designwas a holistic look at the site, sayslandscape architect Katie Dugdill,leader of the play area team. The sitefalls steeply from north to south,posing a potential problem withproviding level areas for playstructures, but offering opportunities tocreate sinuous banks and curvedmounds for freeform play activities.The playground provides clear learningzones yet creates a continuous, site-specific and seamless layout, relatingclosely to local landform and maturetrees as well as responding sensitivelyto its historic setting.‘We based the design on a

combination of prescriptive play andfreeform experimentation so thatyoung people can come up with theirown ideas about what the site means.The site constraints, a long 10m slope,helped us to manipulate the landform,’she says. ‘We were able to pull and

push the earth to mould shape andcontour, creating a setting for a mixtureof natural play features that encourageimagination.’ The client knew that theywere looking for a design based oncurrent ideas of natural play, saysDugdill, but design for play in thepublic realm is fairly loosely defined,so Atkins was able to take a lead ondeveloping ideas, based on the brieffrom community consultation.‘It’s not possible to simply create a

playground of boulders and pieces oftimber. We needed to build in elementsthat promote skills such as balancing,swinging and climbing, and whichchallenge young people physically andbuild confidence.’A team pod provides seating and a

focal point for ‘older’ young people,although none of the design featuresare prescriptive. ‘The design isintended to be inclusive for all, butchildren of specific ages will hopefullybe attracted to the features that havebeen designed for them,’ says Dugdill.‘Play is also about social learning:learning to share and queue and wait.It’s about testing boundaries, and ourdesign works to enable this range ofinterpretation.’Much of the naturally-focused play

equipment originates with Europeanmakers; in this case Timberplay. ‘Wewere looking for a more naturalaesthetic, as opposed to hard urbanbright metal and colourful plastic.’Maintenance constraints have meantthat a few metal elements wereintroduced, as metal play elementswere seen by the local parks

Natural play:adventures in landscapeA community adventure playground set withinan historic park is providing space for natural playin an adventurous, exciting and imaginative setting



29

department as easier to maintain andless of a fire risk.

LIFE ANDACTIVITYThe play area is already attracting newusers to the park and, with morepeople around, there is more life andactivity, and therefore increased naturalsurveillance. The original playgroundwas hidden away behind rose gardens,which didn’t help to encourage users.The mature trees dotted across the sitedo cast shadow, says Dugdill, but alsoproduce a natural backdrop that helpsto integrate the play features into thelarger park.Fencing has been kept low to avoid

creating a visual barrier, and at eachaccess gate Atkins has designed pavedpods with benches and bins, providingconvenient areas for families andcarers to sit and relax. Pedestrian andbicycle routes to the play area are clearand direct. The playground sits withinan existing network of clearlydelineated, well-used and well-

LEFT: To inspire design, local school groups, in collaborationwith theatre group Stone Soup, created a background storyfeaturing trolls, wizards, kings, wicked queens, fairies andmonsters. Atkins' response created three main realmsacross the playground: Highlands, Middlelands and Lowlands

RIGHT: The Lowlands, the most challenging zone ofplayground, caters for older children and is separated fromThe Middlelands by a zip-wire. A large, organically shaped,sculptural timber climbing structure, reminiscent of a shipwreck, constructed with timber logs and rope netting is thekey feature. A youth pod specifically is designed forteenagers as a meeting point

FAR RIGHT: The Highlands toddler play zone for 3+ yearolds is situated at the top of the main play zone, within themain play area, in order to minimise any feeling ofseparation the younger children may experience.Theexperience of sharing play equipment such as the timberplatform house with slide and scramble net, basket swings,see-saw and concrete ‘telephone’ pillars with other childrenwill create opportunities for taking turns and sharing and tohelp develop cooperation skills

‘The emphasis has beenplaced on creating spacesthat offer spontaneous,self-motivated play in anadventurous environment,free of constraint yetmeeting safety standards’Katie Dugdill, Atkins

