Excellent city spaces don’t happen by accident. But how do they happen? And what are the benefits?
A growing number of multinational organisations' recognise that the variety of a city's lifestyle options can help it win the war to attract and retain global talent.
And many of Australia’s developers, businesses and designers see “placemaking” as the way to do that. It’s a philosophy of city planning that aims to create coherent spaces with diversity of both use and users.
The approach involves a developer partnering with multiple stakeholders – including local authorities – to create integrated office, retail and leisure precincts that address the problems of a lack of connection between buildings, barriers to foot traffic, and deserted spaces at night.
To boost Sydney’s Circular Quay’s status as an attractive destination to a global workforce - as well as to the roughly 31,000 employees from surrounding offices and the city’s 9.2 million annual visitors – Dexus recently partnered with local government to give its $80 million Gateway redevelopment the placemaking treatment.
Located at the base of Gateway Tower, the redevelopment reworked the existing footprint with the specific purpose of correcting the previous lack of natural flow between office and retail offerings.
The needs of both tenants and the broader community were considered, and now the Gateway development blends the office component with what has become one of Sydney’s best dining destinations.
Considering Gateway is at the heart of both a transport hub and a vibrant tourist precinct comprising the Sydney Opera House and the Museum of Contemporary Art among other attractions, it made a lot of sense to enhance its appeal to the after-hours crowd.