Before embarking on any urban regeneration project, you need to have a clear and shared vision of what you want to achieve and why. This vision should reflect the needs and aspirations of the local community, as well as the broader context and opportunities of the city. You also need to set specific and measurable goals that align with your vision and can guide your decision-making and evaluation. For example, you may want to improve the accessibility, affordability, diversity, and safety of housing, or to promote the innovation, competitiveness, and inclusiveness of the local economy.
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1. Inclusive Design: Make sure you attach priority to community needs alongside economic growth. 2. Affordable housing, green spaces, and cultural hubs foster social cohesion and avoid gentrification. 2. Job Creation: Regeneration should boost employment. Revitalised areas attract businesses, creating a win-win for residents and the local economy. 3. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve locals, businesses, and policymakers. You are seeking an holistic approach.
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In the UK, the economic objectives of urban regeneration generally take precedence. Local authorities have few funds to do otherwise. Economic regeneration supports social regeneration if targeted on poorer areas, creates jobs in those areas and improves the local quality of life, for example through funding environmental improvements or the development of social and recreational facilities.
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Balancing social and economic objectives in urban regen projects can be tricky. But not impossible. Start by engaging and listening to a diverse group of stakeholders to shape a vision early. Not just those running the project. The three areas below can help shape your early vision & goals: 1. Spatial Design (what types of buildings should a project include? what should they look & feel like?) 2. Marketing & Comms (how should the project’s brand and tone of voice present itself? is it inclusive?) 3. Future Operations (what programs, services & offerings would stakeholders like to benefit from?) So what’s the lesson? Your vision and goals should be set by those you’re building a project for, not just by those running the project.
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Balancing social and economic objectives in urban regeneration requires a comprehensive approach that prioritizes community well-being alongside economic growth. This involves engaging stakeholders to understand their needs and aspirations, integrating affordable housing and social amenities into redevelopment plans, and fostering inclusive economic opportunities for all residents. Additionally, implementing policies that promote equitable access to resources, preserve cultural heritage, and mitigate displacement can ensure that both social and economic goals are achieved harmoniously in the regeneration process.
Urban regeneration is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It requires a collaborative and participatory approach that involves all the relevant stakeholders, such as residents, businesses, civil society, public authorities, and private investors. You need to engage them from the early stages of the project, through consultation, communication, and co-creation. This way, you can understand their perspectives, expectations, and concerns, and ensure that they have a voice and a stake in the process and the outcomes. You can also leverage their resources, expertise, and networks to support the implementation and sustainability of the project.
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Most large-scale projects approach stakeholder engagements like a check-list. Complete it, check it off. Then it ends. Some strategies we’ve used to supercharge stakeholder engagement: 1. Not from the area? Embed yourself in it. Get to know everyone. Even more if you don’t speak the language. 2. Find out the channels stakeholders use. Businesses require different ones than locals. Picking one is just lazy. 3. Host events. Lots of them. Meet stakeholders in the flesh and show them your commitment to the project. 4. Find physical and digital ways for stakeholders to contribute their ideas. To engage stakeholders: Take the time to develop an inclusive plan, and start this early. But remember engagement never ends.
Urban regeneration is not only about physical changes, but also about social, economic, environmental, and cultural dimensions. You need to adopt a holistic and integrated perspective that considers the interdependencies and synergies among these dimensions, and how they affect the well-being and resilience of the urban system. You also need to balance the short-term and long-term impacts, and the costs and benefits, of your interventions. For example, you may want to combine infrastructure improvements with social services, or to link environmental protection with economic development.
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People don’t care about pretty buildings. They want to know how it benefits them. Some tips to consider to think holistically in urban regeneration: 1. Use data: establish a foundation to work from. consider demographic trends, socio-economic conditions, etc. 2. Be adaptive: strategies you begin with will need to adapt and change as projects progress. 3. Inclusive development: consider affordable housing and supporting marginalized or unheard communities. 4. Measure success: establish key indicators and metrics to track in the short and long-term. The takeaway? Regeneration needs to look beyond economic outputs to social, environmental, and cultural.
Urban regeneration is not a generic formula, but a tailor-made response to the specific characteristics and potentials of each place. You need to apply a place-based and context-sensitive approach that respects the history, identity, and diversity of the area, and builds on its strengths and opportunities. You also need to adapt to the changing conditions and needs of the place, and to learn from the feedback and outcomes of your actions. For example, you may want to preserve the heritage and culture of the area, or to foster its creativity and innovation.
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Here’s what I’ve learned is key to crafting an authentic place-based narrative: 1. Consider the history. Find a way to embrace it while contrasting something new – architecturally and symbolically. 2. Keep the old. Preserve historic space, keep it rough and raw (initially). Use this through a placemaking strategy. 3. Invite the community and stakeholders to creatively use this space. Host events, workshops, meetings. Anything to connect people to place. 4. Build a feedback loop. Continue this through construction, to opening, and into the future. Places need narratives. Embrace the old, but build something new.
Urban regeneration is not a static or predictable process, but a dynamic and uncertain one. You need to seek innovation and experimentation, and to embrace risk and failure as part of the learning process. You can use various tools and methods, such as design thinking, prototyping, testing, and scaling, to generate and validate new ideas and solutions. You can also create platforms and spaces, such as living labs, incubators, and hubs, to facilitate collaboration and co-innovation among different actors. For example, you may want to explore new technologies, business models, or governance mechanisms for urban regeneration.
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Urban locales are starting to place innovation front and center with their regeneration strategies. Some key factors to consider: 1) Authenticity: who is leading this ‘innovation’? Ensure it is the innovators themselves or a group that has a strong track-record. 2) Placemaking: innovation often requires a buildup in locales. This can take time. Outline a long-term strategy for how to enhance capability. 3) Diversity: we often only include the same type of people in the innovation process. Diversity breeds innovation – find different people, backgrounds, genders, and races to build something meaningful. Anyone can say their district is innovative. Authenticity, placemaking, and diversity are what make it a reality.
Urban regeneration is not a one-off or isolated project, but a continuous and systemic one. You need to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of your interventions, and to measure their progress and performance against your goals and indicators. You can use various tools and techniques, such as data collection, analysis, visualization, and storytelling, to capture and communicate the results and impacts of your actions. You can also use the findings and insights from the monitoring and evaluation to inform and improve your future actions. For example, you may want to assess the social and economic returns on investment, or the satisfaction and empowerment of the beneficiaries.
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