THE NEED FOR ADVENTUROUS PLAY

A recent Government initiative criticised ‘bland and unimaginative environments’with ‘a lack of attention to design’ as reasons why play spaces fail to attract users.Play experts have claimed that a disproportionate amount of money spent onplaygrounds goes on safety surfacing, to the detriment of other facilities, with playspaces ending up formulaic and with an over-preoccupation with safety.The issue of risk is repeatedly raised. CABE Space research has found that over-

sensitivity to risk has stifled the design of rich and stimulating environments.Pressures to minimise risk and liability in the public realm can lead to authorities‘playing it safe’, resulting in standardised spaces that fail to delight, educate or offeryoung people the opportunity to meet or socialise, claims the report Living with risk:promoting better public space design. Research studies have documented the benefitsthat can come from natural play, including for children’s learning, healthy growth anddevelopment. Much of the momentum behind natural play design originates inDenmark, Holland and Germany.These countries offer important examples of howto create well-designed, thoughtful play spaces. Many play experts believe that thesecountries are getting it right primarily because, as with Devonport Park, landscapearchitects enjoy a much closer involvement in the process.The Government plans, in future, to assess local authority performance on play

by introducing a play indicator — NI199 — in 2009/10.This means that every year,children and young people will be asked how satisfied they are with their local playareas and parks.This underlines the importance of consultation for play and theneed to engage with the community in a realistic and meaningful way.

Contemporary cobbled access pads and seating areas are conveniently located at gated entrance points for each of thesezones and provide bicycle parking, timber benches, bins and an informal place for family members and carers to sit



A COLLECTIVE ADVENTURETAKES SHAPEThe design for Devonport Playground represents an adventure story in landscapeform: an evolution from toddler to teen across the site.The catalyst for thedevelopment of this creative design was an extensive community consultationprocess, involving hands-on events to create temporary playscapes from low-costmaterials in order to develop ideas. Evidence suggests that engaging young people increating their own spaces and testing their own risks can lead to ownership andresponsibility. Encouraging the exploration of new ideas is also successful with adults,and Bristol-basedTouchWood Community Consultation Experts worked formonths to resolve a range of differing stakeholder expectations, involving a numberof local representatives from Plymouth City Council,The Friends of Devonport Parkand young people from local schools and community groups.The historic nature of the park,which is home to several world war two bunkers,

led some members of the local community to question its suitability as a playgroundsite.Yet on opening in September 2009,with 3-4,000 people attending the openingevent from across Plymouth, the sensitively designed and sited play area has provenhugely popular with families.‘Atkins work,’ according to local councillor MichaelLeaves,‘received praise from across the Council and Friends of the Park and otherpartners for its imagination and ability to translate community aspirations into plans.’Sensitive to community feeling,Atkins carefully placed the playground design withrespect for the existing environment, with tree planting kept to a minimum as thesite already contains a number of mature trees, including a tree avenue to thewestern border of the main play area. Says Chris Coldwell, Plymouth City Council:‘The design of the playground is extremely imaginative and a creative way ofintegrating the playground into its historic setting. It blends with the landscape.’‘As a designer, says Dugdill, the best outcome is to see your designs in use.On the

opening day, it was great to see that young people were all over the play features likeants. For me, the success of this project has been working with a client that waswilling to take a leap of faith in creating memorable play for kids.’ In the words ofPlymouth’s deputy mayor:‘It’s a wonderful playground. It will encourage people touse the park and establish the happy memories of playing that wehave ourselves as adults.’

maintained pathways. Bicycle parkinghas been conveniently placed close tothe southern end of the main play area.Accessibility to the new play area is

a key issue, not only due to theimportance of play for children withdisabilities, but because it teaches able-bodied children tolerance andempathy. The playground has beendesigned with several types of ground-level play and with many possibilitiesfor interaction, on and off theequipment, for children of all abilities.Around the playground, adjacent opengrassed areas provide an environmentfor exploratory play.Research suggests that only 4 per

cent of children with disabilities arewheelchair- bound and therefore not allplay equipment needs to be useable bythose children. This scheme enhancestheir play experience by utilising piecesthat have a sensory appeal includingthe Phones in Concrete feature, whichcan also appeal to the visuallyimpaired. The design also includes asmall wheelchair carousel and nestswing that can be used by all.

