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Setting the structure forsuccessful place activation

Alisha Baker and Ai Ogawa Village Well

Mainstreets and public spaces undergo natural cycles as the surrounding environment, social trends and people around them change.

Village Well’s recent work in Hobart focused on activation projects on two varied scales - a ‘micro’ public space and a new mixed-use precinct nestled in the historic waterfront.

7000 (TAS)

Australia

TAS

Macquarie Point

Collins Court

Hobart

1. Research

2. Engagement

3. Recommendations

4. Implementation

5. Review

Structure for place activation

Search for the gems and meaning for people in their place people watch - observing the rituals & rhythms of place.

What makes this place special?

How has this place/its people/environment changed?

1. Research

The wisdom is in the community

Pull together a range of people with diverse needs & ideas

Inspire and empower

Establish a group of champions

Keep it fun!

2. Engagement

Familiarise the community to the longer term vision

Identify what the community can do themselves

Test the possibilities before committing long term

3. Recommendations

Get some quick wins off the ground

Empower project champions

Build partnerships

Use this stage to learn and be open to adapt

Get people excited

4. Implementation

Be open to change - whilst respectful of the vision

What works, what doesn’t? Ask around

Update longer term strategies to reflect findings from quick wins

5. Review

Collins Court is part of Hobart’s network of laneways and acades, connecting shopping streets and key destinations.

We will explore how our team assisted the community to re-engage and re-imagine Collins Court, one of Hobart’s most underused public spaces.

Collins Court

Collins Court is part of Hobart’s networks of laneways and arcade, connecting shopping streets and key destinations.

Collins Court

Map: Adapted from Public Spaces and Public Life – A City with a People in Mind (2010), Gehl Architects

ST DAvID'S CAThEDRAl

hOBART MuMS NETwORk

TO wATERfRONT

Collins Court is connected to several community places, arcades and

transportation hub and the waterfront beyond

Therefore it was important that these local

stakeholders were engaged, and further, take part in

activation of Collins Court

> Inspire the participants with stories> Go to where people are> Brainstorm in place > Find project champions> Continue to engage

Engaging the community

Quick winPop-up

Community Garden

Quick winMoo Brew

Laneway Party

Quick winPop-up Tree

Bombing Workshop

Macquarie Point, a former industrial precinct, is slowly being transformed into a new mixed-use destination within Hobart’s historic waterfront.

Through temporary activation ideas and longer-term strategies, its revitalisation will be rolled out slowly to introduce the public to the site for the first time in over 200 years.

Macquarie Point

Site’s history

Unique characteristic of place - what makes it different?

Local community - who are they, what are their needs?

Working with your neighbours

People watching - what are key rituals for locals & visitors

Local politics - what does the site mean for the local people?

understanding the place

The rhythms of placeIn the sun & out of the rain; feeling connected to the river and mountain

One-to-one conversations

Get everyone together to create a shared vision

listen to each other and develop partnerships

Brainstorm ideas with key partners

Partner with events for community engagement

Gaining a wide perspectivethrough conversation

Partner with events for community engagementGetting community feedback on the Masterplan coincided with Dark Mofo with the site temporarily transformed into ‘Dark Park’ - a cultural destination for large scale public art works

Challenges

• Not everyone knew the site intimately

• Working with smaller councils who do not have access to all data - would have been helpful to be guided by a community needs assessment

• Try to get as many varied people and ideas to contribute to conversation - even more workshops!

Gaining a wide perspectivethrough conversation

Short term quick wins

• Setting the tone early through type of events

• Welcoming the community - events and opening small sites

• Building partnerships & local ownership

• Invite those who have been eager along the way

Ideas

• Prioristise projects that piggyback on elements already working

• Focus on benefiting the existing community first

• Utilise exisiting buildings on street for temporary activation

• Partnerships are key

• Continue momentum and jump on opportunities that align with the vision as they come your way

Implementation

Challenges• Things change! Be flexible (to a degree) on ideas to be implemented but hold

position on the vision (as this is the shared vision)

• If this vision needs to change, then you need to agree on this with the community

Implementation

• Talk to a range of people

• Develop a vision and principles which everyone owns• Use temporary opportunities to start delivering the vision• Curate opportunities to bring members of community in• Have a dedicated team and place champions

Collins Court & Macquarie Point - lessons leant

Thanks!