Place Trends Report

Top Ten Global Trendsredefining how we live / work / eat / shop / stay and play

2012

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sydney

david grant Strategy Director

2 Hampden Street Paddington NSW 2021

+61 2 9332 4781 david.grant@placeassociates.com.au

singapore

paul ocolisan General Manager

74C Duxton Road Singapore 089533

+65 6534 9366 paul.ocolisan@placeassociates.com.au

MelBoUrne

georgia Jenkins Project Manager

1/1A McGoun Street Richmond VIC 3121

+61 3 9428 2741 georgia.jenkins@placeassociates.com.au

los angeles

sonja källström Senior Strategist

+1 213 255 5457 sonja.kallstrom@placeassociates.com.au

www.placeassociates.com.au twitter: @placeassociates

We have gathered the most progressive property and destination marketing examples from the past 12 months.

we have used them to determine the top ten trends that will define how we live / work / eat / shop / stay and play.

Draw on them to inspire your own thinking and provide your customers with experiences that are one step ahead of your competitors.

Please share this report freely with your colleagues – all the information contained within the document is published under the Creative Commons licence.

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about place associates

we are a property consultancy which works with the owners and operators of destinations to create experiences that attract customers.

Place Associates delivers long-term return on investment by offering memorable and remarkable experiences. In everything we do, we aim to create experiences that encourage people to actively choose to visit a destination, stay longer, spend more money and pay a premium for products or services. The financial benefits are that visitors return more often, tell their friends, spread the word, attract loyalty and become true advocates for the place. By making a destination more desirable, the financial return and value of your property asset will increase.

about this publication

The Place Trends Report is published annually, with launch presentations held in August of each year. More regular updates are made to the Trends section of our website: www.placeassociates.com.au

The report was compiled from December 2011 to February 2012 and all information was accurate at the time of publication. Every effort has been made to identify individual photographers and copyright holders where appropriate, but for some photographs this has not been possible. We would be pleased to hear from any copyright holders who have not been acknowledged and will include their details in future editions.

Top Ten Place Trends 2012

please note

Dynamic links have been placed throughout this document to help you navigate to the relevant sections. The Main Menu at the top right of each section returns you to this page. Alternatively, you can click through from start to finish, just like a book. happy reading!

all hail the artist / leveraging artists’ profiles to increase customer appeal

precinct inc. / Unifying districts through collective marketing strategies

the return of the spectacle / Utilising the power of performance to capture attention

olde is the new nu / attracting the creative set with the offer of space

location Communication / speaking to audiences based exclusively on geographical position

loyalty has its rewards / acknowledging the value of loyal advocates

we’re all in this together / engaging customers through a sense of community

the art of sharing / Creating meaningful connections through giving

place Champions / harnessing the passion within a local area

the democratisation of development / opening the development process to engage the community

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leveraging artists’ profiles to inCrease CUstoMer appeal –

Benefits for the place Provides a location with a defined identity and targeted appeal

Benefits for the customer Creates a clear and differentiated offer

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All Hail the Artist

02 / rainbow City, friendswithyou, nyC

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developers have been harnessing the appeal of art and artists since the resurgence of new york’s soho in the 1960s. landowners have long recognised the simple principle that people like being around creative types – whether they themselves are creative or not.

Creative individuals have the ability to imagine ‘what could be’ rather than ‘what is’ and it is this boundless mindset coupled with a strong sense of entrepreneurship that offers a diverse range of one-off experiences and renews places.

While the SoHo model has been replicated in countless other cities, efforts to engage the art community in order to enrich the local community and increase property values are becoming more sophisticated. Rather than merely using artists or designers as brand names or endorsers, marketers and developers are integrating them throughout the development plan. Las Vegas’s CityCenter is a large-scale example of this type of approach where art has been considered not just for its potential to beautify but for the point of difference it provides. Works by renowned international artists were integrated into public areas to attract visitors and the collection has received widespread acclaim.

All Hail the Artist

03 / las vegas CityCenter, las vegas

Creating a strong point of difference through art is also at the heart of the Art Series Hotels, but recently the hotel group took this one step further with the ‘Steal Banksy’ promotion. The hotel chain gave its guests the opportunity to ‘steal’, daring them to locate and remove two artworks by UK street artist Banksy during a set period. If successful, the piece was theirs to keep, but if caught ‘red-handed’, the guests were required to return it. Banksy, a long-time proponent of challenging the status quo, would

have loved the idea and it seemed guests did as well. The initiative received much coverage across social media and no doubt generated significant returns for the chain.