� Juliana O’Rourke spoke to KatieDugdill, Atkins, and Chris Coldwell,Plymouth City Council

‘The design of the playground is extremely imaginative, and a creative way ofintegrating the playground into its historic setting’Chris Coldwell, Plymouth City Council



In association with

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Announcing a new forum forthose working to createbetter places

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Outdoor public events can be agreat boost to the economicvitality of most places.

Weddings, music festivals, fetes, artsevents, exhibitions and markets: all ofthese attract visitors and create athriving local economy. Yet any eventpromoter or town centre managerappreciates the complexity of stagingevents in busy public places. Fromparking provision to traffic regulation,crowd control and policing to theprovision of public toilets,entertainment facilities and catering,event logistics can be taxing.Nowadays, the lifeblood of most

historic houses, parks and openspaces is a successful events calendar.Many events require increasinglysophisticated and power-hungryequipment: big screens, soundsystems, lighting rigs and interactivekiosks. One of the regular problemswith holding successful outdoor eventsis that of electricity supply, coupledwith the constant need to maintainsafety standards, including the riskmanagement of equipment used byentertainers and catering suppliers.

POWERINGACTIVE SPACESUntil recently, a key source of powerwas the mobile generator, albeit withthe attendant problems of noisepollution, the difficulty of movingheavy vehicles over well-kept lawns andthe danger of fire and fuel spillages.Today, the answer is frequently in

the hands of specialist suppliers.Retractable power units, such as thosemanufactured by Pop uP PowerSupplies, can provide efficientelectricity supply for most outside

More power to outdoor eventsAttracting people to use public and private spaces supports the commercialviability of town centres, parks, and historic gardens.Yet the logistics of placemanagement can be complex, says Mike Brown

Unique environments such as streets, terraces, squares, parks and gardens remain unspoiled by the intrusion of modernboxes and clutter; yet the latest power, air and water technologies can be used on site

Safe, secure and silent power is vital for health and safetypurposes as well as conservation and aesthetic ideals



33

events, along with water and airsupply as required.One immediate benefit of this

type of equipment is their discreetinstallation. With current minimalisttrends in landscape design, these fullyretractable units can be stored safelyunderground until they are needed.When they’re not in use they’re notvisible, thanks to the unique way inwhich they can be ‘paved over’.The multi-million pound Chiswick

House and Gardens renovation projecthas made effective use of Pop uP PowerSupplies’ retractable units. ChiswickHouse, a magnificent neo-Palladian villaset in beautiful historic gardens in westLondon, was built in 1729 by the thirdEarl of Burlington to showcase his artcollection. The house continues to be apopular entertainment venue.

CONSERVATIONANDAESTHETICSDecades of intensive use andinsufficient resources had left thegrounds and garden buildings indecline. In response, English Heritageand the London Borough of Hounslowfunded a £12 million restoration that,now complete, is helping to increaserevenue and introduce more people tothis historic site. Safe, secure and silentpower is vital for health and safetypurposes as well as conservation andaesthetic ideals, and the retractableinstallations underpinned the flexibilityof the restoration.In September 2009, the venue hosted

the Chiswick House Dog Show – ‘the

best yet’, according to the organisers, inassociation with Chiswick HouseFriends. More than 1,200 visitorsenjoyed the show held in the gardens,basking in sunshine and soaking up theatmosphere. In June 2009, ChiswickHouse Friends hosted a successfulsummer opera, The Garden OperaCompany’s The Barber of Seville, setin the newly-restored gardens ofChiswick House.

