Hadley Property Group’s Post

Why do some (many) public #spaces fail to attract people? As we have previously mentioned, placemaking innovator William Whyte said: "It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people - what is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished." Understanding how and why public spaces don't work can help to create public spaces that do work. Project for Public Spaces has diagnosed a range of problems that many public spaces have, including: 💺 Lack of places to sit 🦔 Dysfunctional features 🚗 Domination of a space by vehicles 🔲 Blank walls or dead zones around the edges of a place Some of the questions to think about and things we can learn from this playground example in the graphic below include: 😑 How does the space make you feel? Does it invite you to use it? Would you like to spend time here? ☀ It’s a beautiful day and there are no people using the space. Not a good sign!, particularly when it is located 10 metres from a cafe, 15 metres from a library and 20 metres from the entrance to a shopping centre. 🚳 What is the highest priority for this space? Is it ease of maintenance? Is it minimising risk and liability? Or attracting people to use it? Is it a good use of funds to build a playground that nobody uses because it is cheap to maintain? ▶ The play space doesn’t provide much to do, meaning that small children will likely get bored and want to leave quite quickly 🌶 There is a seat, but it isn’t shaded. In some countries, this might be OK, but in the hot West Australian sun it means that people who sit there may not be able to stay for long for most of the year 🚲 There are bicycle racks, but they are placed between where a parent might sit and where children might play Understanding why spaces don't work can help you to create places that are successful. Look around in your local area and find a failing space. Start there. If you need some more guidance, check out our Creating Places Places online course. You have 5 months to complete it. Learn at your own pace, when you have time. Find out more at https://lnkd.in/g9zed_KJ If you work for a local government in Western Australia, you can access any of our online courses or resources for free, thanks to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries! Email hello@placemaking.education for more information. Town Team Movement PlacemakingX Parks and Leisure Australia Vee Design Fourfold Studio Brooke Williams Harriet McKindlay Anna Chauvel Emma Snow Cate Baker Patrycja Rosinska Dean Cracknell Rik Adamski Hans Oerlemans Mike Fisher Nature Play WA

Every building is designed with stairs because they're essential for access. So why are ramps often missing? Accessibility isn’t a privilege—it’s a basic right. Yet, countless buildings, public spaces, and institutions fail to recognize this simple truth. A flight of stairs represents mobility for some, but for others, it’s a barrier. A ramp, however, represents inclusion—a step towards a world where everyone, regardless of ability, can navigate life with dignity. We cannot continue to overlook the importance of inclusive design. Whether it’s schools, offices, hospitals, or shopping centers, these spaces should be accessible to all individuals, including people with disabilities. It's not just about compliance with laws or regulations; it's about fostering equity and respect. Let’s start rethinking how we design the world around us. Let’s #RampUpTheWorld to ensure accessibility for everyone. To bring this message to life, I’ve shared my thoughts in these videos. I’d love for you to take a moment to watch, like, comment, and share. Your support can help amplify this message and inspire others to prioritize accessibility. 📹 Instagram Reel: https://lnkd.in/gsfKjf6S 📹 YouTube Short: https://lnkd.in/gu3AHuTc Together, we can build a world that values inclusion and ensures equal access for all. Let’s take this step towards creating a better, more accessible future! #InclusiveDesign #AccessibilityMatters

🌟 Designing a New School Building? Consider Teacher Retention! 🌟 As school facility committees embark on the journey of designing new buildings, it's crucial to keep teacher retention at the forefront of your planning. A well-designed facility can significantly impact teacher satisfaction and success. Here are some key considerations to set your teachers up for success throughout the day: 1. Comfortable Workspaces: Design classrooms and offices that are spacious, well-lit, and equipped with ergonomic furniture. 2. Break Areas: Provide comfortable, quiet areas where teachers can relax and recharge during breaks. 3. Collaborative Spaces: Create dedicated areas for teachers to collaborate and share ideas, fostering a supportive community. 4. Professional Development: Include spaces for training and professional growth, showing your commitment to their ongoing development. 5. Tech-Ready Environments: Ensure classrooms are equipped with the latest technology to enhance teaching and learning experiences. 6. Health and Wellness: Incorporate features that promote health and wellness, such as natural lighting, ventilation, and outdoor spaces for physical activities. By prioritizing these elements, we can create environments that not only attract but also retain top teaching talent. Let’s design with our teachers in mind and set them up for success every day! Reach out to Hubrich Contracting, Inc.to learn more about how you can support your school team! #TeacherRetention #SchoolDesign #Education #FacilityPlanning #TeacherSuccess #HubrichContracting

THE SOCIAL SPACE Libraries are no longer places only for books, work and study, they are now also vibrant social hubs for interaction and community engagement. The library is a social environment away from people’s homes and workplaces. It is a neutral, inclusive and accessible place – a third place. We design beautiful, flexible community spaces, spaces with cosy seating areas where people can gather for discussions, group study sessions, or simply to relax and socialise. We integrate flexible furniture arrangements that can be easily reconfigured to accommodate different group sizes, events and programmes. We incorporate technology such as interactive displays or digital collaboration tools. Our team design inviting spaces with natural light, comfortable seating, and aesthetically pleasing decor to encourage social interaction and a sense of belonging. We are library people we know the library is an important place for community building, democracy and civic engagement. https://lnkd.in/exipUvGh Why not give us a call? Paula McDermott #librarydesign #designinglibraries #inclusion #democrcy #community #thirdplace