Art-based promotions are not limited to destinations claiming to be linked to the art world. The past year has seen numerous authorities and organisations use art to enliven a place. Rainbow City, an environmental installation in New York, was one such example. The installation comprised a series of large brightly coloured inflatable objects and was housed adjacent to Section 2 of Manhattan’s High Line project. The vibrant air-filled sculptures drew people to a previously unused part of the city and invited them to engage in a memorable experience. This in turn served as a springboard for future development of the area.

project examples

Las Vegas CityCenter, Las Vegas Steal Banksy, Art Series Hotels Rainbow City, FriendsWithYou, NYC Laneways Project, City of Sydney council Naoshima, Japan

Creating a strong point of difference through art

All Hail the Artist

04 / naoshima, Japan

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Unifying distriCts throUgh ColleCtive Marketing strategies –

Benefits for the place Helps the customer perceive the precinct as a stand-alone destination

Benefits for the customer Links disparate retailers to create a unified experience

Precinct Inc.

06 / surry hills, sydney

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stand-alone retail developments have used their collective pulling power for years. now, in response, main street retailers are regrouping to offer a united proposition to the market.

While this is global trend, a number of recent examples have emerged from Australia during the shopping frenzy of Christmas. ‘Appreciate the Point’, a marketing initiative by the Potts Point Partnership and supported by the City of Sydney council, had retailers in Sydney’s Potts Point banding together to attract shoppers to the area through a series of launch parties and distinctive one-off events. At the same time the nearby suburb of Surry Hills, through the Surry Hills Association along with the City of Sydney council, was promoting its own Christmas offer, ‘Surry Hills Open Late’.

This type of precinct-based marketing poses a real threat to traditional shopping malls, particularly in countries where the weather (or other factors such as security concerns) does not

require retailers to be in controlled, contained spaces. Precincts such as these are great places with a broad range of retailers interspersed with community amenities. Crown Street, in the heart of Surry Hills, typifies all the qualities that remarkable shopping experiences tend to provide: clear open spaces, a diverse mix of retailers, a good dose of cafes, bars and restaurants and an entrenched sense of identity.

Precinct Inc.

07 / surry hills, sydney

Precinct Inc.

Internationally, this trend was seen in the ‘Wish You Were Here’ transatlantic promotion. Staged in conjunction with Central London’s Newburgh Quarter and Manhattan’s Lower East Side Business Improvement District, ‘Wish You Were Here’ invited retailers to switch between the two cities for a short period. As the two districts of both cities shared a similar philosophy, the pop-up swap was a natural fit and created renewed interest in the areas.

It’s interesting to note that this new approach of creating precinct brands through unifying marketing efforts is being assisted by local authorities and business groups.

project examples

Appreciate the Point, Potts Point Partnership, Sydney Surry Hills Open Late, Surry Hills Association, Sydney Wish You Were Here, ‘i-am’ Beyond, Newburgh Quarter, London, and Lower East Side Business Improvement District, NYC Lower East Side Business Improvement District, NYC, Stand-alone example (lowereastsideny.com)

Creating precinct brands through unifying marketing efforts

08 / wish you were here, ny and london

The Return of the Spectacle

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Utilising the power of perforManCe to CaptUre attention –

Benefits for the place Focuses customer attention in a competitive and crowded market

Benefits for the customer Offers experiences that are truly remarkable and change long-term brand association

photo by Xxxxx

09 / rink by Uniqlo, high line, nyC

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The Return of the Spectacle

It is not a digital campaign sent to thousands of unsuspecting targets; it is a one-off memorable interaction. The intensity and drama of such encounters provide customers with meaningful reasons to return to that space and speak highly of the experience to others.

One of the most recent developments to channel this type of theatre – this time on screen – is LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, where a diverse showcase of sport and entertainment is on offer both day and night. Similarly the Quartier des Spectacles Montreal, a hub of local and international cultural activities and festivals, brings together the best of the city’s entertainment options in the one place.

