Welcome back for another year of place success! 

Happy 2018 and hope you have had a soft landing back from holidays! This year we are turning 10 and would like to share with you two projects we have recently reviewed and looked into where they are now.

• Drummoyne Village and their success in turning a car-oriented strip to a people-focused retail and leisure destination. 
• Optus Centre Sydney in Macquarie Park - an 8-year placemaking transformation for the Optus employees.

For full case studies email us at [email protected] [3]! 

Drummoyne Village 

RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM

In 2011, City of Canada Bay [4] engaged Place Partners to develop a Place Making Action Plan for the Drummoyne Village Shopping Centre (Action Plan) which was adopted by Council with intent to develop the Public Realm Concept Master Plan. 

Place Partners worked collaboratively with Council, residents and local businesses to facilitate a culture change in the community. This significantly improved the experience of business owners, residents and visitors alike and has changed the way council and businesses work together in the LGA. Six years later, the success of the Action Plan resounds in the public realm of the Village. 

THE CHALLENGE

The Action Plan and PRCMP have been developed with the Council’s objectives of ‘supporting local businesses to grow and be sustainable’ and ‘providing an enhanced shopping environment for customers’. From the initiation of the project, these objectives have been strained by challenges facing business owners at the time, as well as the disconnect between different groups in the community and the LGA. 

THE SOLUTION

The physical and economic impact has been measured for impact to reflect overall positive attitude from the community; though long-term benefits are yet to be seen. The impact has been an evolving Council which reflects place-based approach, and facilitates relationships to players across all of placemaking; ultimately eliminating many inefficiencies in engagement and realisation of projects. 

THE IMPACT

In 2014, Place Partners were engaged again for a full review of the Drummoyne Action Plan. The aim of review was to evaluate changes over the three years and understand whether Action Plan objectives have been met. The review showed improvement for both community and business and higher employment, as well as identified areas for future focus. Three years later: 

• Local population grows by over 600 new residents.
• New retail attracts the largest Harris Farm store in the chain hosting artesian producers and the flagship Salt Meat Cheese restaurant changing the dynamic of Victoria Rd retail. Vacancy rates remain low.
• Council approves funding to upgrade footpaths completing the regeneration works for the 2017- 2019.
• RMS announces further parking restrictions to be introduced in 2018 which may impact progress.

KEY LEARNINGS

1.   If you want to change a culture - build trust from the beginning.  

2. Sharing responsibility ensures the success of the project – community, council and businesses/stakeholders should all be aligned with commitment. 

3. Dialogue creates opportunities; getting the right people in the room is key. 
 

Optus Centre Sydney

A Campus Transformed

Since 2009, Place Partners has guided the transformation of the Optus Macquarie Park Campus [5]. In 2009 and 2014, Place Partners developed two strategies: the first to identify issues and opportunities at the site and create a place that people choose to be, and the second to respond to a different employee base and a new set of employee aspirations. 

THE CHALLENGE

In late 2007, over 6,000 Singtel Optus employee and contractors moved from various office buildings in North Sydney and its surrounds to the purpose built Optus Centre in Macquarie Park.

The reason for moving all employees to a single site was to improve relationships and efficiencies – to be ‘Better Together’. However, the Macquarie Campus was a relatively homogeneous place - the courtyards looked the same, greenery was limited to lawn and small trees, and it had not been personalised prior to moving in.

The challenge for Place Partners was to address a disconnected campus where people were taken away from the city to a remote location with limited access to public transport, amenities and recreation facilities. 

THE SOLUTION

Place Partners was commissioned to identify the issues and opportunities in the public space of the Campus, and create place improvements to respond to employee needs. The interventions have had great impact on both the comfort of the physical space but also the connection between the team, Campus, and the Optus brand. 

THE IMPACT

Through a series of employee surveys and physical and social interventions, Optus Macquarie Park has transformed from a disconnected space to a connected and inspiring place that employees are proud of.

KEY LEARNINGS

1. It takes time, commitment and strategic planning for successful placemaking of a corporate campus.
2. Some low-cost interventions can result in the best successes.
3. Employee needs change over time due to change of demographics, age and culture.
4. The physical comfort of employees impacts their sense of security.
5. Responding to the user, not just management, is important for successful outcomes.