THE WORK SPACE Designing a library involves so much more than just arranging shelves and seating. It's about creating an environment that caters to different needs and activities, from focused work to social interaction. It's about designing a conducive environment for work or study that offers a reprieve from the distractions of home. The design of the workspace within a library plays a pivotal role in fostering productivity and concentration. So many people need to access technology, a work or study place, so the work space in a library must provide ample desk space, comfortable seating and good lighting. Implementing soundproofing or acoustic treatments and access to power outlets and charging stations for laptops and devices Work spaces can range from closed study cells, pods and meeting room to teaching areas and workplaces within the open library space. Work zones are often complemented by social seating areas and perhaps cafes as even the most disciplined student eventually needs a coffee! What’s your work style? We'd love a chat! Paula McDermott #librarydesign #designinglibraries #workspaces Library Association of Ireland CILIP: The library and information association #Libraries #access Libraries Unlimited South West Public Libraries 2030 Libraries Connected https://lnkd.in/esg8FTmE

As Americans’ focus on mental health grows, more public spaces are becoming centers for self-care and support. In our State of Community Facility Design survey, we delve into these trends and forecast what’s next for design. Here are a few ways you can enhance your next project: 🌳 Bring the outdoors in: Add plants, natural light, and earthy textures to reduce stress and create a calming atmosphere. 🔄 Design for flexibility: Create spaces that can adapt for quiet reflection or group activities to meet emotional and social needs. 🔇 Minimize noise, maximize focus: Use sound-absorbing materials and quiet zones to create peaceful environments in busy public spaces. We’ve found that communities thrive when design focuses on both well-being and function. Explore our full report: https://lnkd.in/epySaxzx

Earlier this fall, Urban Land Institute shared insights from working with municipalities nationwide to re-envision downtowns. Traditional 'downtown' business districts are transitioning into vibrant social and cultural spaces. Now more than ever, placemaking—including art, events, and design in public and ‘in-between’ spaces—is essential. As cities consider new visual identities and community-centered real estate planning, we’re excited to be part of this change. https://lnkd.in/ee5xx4i4

A good city is like a good party - people stay longer than really necessary, because they are enjoying themselves 🗨 💡 Jan Gehl Love this post from Atul Bansal MA FRSA about re-energising community through new ways of development and regeneration, especially emphasising the importance of day time activity in the public realm as part of animating a real and living place! This is particularly important for new developments where a sense of the community's ownership and use of their public realm is in its infancy. In combination with carefully chosen indoor uses (love the learning angle from Atul), one of the best ways to nurture this sense of community in our new outdoor public spaces is to give permission and opportunity. Make spaces that people can easily engage with! This can look like a number of different things, but one of the best catalysts for engagement in the public realm is play. Delivering a playable landscape (not just the swings...!) as the context for new development allows people of all ages to congregate around a shared enjoyment. With a few practicalities like shelter, shade and a functioning outdoor lunch spot to stretch out the amount of time you might spend in a space, a playable landscape can bring the daytime energy that an establishing community really needs. #publicrealm #play #community #landscapedesign #playdesign #playablelandscape #development #regeneration #architecture #landscapearchitecture

I recently attended this very interesting seminar presented by Hal Mellen and featuring three well-designed apartment schemes in London - Peckam Road, Royal Road and Wharf Road. The key findings were: - Limiting the number of apartments in a building encourages collective responsibility and more frequent use of communal spaces. (I note that the current Irish Guidelines to limit/encourage apartment buildings to minimise cores with up to 12 apartments per core per floor works against this.) - Combining shared pathways and communal areas encourages brief social interactions and strengthens community ties. - Externalized circulation spaces (e.g., hallways outside apartments) can facilitate neighbour interactions, and bike storage areas can become social hubs if well-integrated with shared spaces. - Physical proximity to shared spaces encouraged use and permitting children to play in them. (This is a challenge for more high-rise buildings.) - Physical design factors play a role but are not the only determinant in fostering social interaction. The was an indication that residents with an ownership stake were more likely to be engaged. Hal has his research paper on this topic available for download at the website below.

🌆 Early Engagement in Action: The Future of Regent Street's Public Realm 🔗 Link to ECF's full blogpost: https://lnkd.in/e9H7WRhM Community engagement timing is crucial for project success. A standout example is the Regent Street Public Realm Vision, where the team prioritised early engagement with visitors, local residents and businesses. Innovatively, the project team went beyond traditional methods by hosting six workshops and four pop-up events right on Regent Street. They swapped static exhibition boards for interactive ones where people could leave feedback on post-it notes while shopping or commuting. At ECF, we're inspired by such creative strategies that are tailor made to include the community from the start. We're eager to see the ongoing progress of this project managed by Westminster City Council and The Crown Estate. 📄 For the full report on Regent Street’s vision, click here: https://lnkd.in/euPfi_Ei. #CommunityEngagement #UrbanDevelopment #InnovativeConsultation #RegentStreet