Developers and operators need to offer these kinds of attractions

to create a point of difference in an increasingly homogenised digital world. Tailored experiences, especially those that utilise the art of performance, are a direct counterpoint to the streamlined efficiencies that can strip many brands of their soul, at least in the eyes of the customer. Even if a business is not known for performance per se, it can support opportunities where it is likely to occur. One such example is the Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo, which sponsored and staged ‘The Lot’, a roller skating rink adjacent to Stage 2 of the High Line in New York. This promotion drew scores of existing and potential customers for some summertime frivolity. Importantly it revealed the brand as playful, generous and engaged with its customers.

in an age when customers are looking for something genuinely eye-catching, the power of performance cannot be denied. a mesmerising spectacle or experience captures the customer’s attention, and rightly so.

project examples

Carnival, NYC LA Live, LA Quartier des Spectacles, Montreal Rink by Uniqlo, High Line, NYC

10 / Quartier des spectacles, Montreal

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attraCting the Creative set with the offer of spaCe –

Benefits for the place Renews an under-utilised asset, increasing its appeal and value

Benefits for the customer Provides access to affordable spaces close to inner-city locations

Olde is the New Nu

12 / detroit City, Us

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in a post-gfC social order, abandoned places are taking on a new lease of life. gone are the days of extravagance; by contrast, the last year has seen the rise of places, precincts and cities that play up an unrefined character.

Related to Trend 1 (All Hail the Artist) is the fact that affordable and often unoccupied spaces are attractive to a range of users, and developers are now drawing on this idea to grow the value of their assets over a long period with minimal capital investment. Generally by the time the boutique hotels move in, perceptions have changed and the area is ripe for investment.

This was exactly how Maboneng Precinct in downtown Johannesburg saw its fortunes improve. Originally a dangerous area close to the heart of the CBD, the precinct was vacant for decades – that is, until the creative community arrived. They were attracted to the large open-plan warehouse spaces, ideal for flexible desk configurations or skate half-pipes –

whichever took their fancy. Once the 12 Decades Art Hotel opened, the transformation was complete.

A similar pattern has emerged in recent times in Detroit, a city eroded by decades of decline. This 20th century centre of industry has the dubious honour of being the only American city to have once had more than 1 million inhabitants, yet its population now stands below that figure. But from the stories of despair are glimpses of new life. Much of the recent owner-operator commerce has been targeted towards Detroit, with several start-up retailers commenting in the Lemonade Detroit film trailer that they were drawn to the city because it offered the best opportunity to build their enterprise.

Olde is the New Nu

13 / 12 decades art hotel, J’burg

14 / old london Underground, london

This same ‘blank canvas’ appeal can be found across the Atlantic too. Businessman Ajit Chambers has recognised that London’s expansive underground tube network, famous for housing the population during the Blitz, provides opportunities to turn unused tube stations and bomb shelters into permanent tourist attractions. The Old London Underground plans to open the first site, the abandoned Brompton Road station, in time for the 2012 Olympic Games.

And in Australia, property group GPT, together with Arts NSW, has been instrumental in establishing the Renew Newcastle program to revitalise the city’s CBD. The initiative aims to find artists, cultural projects and community groups to use and maintain empty and derelict spaces until they become commercially viable, bringing life to otherwise decaying spaces.

project examples

Gary Indiana, US Lemonade Detroit, Film Project, US Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg Old London Underground, London Renew Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia

Bringing life to otherwise decaying spaces

Olde is the New Nu

15 / old london Underground, london

Location Communication

speaking to aUdienCes Based eXClUsively on geographiCal position –

Benefits for the place Connects customers in close proximity to the physical destination

Benefits for the customer Offers highly relevant information based on geographical location 05

16 / park patrol, iphone application, australia

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Westfield, the largest shopping mall operator in the world, launched the Find My Car iPhone application in late 2011. Unfortunately the fanfare was short-lived as one avid hacker proved that would-be thieves and jealous lovers could use the service to their advantage. Regardless, the value of a service that facilitates the post-shop car search cannot be denied.

While such services make for a more pleasant experience, the next generation of applications will use the power of crowd-sourcing and real-time information to provide an even greater level of detail. The Park Patrol iPhone application is one such example, which allows users to upload their vehicle’s current location and receive alerts from other users when parking inspectors are in the vicinity. This trust-based

application represents a renewed sense of community, with the system only working if enough users register their observations.