DISCRETIONAND SIMPLICITYPop uP Power Supplies’ supply pointsare permanently installedunderground, and can be raised toprovide a range of power options bymeans of inserting and turning asimple handle. Unique environmentssuch as streets, terraces, squares andgardens remain unspoiled by theintrusion of modern boxes andclutter; yet the latest technologiescan be used on site.At London’s Covent Garden,

retractable service units are fitted withrecessed tops for use with historiccobbles, blending the unit into anarchitecturally important site. CamdenLock, London, renowned for the crowdsattending its outdoor weekend markets,has installed ground units that blendinto the environment, providing safeand secure power to a vulnerable site.Each unit is individually ‘tripped’, so

that if one piece of equipment is faultythat socket will ‘trip out’ but the restwill perform as usual. As an additionalsafety benefit, the handles that raise

and lower the units can be easilyoperated by a single individual.The safety aspect of Pop uP Power

Supplies’ ground units has beenhighlighted by a case in the north ofEngland. Using generators to providepower is a risky process as meticulouscare, cleaning and maintenance isneeded to prevent fires or noxious gasemissions. In August 2009, fire crewsfrom Stalybridge and Ashton weremobilised following reports of a fireinvolving a diesel generator at a foodprocessing plant in Ashton-under-Lyne.Crews were faced with a well-developed fire involving the generatorand a large quantity of diesel.Examples of generator-related firesmake the news time and time again. Agenerator, since removed by police, isalso at the centre of HSE investigationsinto the Maple Mill inferno, Oldham,which started April 2009.Retractable service units are being

successfully used to provide electricity,water and air supply to historic sites,market places, town squares and parks.They also offer possibilities for morevaried uses, for example upgradingstadiums and sports venues. Pop uPPower Supplies has a commitment toproviding safe, secure and silent powerin an aesthetically pleasing way toenhance and activate a wide range ofoutdoor events.

� Mike Brown is the managingdirector of Pop uP Power Supplieswww.popuppower.co.uk

ABOVE: For the refurbishment of internationalentertainment venueWembley Arena Square, Pop uP PowerSupplies’ retractable ‘in ground’ service units provide powerfor entertainments and markets.These units can berecessed into the ground when not in use, enablingunimpeded pedestrian access

LEFT: The power for sound and lighting, as well as the allimportant catering outlets, were all safely provided by PopuP Power Supplies units in the gardens at a Chiswick Houseevening of opera, enabling organisers to serve barbequedmeats and freshly shucked oysters, adding to the event’sconviviality



www.falco.co.uk



35

William Shakespeare famouslyclaimed that ‘All the world’sa stage, And all the men and

women merely players’. This remainstrue today: indeed, streets and placesare positively animated by people andtheir daily interactions and transactions.But as well as acting as a stage, much

of the built environment is alsopotentially a screen. New technologiesin terms of projection, and creativethinking about the locations and contextof where and how images are shownhave opened up possibilities for bringingmoving images into urban situations.We see tragedies, love stories and

comedies play out on streets and inpublic spaces. As well as orchestratingthese cameo activities within the remitof place management, emergingprojection and display technologiesmean new elements can be injected

into the public realm to help createnew experiences for us all.

THE OUTDOOR CINEMAPeople flocked to drive in cinemaduring the 50s & 60s in the US to catchthe latest film, gather with friends andenjoy the outdoor movie-goingexperience. There was, and still is,something special about watching afilm in a different setting from thetraditional cinema while enjoying theoutdoors at night.While the explosion of television and

home entertainment contributed to adecline in the number of peopleattending cinemas in general, as the20th century came to a close peoplebegan to rediscover the sharedentertainment experience, in both livemusic and movie watching. This trendhas continued into the new century

and, as the number of cinema-goershas increased, so too have thoselooking to show films in differentlocations and enjoy new ways ofcreating shared visual experiences.A number of places have become

known for their programme of outdoorscreenings in recent years: SomersetHouse, Trafalgar Square and City Hallin London, for example, regularly hostfilm nights, as do Brighton beach andReigate’s Priory Park.Stuart Brown, the BFI’s head of

events, noted recently in an article inThe Independent: ‘The increasingdemand for outdoor screenings is areaction to the insular nature of iPodand download culture. People still wantto come together and share anexperience, which is a very humanimpulse. As technology advances anddigital projection becomes more

