Property
Issue No. 52 - April/May 2010
How ‘gifting’ public space boosts trade
by Tim Horton
When SA Premier, Mike Rann opened the new Entrance Precinct at the Adelaide Zoo on 14 February, 2010 it brought online about 2000m2 of new public space that had been off limits for over a century.
The “gifting” of this space by the Zoo was a decisive first move in designing the new Entrance Precinct and gives pedestrians unprecedented access to the sights, sounds and, yes, smells of the Zoo. It also provides a space for commerce - there’s a cafe opening soon - market events and exhibitions, recreation, bike parking and for simply meeting friends.
The forecourts showcase ‘water sensitive urban design’. Rainwater and surface runoff is captured and treated. It is stored in a tank concealed under paving, then re-used to irrigate the vast ‘living’ walls and the green roof visible from the Frome Rd forecourt.
It’s a 21st century public space, with some old ideas underlying it. And it poses the question: what would the city be like for pedestrians if more land owners ‘gifted’ space back to public use?
Public space in cities is precious. Much of the life of a city takes place in this arena. And while the growth of our cities is driven largely by private investment it’s the public space in between that forms the backdrop of what we consider to be ‘culture’.
For too long public space been considered the ‘void’ between the ‘action’ with little serious effort given to managing its improvement. But it’s heartening to hear our political leaders beginning to ‘get it’.
Premier Rann’s message to the Property Council on 17 February was that successful urban design “is not just about the better design of buildings, but also the spaces in between them”. At a local level, the Council’s City Design unit is becoming more confident, with more support from the Council it seems.
But are our public spaces working at their best?
Adelaide’s squares and parklands are genuinely unique among Austra...