Another example of a similar global notification service arose from the 2011 Japanese earthquake and subsequent nuclear fallout. Following the Fukushima meltdown, thousands of measurements of radiation levels were taken by vigilant owners of Geiger counters and posted to the website RDTN.org. Concerned residents could check the latest radiation levels across Japan and as far afield as the US.

The power of geographical data is seen in more practical terms in the NYC Open Data project, supported by the City of New York and IBM. The organisations have come together to launch an online resource for

Location Communication

over the next few years we will see rapid change in the area of location-based technologies. in recent times destinations and retailers have managed to harness the power of localised push promotions through applications such as shopalerts and Crowdbeacon.

18 / rdtn.org, Japan

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residents and visitors. Covering every aspect of geographical placement, from public amenities to train stations, the service is a mine of information which has the potential to significantly change how people navigate this metropolis.

Perhaps on a smaller scale, visitors to the Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA, in Hobart are given location-based iPod units that offer interactive audio tours. Each device detects the location of the visitor relating to the artworks and in response offers a range of functions allowing the user to customise the tour to suit their interests. However, the experience

does not end at the conclusion of the tour. Afterwards, visitors have the ability to go online and download an audio file of their exact tour to relive the experience or share with friends.

project examples

Crowdbeacon iPhone application, Global ShopAlerts by AT&T, US Find My Car iPhone Application, Westfield, Australia Park Patrol, iPhone Application, Australia RDTN.org, Japan NYC Open Data (with IBM), US MONA iPhone Tour, Hobart

Location Communication

Harnessing localised push promotions through applications

19 / nyC open data (with iBM), Us

Loyalty Has its Rewards

aCknowledging the valUe of loyal advoCates –

Benefits for the place Retains existing customers while attracting new ones

Benefits for the customer Rewards behaviours that would typically pass unnoticed

0620 / open house, the design files, australia

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the long-awaited high-street fightback is in full swing. the threat of online retailing has propelled local retailers towards a model of differentiated and value-added service.

For many store operators rewarding loyalty was the cornerstone of their customer retention strategy. Now the same technology that has assisted online retailers is proving advantageous for physical retailers with applications such as shopkick and WeReward giving brands the opportunity to connect with their customers via social media and provide shopper rewards. Both applications originated in the United States and have the backing of large-scale retailers Macy’s, Target, Crate and Barrel, Toys’R’Us and Best Buy. In the Southern Hemisphere, QuickerFeet is leading the charge in push promotions and loyalty rewards for retailers. AMP Capital Shopping Centres has adopted the technology as its application of choice. The partner list reads like a shopping centre directory covering businesses in the retail, leisure, hospitality and tourism sectors. At the same time

brands that have previously only been seen in the digital world are appearing in the real world. Global auction site eBay has implemented a new strategy to attract that remaining 60 per cent of the world’s population that has never visited the site – to engage the power of physical retailing. Over Christmas 2011, eBay launched its own temporary store in London’s West End. The pop-up gained widespread media coverage. Beyond the hype the initiative provided two main benefits to the brand: the opportunity to reward loyal eBay users through invite-only openings and exposing eBay novices to the brand through the unexpected medium of physical retail. For those customers who are resistant to the unknown elements of online retail, the physical manifestation demonstrated a tangible commitment to the buyer, giving them the ability to touch, try and see items before committing to a purchase.

Loyalty Has its Rewards

21 / eBay Christmas Boutique, london

In a similar style Australian design blog The Design Files is allowing small-scale producers the opportunity to showcase their wares in a physical environment through its Open House campaign. For a limited time, subscribers to the blog could visit a styled residence with every item on display for sale. This novel way of retailing has the potential to provide new brands and producers a foothold and customers access to one-off designs.

project examples

shopkick iPhone application, US WeReward iPhone application, US QuickerFeet, iPhone application, Australia ebay Christmas Boutique, London Open House, The Design Files, Australia

Loyalty Has its Rewards

22 / open house, the design files, australia

We’re All in This Together

engaging CUstoMers throUgh a sense of CoMMUnity –

Benefits for the place Supports the social vitality and financial viability of an area

Benefits for the customer Provides diverse experiences in a context of communal engagement 07

23 / restart, Cashel Mall, Christchurch

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This communal understanding finds application from commercial to philanthropic activities and can instil civic pride.