All the world’s a screen…Moving images have escaped from the cinema and the living room to become aregular feature in the public realm. Peter Stonham andTom Evans explore theissues of planning, management and programming behind the screening of films andprojections in street life

Temporary screens can play a central role in outdoor entertainment and provide a communal experience for watching big sporting and cultural events.



MELBOURNE’S MULTIMEDIAThe role of creative activity is key infostering an environment of stimulation andin Federation Square,Melborne, (see page12) the aim is to shape the site through aprism of innovation.A major focus in thisarea has been the development ofFederation Square’s multimedia platform.This links with the experiential needs of

visitors in a public place, the most basic ofwhich is visual complexity.The Big Screen –always a focus at Federation Square – wasupgraded in 2007 and the team developedan interactive product called SMS FedTV,allowing visitors to text the screen anddetermine the images to be shown.Thisbuilds on the basic SMS text interactivity

offered by the scrolling LED screens onthe East Shard. Federation Square is alsoassisting in the development of theinternational Urban Screens Network,which will enable future multimediacollaborations and content-sharing withBerlin,Hong Kong and London amongother cities.

accessible, we will see a huge increasein open-air cinema. There’s somethingvery exciting about the epic scale of it.’Film festivals and sponsored outdoor

cinema nights have meant that openair screenings are now commonplacein towns and cities across the countryduring the summer months. Content isdiversifying from classic feature filmsto sport, music and other topicalevents as well as independently-created material. But as peopledevelop an appetite for watchingmoving images in different settingsand enjoy the experience of gatheringtogether for an evening of outdoorentertainment, what are theimplications for those who manageurban areas?

BIG SCREENSThe showing of pictures in publicspaces can be supported by eitherpermanent or temporary systems –fixed or mobile installations. As thenumber of outdoor film screenings inBritish towns and cities has grown, sotoo have the number of permanent ‘bigscreens’. There are now 21 of the BBC’sPublic Space Broadcasting screens intowns and cities across the UK, the firstof which was erected in Manchester’sExchange Square in 2003.Working in partnership with the BBC, a

variety of companies provide the digitalscreens and technical expertise whilelocal authorities host the screens andmanage the public space in which theyare set. Apart from BBC programming,the screens are often used to showlocally-made short films, eventinformation and sports coverage and areincreaingly being used for interactivepurpose such as games based onmovement recognition or to show textsand photo-images sent by audiences.These screens are likely to grow in

number during the run up to theLondon 2012 Olympic Games as theBBC works in partnership with LOCOG(London Organising Committee of theOlympic Games) and local authorities todevelop a chain of big screens acrossthe UK. While local authorities in hosttowns have greeted the screenspositively, there are a growing numberof commentators and national bodieswho believe that they can have anegative impact on the built and urbanenvironment in which they are placed.The issues range from physical intrusionto crowd management and amenityimpacts, as well as concerns over powersupply and health and safety.The Evening Standard’s, architecture

critic, Rowan Moore, is a strongopponent of the BBC’s screens andrecently wrote that ‘almost no thought

seems to have been given to theappearance or siting of the screens.They are grey and lumpen and presentrears as dull as the backside of any TV,only much bigger.’ Meanwhile therehave been some public order problemsexperienced where large crowds gather.

