New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 30/12 | Page 44
SECTOR REPORT MASTERPLANNING
TACTICAL URBANISM
Trialling designs for public feedback may enhance our urban spaces. Jasmax
senior landscape architect Gary Marshall puts the case for tactical urbanism
While Henry Ford and creativity aren’t words
often used in the same sentence, there might be
something to be learned about the creative process
from his response when asked about the invention
of the motor vehicle. On the subject Ford said, “If
I’d stopped to ask people, they would’ve told me
they wanted a faster horse”.
As designers, our role is to create something
new, but new is different, and difficult for many
of us to imagine, particularly for those who don’t
understand what is and isn’t possible.
To combat this problem, historically we’ve used
sketches, models and renders to help us communicate our ideas. But while these can be visually
strong, they don’t account for all the things that
make a place real; there’s no sound, no smell,
nothing to touch and no atmosphere to feel. In this
sense, clients and users of a space are asked to
make vital decisions that will impact the design
without all the information they actually need.
Tactical Urbanism, while sounding a bit like a
branch of a SWAT team, is a new design methodology that might be able to help. In its purest form,
tactical urbanism involves a number of temporary
‘design experiments’ replicating, in a low-cost,
low commitment way, the future change an urban
environment could take. These experiments are
measured for effectiveness, and those that work
are either left in place, or implemented in a more
permanent manner – it’s a bit like a ‘try before you
buy’ approach to design.
As an example, we recently put a proposal to
Waterfront Auckland for the redesign of Waitemata
Plaza. We suggested six themes for temporary
installations, including picnic areas, sports fields,
gardens and pools. The intention was that structured research would be undertaken to review each
theme, which would then inform the final desi gn,
giving the design team confidence that they were
truly designing for the public.
While our proposal was not the successful one,
Waterfront Auckland embraced tactical urbanism.
During the summer months of 2013/14 they ran
a series of trials to see how visitors engaged with
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each space. They trialled an urban beach, different
kinds of seating, and an ice cream vendor. The
feedback from these trials is currently being used to
inform the permanent design of the plaza.
Tactical Urbanism works particularly well with
projects where there is a large and diverse group of
stakeholders. The high energy and ever-changing
nature of the trials helps to build momentum that
will ultimately realise a site’s larger potential.
Evaluation and measurement of each trial is
important. Utilising social media can be a powerful
way of gaining this public feedback. Globally we’re
seeing this become a key part of public design.
By giving the public something to trial, we not only
gain richer feedback, but foster a sense of community, of collective ownership of a project.
Temporary installations need to provide a
realistic representation of what the space might
become. For the Waitemata Plaza proposal, we
utilised a young and energetic team; as recent
grads, we figured they were best qualified in the art
of creating something out of nothing.
At Jasmax, we have a team increasingly focused
on tactical urbanism projects. Landscape architecture grad John Allan has been heavily involved in
the global ‘Park(ing) Day’ event, which transforms
parking spaces to a public space, drawing attention to how public space is created and allocated.
Architectural graduate Patrick Loo and Oh.no.sumo
are building a reputation for innovative temporary
architectural installations, while as senior landscape
architect, I am currently teaching a paper at Unitec
on the topic.
More than just improving the design process,
we see tactical urbanism as an opportunity to
create change for the better. It gives us the power
to start experimenting and utilise real feedback
from the public, based not on perceptions but on
experience. Because as Henry Ford discovered,
the difference between what we think we want and
what we actually want can be world-changing.
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Above:Jasmax senior landscape
architect Gary Marshall discusses
the concept of tactical urbanism
– a try-before-you-buy approach
to urban design.
Right:Jasmax produced several
different ideas for the redesign
of the Waitemata Plaza. Marshall
suggests trialling aspects of such
designs to gain public feedback
before committing to a project
may be the best approach.