At the more commercial end of the scale are cult motorcycle and bicycle retail brands Deus and Sable & Argent. Based on a collective love of recreational pursuits, each of these brands has proved that communal spaces located around the city fringe can provide the springboard for more commercial endeavours. Located in Sydney’s inner Eastern enclave of Woolloomooloo, Sable & Argent’s 400-square-metre warehouse space is the perfect hub for cycling enthusiasts and mirrors Northern Hemisphere examples such as the London-based Rapha Cycle Club pop-up store, cafe, gallery and meeting spot. As each of these

brands has realised, good community is good business.

For developers of residential and mixed-use projects, community has been interpreted as communal. Inspired by successful examples in Europe, numerous developments across Australia are now incorporating an enviable range of common facilities. Society in Melbourne’s South Yarra is one such development which offers its residents the use of facilities that would usually be seen in five-star hotels. While many of the apartments in the development are small studios, the owners are not limited to hosting dinner parties for two. Rather, residents are given access to a 14-person dining and lounge space for their occasional parties. Afterwards guests can even migrate to the rooftop to view a movie in deckchairs.

the post-gfC social structure has shifted from one of individuality to community. places with a defined and entrenched sense of community are more desirable for two significant reasons: they offer localised experiences and provide opportunities to create meaningful change.

We’re All in This Together

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24 / sable & argent, sydney

We’re All in This Together

Of course, true community is more about public spaces and nothing is more public than public transport. Danish authorities have launched a campaign to facilitate interactions between members of the public. ‘The Love Seat’ offers a designated spot on each public bus for those looking for love or social interaction. While the campaign is more of a talking point than a practical matchmaking service, it represents a general awareness of community engagement and the desire to interact with those around us.

These types of community interactions are especially important in times of disaster. Following Christchurch’s recent series of earthquakes, the city experienced this need firsthand. One of the first signs of its resurgence was the pop-up shopping precinct ReStart at Cashel Mall, which used a series of eye-catching shipping containers to re-establish the main retail area. This temporary solution has proved hugely popular with locals looking to congregate during a fairly bleak period.

From rebuilding places to connecting them, the Garage Sale Trail, held across Australia in 2011, offered people the opportunity to connect with their local community through a series of linked garage sales. The website listed sale locations which allowed shoppers to form their own itinerary. Interestingly, big developers such as Stockland also supported the initiative as they identified with the community-centred philosophy of the event.

project examples

Sable & Argent, Sydney Society, South Yarra, Melbourne Love Seat, Copenhagen Buses, Copenhagen ReStart, Cashel Mall, Christchurch Garage Sale Trail, Australia

27 / restart, Cashel Mall, Christchurch

26 / garage sale trail, australia

The Art of Sharing

Creating MeaningfUl ConneCtions throUgh giving –

Benefits for the place Demonstrates commitment to your audience to create a point of distinction

Benefits for the customer Provides a sense of surprise which creates positive brand associations

0828 / the lost and found hotel, right angle studio, Melbourne

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Everyone loves receiving something for nothing

The Art of Sharing

Everyone loves receiving something for nothing, especially when it’s unexpected. Related to Trend 3 (The Return of the Spectacle) is the desire for customers to be surprised and rewarded by operators of destinations. Botany Town Centre in Auckland, owned by AMP Capital Shopping Centres, would be just another mall on the horizon if it had not been for a smart and simple promotion run throughout February 2011. Termed ‘Freebruary’, the initiative was aimed at capturing the attention of customers during a low period of trade. The premise was straightforward: if customers were photographed by a roaming and anonymous representative holding an item that they intended soon to purchase, then they could keep that item for free. Since the operators decided which customers they picked, there was no possibility of a budget blowout. The month-long promotion generated online attention and fuelled local word-of-mouth.

Similarly, KLM managed to generate millions in online and offline promotion through its ‘How Happiness Spreads’

initiative. Again the execution was simple; representatives of the brand would trawl Twitter for mentions of the airline and foursquare for passengers checking in. Once they had identified the tastes of the individual (through some online stalking), they tracked them down to offer an appropriate present – nothing expensive, just a small practical item.