THE POTENTIAL OF PROJECTIONDigital projection has opened up newpossibilities for developing differentforms of entertainment in urban placesand ways of enhancing communityparticipation. You can turn up with atruck, project onto a building façade or‘pop up’ screens in almost any locationand add moving images to the urbanentertainment mix. Even bridges andclouds are potential urban screens.No self respecting club, venue or

festival gets by these days without theprojection of moving images, and thatthe same now applies to outdoor eventsheld in town or city centres.As the public expects more fromentertainment in general, managers ofurban areas are utilising temporary andpermanent urban screens to add anextra dimension to the urban experienceand create multimedia events.While these technological

developments represent newpossibilities for programming moreexiting and engaging town centre



37

events, there are, of course, practicalmanagement issues to consider.The use and placement of screens,

especially those that are permanent,needs careful consideration. What arethe planning and licensing issues? Whoshould be responsible forprogramming content? Should there bean entertainment or informative focus?What are the boundaries with regardsto commercial activity and artisticfreedom? And what impact could theyhave on the character of a place?

PEOPLE MANAGEMENTCrowd management is a key concernfor anyone organising an event in thepublic realm. Manchester witnessedthe fallout from technical gremlinswhen a large crowd gathered to watcha football match and were unable to doso. Issues of overcrowding and accessneed to be addressed: should events be‘fenced off’ to control numbers, forexample, and is this really desirable ina public place? Similarly, noisepollution from events or the screensthemselves can have a negative impacton nearby residents and those usingurban areas for other activities. Ifscreens are used throughout the day,do they take away the opportunity toenjoy the peace and quiet of a publicsquare or park?Typically measuring 7.3m wide and

4.1m high, the BBC’s Public SpaceBroadcasting screens are substantialobjects. They form a focus for many ofthe places in which they are set. Thisraises questions about their use,placement, and legacy. Should they beleft blank when there is nothingsignificant to show or should they beused throughout the day? Do they impactnegatively on the character or identity ofa public place? And what happens tothem and the space that they occupywhen they become obsolete?New guidance has already been

issued by CABE and English Heritagewith regards to big screens. RichardSimmons, Chief Executive of CABErecently stated: ‘This is a growingissue. Before any decision is made topermit a screen, local authorities needto ensure that local character will bepreserved or enhanced, and that anyharm is minimised. This means havingrobust policies to protect public spaces,

and a plan to resolve competingapplications from other broadcastersor commercial operators.’CABE and English Heritage

recommend that local authorities:� permit the screens only as part of

an overall strategy for regeneration;� assess the potential impact of

proposals on the historic environment;� avoid buildings and places of

architectural or historic interest, andcompeting with public art;

� discourage proposals forcommercial advertising, and

� carefully assess the proposedbroadcast content and its potentialinfluence on audience size, publicaccess and safety.

GUERRILLA CINEMAPlanning and regulation aside, agrowing trend among those looking formore unconventional and interestingways of showing film and projectingmoving image in public spaces ismeanwhile to simply turn up and do it!Guerrilla cinema has become aworldwide phenomenon, with secretscreenings taking place in variousurban spaces. The reasons for puttingon a guerrilla cinema show range fromtransforming the urban environmentand reclaiming public space throughdo-it-yourself public entertainment tosmaller gatherings with friends orother like-minded people to enjoy anevening of outdoor film without afeeling of overt commercialisation.Technological developments could seethis phenomenon grow in the next fewyears, as a whole new era of guerrillacinema is made possible by small handheld projectors that use LEDs to project

an image up to 60inches across anduse an MP4 file on an iPod or phone.As the use of projection in new and

often unregulated forms takes hold,could we soon see new laws beingintroduced to control DIY screenings inpublic places? New laws wereintroduced in the mid 90s to controlDIY music events, as ‘secret’ call-up-to-find-the-location raves became popularacross the country. It could be arguedthat makeshift cinemas and DIYprojection brings life to urban centresand provides free entertainment forthe enjoyment of everybody. Butothers might see it as anotherdistraction and hindrance to their dailylives and their enjoyment of publicspaces as simply places to relax.

