urb spaceshaper a users guide

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SpaceshaperA users guide


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Published in 2007 by the Commission or

Architecture and the Built Environment.

Graphic design by Draught Associates.

Front cover image Elizabeth Hoehnke

All rights reserved. No part o this publication

may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

copied or transmitted without the prior written

consent o the publisher except that the material

may be photocopied or non-commercial

purposes without permission rom the publisher.

This document is available in alternative

ormats on request rom the publishe r.

CABE is the governments advisor on

architecture, urban design and public space.

As a public body, we encourage policymakers

to create places that work or people. We helplocal planners apply national design policy

and oer expert advice to developers and

architects. We show public sector clients how

to commission buildings that meet the needs o

their users. And we seek to inspire the public to

demand more rom their buildings and spaces.

Advising, inluencing and inspiring, we work

to create well-designed, welcoming places.

CABE Space is a specialist unit within CABE

that aims to bring excellence to the design,

management and maintenanc e o parks and

public space in our towns and cities.

CABE

1 Kemble Street

London WC2B 4AN

T 020 7070 6700

F 020 7070 6777

E [email protected]

www.cabe.org.uk


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Introduction 4

Why measure quality? 5

How does it work? 6

How does Spaceshaper show the results? 7

How to plan your Spaceshaper workshop 8

Example agendas 11

Case studiesStation Sqare, Milton Keynes 13Fairy Dell, Middlesbrogh 14Lenton Recreation Grond, Nottingham 15Tnnel Woods, Soth Derbyshire 16Langdon Hills, Essex 17

Questions and answers 18

Checklist 20

Contents


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Are you interested in improving the localspaces the parks, streets or market squares -in your neighbourhood? I so, theSpaceshaper toolkit could be or you.

Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit or se by anyone whether alocal commnity actiist or a proessional to measre the qality o apblic space beore inesting time and money in improing it. The toolkitworks by captring the perceptions o both the proessionals inoled inrnning a space and the people that se it. The reslts are discssed dringacilitated workshops which aim to debate isses o design qality and bilda better nderstanding abot how the space works or the dierentstakeholders. The toolkit aims to be positie and raise aspirations,

encoraging people to demand more rom their local spaces.

The Spaceshaper process

The goernment beliees that eeryone shold hae access to good qalityspace close to where they lie. Throgh the local goernment white paper,Strong and prosperous communities, it wants to enable local residents totake responsibility or the enironment arond their homes where they wantto. It wants to see continally higher standards o management, increasingpblic satisaction and engaging commnities especially in poorly perorming

areas. Frthermore, it wants to oster commnity cohesion throgh greaterresident participation in decision making and an enhanced role or commnitygrops. The new planning policy statement (PPS3) on hosing reqires localplanning athorities to deelop a shared ision with their local commnitiescreating places, streets and spaces which meet their needs, are attractie,hae their own distinctie identity and positiely improe local character.

The policy context spports Spaceshaper by:

- placing local goernment as a strategic leader and place shaper- reqiring stronger and simpler arrangements or inoling local people- calling or strong local leadership to shape place where we lie.

Introduction

This governmentbelieves prooundly thatthe state o the localenvironment aects andrelects the well-being othe people living there.Whether it is the towncentre, local park or thestreet on which we live,it is important that theyadd to the quality o lie

and that they are saeand attractive spaces

Department or Commnities and Local

Goernment, How to create quality parks

and open spaces guide, 2006

4.

1.

2.

3.

1. People ll in the

qestionnaire, with

a acilitator

2. Inormation pload

3. Discssion o

ndings

4. More people can

join the process

oer time.

Stefan

Kruczkows

ki/No

tting

ham

City

Cou

nc

il


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Measring qality means inoling a ariety o interested people to denehow well a space works. Throgh this process yo can learn abot thereqirements o dierent grops o people to nderstand i their needsare being met. It will identiy both good and bad characteristics andstimlate new ideas or improements and how it cold be managed.This process will help to deelop good relations between the sers andthe people who rn the space and will help yo prioritise improement.By measring qality yo are basing sch decisions on good eidence.

I yo are applying or nding or protecting existing bdgets yo will beasked to proide eidence to demonstrate how any money spent on it woldmake a dierence to local people. By measring qality yo will be able to trackthe changes beore and ater improements. Spaceshaper compliments existingtools or measring qality (see page 19). Specically it can be sed or:

identiying the strengths and weaknesses o a space establishing what is most important to people comparing dierent peoples iews measring how well the space meets eeryones needs stimlating new ideas or improements tracking changes in peoples iews oer time bringing sta and sers together in a strctred way to discss the space.

Spaceshaper is designed or people who hae a willingness to bring abotchange or a space, since sing the toolkit will encorage discssion on howthe site can be improed. Spaceshaper is sed or assessing existing sites bt

can also be sed when planning new sites. The toolkit shold be regarded aspart o a process o consltation, not instead o it and not as a one-o actiity.