From small gifts to entire trips, V Australia harnessed the Art of Sharing through its promotion ‘4320’. Inspired by other travel-based competitions such as Tourism Queensland’s ‘Best Job in the World’, the competition invited customers to apply for an

30 / the lost and found hotel, Melbourne

29 / v australia 4320, australia

The Art of Sharing

all-expenses-paid weekend in either Los Angeles or Sydney. The lucky winners were required to document their 4230 minutes in the city through Twitter and Facebook.

Of course many of these examples are equally philanthropic and commercial, but other brands are starting to do something for nothing – or at least to appear that way. The ‘Lost and Found Hotel’, presented by Tourism Victoria and staged by Right Angle Studio, is an example of something for nothing. Potential tourists are encouraged to sign up for a Victorian tourism guide and in return are eligible for free accommodation at the single-room ‘hotel’, kitted out with a range of claimed and pre-loved items and providing a great place to rest one’s head for the night. Moving further down the philanthropic scale, the Australian gourmet burger brand Grill’d has launched ‘Local Matters’. The initiative rewards customers with the opportunity to donate money to local charities and issues. On a monthly basis, each outlet gives three prizes from $200 to $500 depending on

the level of public support. There are numerous reasons why this idea returns a significantly higher value to the brand than the financial outlay.

The global movement PARK(ing) Day is an example of a truly not-for-profit manifestation of this trend. On a designated day each year organisers encourage urban dwellers to claim a metered parking spot or two for their own personal enjoyment. Aiming to create new forms of public space in city areas, participants have built free health clinics, run political seminars, created art installations and even held a wedding ceremony, all while vehicles pass by as usual – the ‘Art of Sharing’ at its best.

project examples

Freebruary, Botany Town Centre, Auckland KLM, How Happiness Spreads, Amsterdam V Australia, 4320:LA/4320:SYD, Australia The Lost and Found Hotel, Right Angle Studio, Melbourne Local Matters, Grill’d, Australia (PARK)ing Day, Global

31 / (park)ing day, global

Place Champions

harnessing the passion within a loCal area –

Benefits for the place Mobilises passionate followers in the role of loyal advocates

Benefits for the customer Provides residents and visitors with an improved experience

0932 / Broken City lab, windsor, ontario

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when did we all start caring so much about our local community? only time will tell whether 2011 was the year of the ‘place Champion’ – those self-appointed evangelists who staunchly defend the rights of residents in a place, area or city.

These groups identify opportunities to support the local commerce, enterprise and interactions of the people that they represent. Usually drawn together by the common desire of improving the livable qualities of a given place, these place champions are a disparate collection of artists, designers, businesspeople and concerned citizens.

One such example is the ‘Broken City Lab’ group in Windsor, Ontario, who have fought against the seemingly unstoppable trend of population loss. Tired of seeing generations of locals leave this mid- sized city, the Broken City Lab started to explore ways of retaining and ultimately attracting people to their city. A series of commercial and artistic endeavours, coupled with old-fashioned community gatherings, have helped stem the tide.

Place Champions

33 / Broken City lab, windsor, ontario

Place Champions

Over the other side of the Great Lakes, in the US state of Michigan, the capital of Detroit has, until recently, long been associated with decline and decay. The crowd-funded documentary Lemonade Detroit, also mentioned in Trend 4 (Olde is the New Nu), which celebrates lemonade-stall-style businesses, shows how the city is picking itself up again. Most of the testimonials are from passionate place champions who, instead of leaving, are now reaping the rewards of staying in a city where rent is free and the community steadfast.

Even educational institutions have begun studying the movement by trying to quantify the value of safe areas versus unsafe areas. ‘Place Pulse’, run by the MIT Media Lab in 2011, aimed to decipher the elements of desirable places through crowd-sourced responses to urban imagery. It is hoped that by better understanding how people perceive certain urban features, the data can be used by local governments to improve problem areas and increase the inhabitants’ happiness. It’s possible that the results will launch a new generation of place champions, this time armed with equal amounts of passion and information.

project examples

Broken City Lab, Windsor, Ontario Lemonade Detroit, Film Project, US Pulse Project, MIT Media Lab, US

Increasing the inhabitants’ happiness

34 / pulse project, Mit Media lab, Us

35 / detroit City, Us

opening the developMent proCess to engage the CoMMUnity –

Benefits for the place Minimises risk throughout the development process

Benefits for the customer Creates places that respond to the needs of the user

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The Democratisation of Development

36 / highrise: one Millionth tower, Canada

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The Democratisation of Development

following on from trend 9 (place Champions) is the movement towards democratised development. while government authorities continue to set the parameters for development, the number of influences on the process has increased.