THE CHALLENGES FOR PLACESHAPING PROFESSIONALS

While the development of projectionprovides unlimited opportunities toshow film and create screensanywhere in the urban environment,there are numerous challenges facedby those responsible for shaping theplaces in which we live. Urban screens,ad hoc projection and temporaryscreenings can all add an interestingflavour to urban environments, butprofessionals must consider the impactthey have on the daily life andcharacter of an area. Each place andeach screening should be consideredon its own merits and the overallobjective of creating great living spacesshould not be forgotten. So all theworld could be a screen – but it is theplaces, the people and the people’sdesires and values that must remaincentre stage. �

Mobile screen systems can bring moving images to virtually any location



Three dimensional soundscapingcan transform a neutralenvironment into a fully

immersive three-dimensionalsoundscape, dramatically enhancing theobserver’s experience and making itmore involving, immediate andmemorable. Technology and expertiseaffords ‘sonic architects’ a uniqueopportunity to create sculpture withsound. Sound sculptures act as a 'hub'for collaborative projects in the artisticand digital domain, drawing upon thetalents of many in a range of creativeand commercial fields.Soundlife Workington, the world’s first

permanent outdoor 3D soundinstallation, is a demonstration of theways in which the ‘essence of place’ isof great importance to sonic architects.As part of a new series of publicartworks commissioned to help re-energise the new pedestrianised citycentre of Workington, sonic architectsIllustrious, together with Base Projects,created a kind of 21st century‘bandstand’ featuring 12 discreetlyconcealed speakers enabling an invisible3D soundfield to occupy the space.Although this was conceived as a publicfacility for performance, we also createdthe first distillation of the ‘sonic essence’of place. Following two weeks recording

what makes Workington the place it is –a benefit for local people as it helpsthem to re-examine the pride they havein their cultural history – a one- hourloop of the final 3D composition playsthroughout the day to help animate thenew civic space.This project provided a ‘proof of

concept’ for the huge Soundlife London3D sound installation in Leicester SquareGardens in 2009. In collaboration withthe City Of Westminster council and theArts Council, the project involved

community groups, schools, ethnicassociations, reminiscence groups inrecording their impressions of typicalsounds of London. These recordingswere harvested and augmented, theresult being the creation of a one-hour,genuine sonic work of art ‘by the people,for the people’ which played 10 hours aday for 10 days to over 2 million people.Reaction to the piece was extremelypositive. Finally, there is one project thatwe’ve been working on for the last 4years that encapsulates all of ourcollaborative, multi-disciplinary skillsand ethical beliefs.We are involved in many ongoing

and developing 3D sound projects, andwe truly believe that the future normfor animation of architectural spacewill include the positive modulation ofspace using sound as a creative toolfor architects and designers from theearly stages of their designs – not justas a last-minute, under-budgeted fixfor a problem that could have beeneasily foreseen.

� Martyn Ware is founder and directorof Illustrious:www.illustriouscompany.co.uk

The sonic essence of placeIn future, says sonic architect MartynWare, all senses should be taken intoconsideration when designing public places. His work explores the creativepossibilities of 3D soundscapes in the animation of architectural space

3D SURROUND SOUNDAs a spatial sound designer and ‘sonic architect’, MartynWare has discovered agreat deal about the potential uses of immersive soundscaping during the last tenyears.After his time in the bandsThe Human League and Heaven 17 and workingas a creative consultant on an innovative 3D sound auditorium at the ill-fatedNational Centre for Popular Music in Sheffield in 1999,Ware formed the IllustriousCompany (together with good friend and colleagueVince Clarke from the groupErasure) in 2000 to create new forms of spatialised sound composition using aunique three dimensional surround-sound system called 3DAudioScape, co-designed by Illustrious together with Paul GillieronAcoustic Design.The softwareprovides an elegant and intuitive interface that enhances creative thought anddesign within virtual and real acoustic environments.In collaboration with artists, practitioners and creatives, Illustrious provides

bespoke soundscapes to ‘inhabit’ architectural spaces, exhibitions, art installations,galleries, museums, and live events. Over the past ten years, Illustrious havecreated a vast range of immersive sound installation for many internationallyrenowned clients and organisations around the world.



Living Spaces

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