Why measure quality?

Good design is about

creating a space thatunctions well, bothnow and in the uture.It should also beattractive, providing aninspirational and specialspace or people. I notdesigned well, poorlydeined spaces willbe created that may

cause conlict betweendierent activities andusers, such as youngerand older people. Ispaces lack characterand identity people willnot want to use them.

CABE Space, Its our space: a guide for

community groups, 2007

Eliza

be

thH

oe

hn

ke


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Oer 40 organisations helpeddeelop the qestionnaire,sing a range o existing criteriasch as the Green Flag Award,

selecting and adapting thosethat are appropriate or bothsers and proessionals whoknow that space well. Theqestionnaire has been testedby oer 600 people across thecontry dring two pilot phases.

Spaceshaper is a workshop-based toolkit that has the fexibility to beadapted to local circmstances. Key to this process is a trained Spaceshaperacilitator, who will adise and rn the workshop. Yo will need to initepeople who are interested in the space, both sers and proessionals.Depending on the type o space yore looking at, this cold inclde elderlyor yong people, dog walkers, oce workers and planners, the maintenanceteam and designers. See How to plan your workshop on page 8.

A site isit is an integral part o the process. Oten led by a local expertit allows the grop to discss the site and get to know each other. Theisit prepares the participants to ll ot the toolkit s qestionnaire whichrecords indiidal perceptions o the space. These are captred by ratingthe site against 41 characteristics, groped into the eight sections:

access: nding yor way and getting abot use: what actiities and opportnities the space has to oer other people: how the space caters or dierent needs maintenance: how clean and cared or the space is environment: how sae and comortable the space is design and appearance: what the space looks like and what its made rom community: how important the space is to local people you: how the space makes yo eel.

How does it work?

Dring the workshop the acilitator inpts the data into the Spaceshaper sotware.The reslts are presented to the grop prooking discssion and debate. The mostimportant part o the whole process is the discssion between those with theknowledge o what it is like to se the space and those whose job it is to care or it.

What yo get rom sing the toolkit depends on yor original objecties.

Possible otcomes are: a better nderstanding o how the space worksor dierent people, the role o the space in yor neighborhood, startinga debate on how the space can be improed and/or deising a way totrack how peoples perceptions o the space change oer time.

I yo are interested in becominga Spaceshaper acilitator,hae a look at or websitewww.cabe.org.k/spaceshaperor crrent training opportnities.

Ma

tthew

Priest

ley


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Spider diagrams are one o the ways in which the reslts o the qestionnairesare shown dring the workshops. Each o the eight lines that radiate rom thecentre point represents one o the eight sections rom the qestionnaire (seepreios page). On each axis , a point has been marked. The more positiepeoples responses are towards the space, the rther ot the point sitson the line. All the points hae been joined p and the inside o the shapecolored in. The larger the shape, the better the perception o the site.

The diagrams are sed to help initiate the debate and discssion between theworkshop participants. This example shows that the grop thoght this was apoor site. Points that lie within the dotted mid line indicate poor perception o asite, points sitting otside the dotted line a positie perception. For this example,

perceptions o access, enironment and commnity were relatiely better.

How does Spaceshapershow the results?

It appears to be the only

method or evaluatingthe value and beneito improvementsto public space.

Anthony Bailey, London Borogh o Islington.

Participant o the pilot phase.

ENvIRONMENT

DESIGN ANDAPPEARANCE

MAINTENANCE

YOu uSE

ACCESS

COMMuNITY OTHER PEOPLE

ENvIRONMENT


MAINTENANCE

YOu uSE

ACCESS


Perception o sers

ENvIRONMENT


MAINTENANCE

YOu uSE

ACCESS


Perception o managers

One example o how the reslts can be shown is to compare responsesbetween dierent grops. For example, those who se the spaceagainst those who work or the space, with interesting reslts:

Both grops see access and enironment as relatie strengths, bt thereare clear dierences in how they perceie the space.

Other options cold inclde comparisons between yong and older people,or those who se the space eery day and those who dont. Other inormation,sch as likes and dislikes and priorities can also be sed by the acilitatorto initiate discssions.

The session provided achance or groups withdiverse views to come

together and talk abouttheir dierent needsin a positive way.

Georey Sinclair, The Woodland Trst.

Participant in the pilot phase.


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This section sggests how yo might plan and delier yor workshop.This will help yo to identiy what resorces yo will need. Be prepared toallocate scient time to prepare, manage and ollow p. This will hae adirect impact on the sccess o yor workshop and qality o the reslts.Other actors to take into accont when calclating yor bdget inclde:ene, catering, transport, materials, eqipment and promotion.