Large-scale developments were the first to require greater levels of transparency and community scrutiny. The massive harbourside redevelopment project Barangaroo, on the western edge of Sydney’s CBD, is an example of this increased public and professional involvement, with everyone from the original masterplanner through to neighbouring residents and even former prime ministers expressing opinions about the proposal. To minimise disruption and uncertainty, developers are embracing greater levels of engagement, particularly during the early formative stages of a project. This strategy ensures disagreement is contained to an expected few and has the added benefit of producing a more comprehensive solution

that acknowledges a range of professional views.

Place Associates took this very approach for the Reinvention Series of Workshops as part of the Victorian State of Design Festival. The most recent session, held in 2011, examined the Fishermans Bend stretch of the Yarra, currently an industrial precinct situated in close proximity to the CBD, and sought the views of 50 professionals working across the areas of architecture, urban design, engineering, place making, art and social integration along with the relevant government bodies.

37 / fishermans Bend workshop, Melbourne

The value of this ‘democratic’ approach is widely recognised by authorities, including the South Australian government. ‘5000 plus’ is the urban renewal arm of the South Australian Integrated Design Commission and was established to provide a conduit between citizens and professionals and the authorities determining the policy agenda. In the future, we can expect other government bodies at state and national levels to adopt this model to encourage sustainable, risk-free development.

Globally there is a range of initiatives which engage everyday people in the ongoing fight to improve the built environment in which they live, work and play. The Canadian documentary One Millionth Tower offers insights into how participatory design can transform the typically bland and uninspiring urban-scape of high-rise apartment buildings. Meanwhile a group of concerned and committed individuals based in New York have taken this idea one step further by establishing ‘+ Pool’. Funded by individuals and businesses

through the Kickstarter website, the initiative aims ultimately to build a floating Olympic-sized swimming pool in the Hudson River. The bold plan is in the early stages of testing, but anything is possible – especially when you have 1200 financial backers and ARUP on board.

project examples

Fishermans Bend Workshop (part of Victorian State of Design), Melbourne 5000 plus, South Australian Integrated Design Commission, South Australia One Millionth Tower, Film Project, Canada + Pool, Development Funding Project (Kickstarter), NYC

The Democratisation of Development

Encouraging sustainable, risk-free development

39 / + pool, development funding project, nyC

38 /

Place Clients / Partners

You will be invited to a preview of 2013 trends which will be presented in Sydney and Melbourne in August 2012.

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photography Credits

01 reto fetz / flickr 02 dave pinter / flickr 03 thomas hawk / flickr 04 todd lappin / flickr 05 merec0 / flickr 06 Bernard tan / bernardtan.com 07 threthny / flickr 08 lam thuy vo / flickr 09 masami / flickr 10 doug / flickr 11 art_inthecity / flickr 12 urban archaeology / flickr 13 designboom / designboom.com 14 elliott Brown / flickr 15 John turner / flickr 16 vladimer shioshvili / flickr kit Cowan / flickr little about / littleabout.com 17 rosefirerising / flickr 18 nokton / flickr 19 eric fischer / flickr 20 sean fennessy / thedesignfiles.net 21 ebayink / flickr 22 John deer / thedesignfiles.net 23 nick thompson / flickr 24 sable & argent / sableandargent.com.au 25 sable & argent / sableandargent.com.au

Credits

trends research Place Associates editing and production Ginny Grant design Michelle Teh typeface Didot and Helvetica Neue

Creative Commons Copyright licence place associates 2012 All material from this publication should be credited and may not be used for commercial purposes, amended or edited.

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26 sust.a.hood / sustahood.com 27 chumaynZ / flickr 28 gary a. k. / flickr 29 Ben smith / bencgsmith.com 30 kim Bentley / flickr 31 Jin / flickr 32 Broken City lab / brokencitylab.org 33 Broken City lab / brokencitylab.org 34 anthony devincenzi / fastcodesign.com 35 shane gorski / flickr 36 Jaime hogge / National Film Board of Canada 37 tom wells / e-2 38 + pool / pluspool.org 39 + pool / pluspool.org