To get started yo will need to send brie details o yor project toCABE Space. Please reqest a Spaceshaper project orm rom CABESpace by either emailing [email protected] or by calling 0207070 6700. We will ask or basic details sch as the name o yor site,appropriate size, who manages it and what yor project is abot.

Yo will need to employ a acilitator to help yo se the toolk it. He or she

will rn yor Spaceshaper workshop on yor behal, help yor grop llin the qestionnaire, explain the reslts, manage the discssion and helpyo agree a orward plan. How mch o the acilitators time yo se is pto yo, bt bear in mind yo will need to pay or their time and expenses.Their inolement can range rom adising on the agenda, inite list andmanaging the day, to organising the entire eent and ollow p.

Yo will need to be ery clear abot what yo want to achiee rom yorSpaceshaper workshop. How does yor workshop t into the wider project?What inormation do yo already hae rom preios consltations, reportsor plans? How will yor Spaceshaper workshop bild on this and whatother inormation will yo need to collate throgh other methods? What

inormation do yo need rom the workshop and what are yo going todo with it once yo hae it? Yor acilitator can help yo clariy this.

How to plan yourSpaceshaper workshop

1. Getting started

3. Deine your objectives

2. Select your acilitator

Mark

EllisA

shley

Bing

ham

/ICDLtd


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Yor acilitator will need to sbmit yor plan to CABE Space or approal.This will need to inclde:

Facilitator details Workshop objecties Proisional inite list Approximate workshop date.

Yor project details will then be ploaded onto the sotware or the acilitatorto access dring the workshop.

Points to consider: use a ene in or near the space. Make sre that peoplewill be able to get into yor ene; is it wheelchair accessible, or example?

Most pblic spaces are bsier in smmer. It is easier to get people interested at

this time. Aoid workshops dring the coldest winter months i possible. I yohold the workshop on a weekday, yo will not attract people who work in a nine toe job bt yo will catch elderly people, parents and carers. Weekends are easieror most people althogh proessionals are less likely to be able to attend otsidenormal working hors. There is no ideal time and yo may want to consider morethan one workshop, perhaps one dring daytime and another in the eening.

5. Submit your project plan

6. Set the date, time and venue

It is important that the iewso children and yong peopleare heard.CABE Space is deeloping aersion o the tool specicallyor children and yong people, tomake sre that their opinions areconted. Contact s [email protected]

Local oce workersLocal residentsSchool childrenShoppersSports grops

Sre Start participantsTeenagersToristsvolnteersvlnerable grops

4. Put together your invitation list Who shold yo inite? Take a look at the list below. Not eeryone maybe able to come to yor rst workshop bt yo can contine to bild onthe inormation collected by the qestionnaires oer time. A Spaceshaperworkshop is not abot a hge adience, bt abot constrctie debateand discssion between stakeholders. Workshops shold be or betweeneight to 18 people and a balance o both sers and proessionals.

Depending on what kind o space yo hae, this might inclde:

Access gropsArts gropsCasal sersCommtersDisabled people

Elderly peoples gropsEnironment gropsFaith gropsFamiliesLocal bsinesses

Taking the time to engage with a dierse representatie grop o people interestedin the space is essential to gaining a tre refection o the people who se thespace. Working in partnership will help bild relations with hard to reach grops.

Yoth gropsArchitectsConcillorsLandscape architectsMaintenance teams

ManagersPlannersPoliceRangersWardens.


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Send the initation ot in good time (allow three weeks) beorethe eent. It shold inclde the ollowing inormation:

Date, time and location The aim o the workshop - make sre yo are clear abot why

yo are initing people so that their expectations are managed Tell people i rereshments are inclded Ask people to contact yo i they hae particlar needs. This cold inclde

accessibility or dietary reqirements Let people know what they are going to be expected to do.

For example, to ll in a qestionnaire (so they can bring their spectacles),and walk arond the site, so they can bring sitable clothing

Yor contact details or any qeries An RSvP slip, so that yo will know how many people to expect.

See example workshop agendas on page 11.

Agree with yor acilitator who is responsible or materials which might inclde alocal map, fip charts, pens, post-it notes, a data projector and the Spaceshaperqestionnaires. CABE can proide translated ersions o the qestionnaire.Please contact s at least a month in adance i yo reqire a translation.

When planning yor workshop, yo might want to arrange isits toother sites rst. For good parks near yo, take a look at the GreenFlag Award website on www.greenfagaward.org. The Green FlagAward is the national standard or parks and green spaces. CABE

will be adding good examples o streets to its website in 2007.

Ater the workshop the acilitator will write p the reslts, discssionand next steps in a report. Yo shold agree with the participantshow they want to be kept p to date with progress and who elsemight want to be inclded. It is ital that workshops are ollowedp and the network o participants and others is maintained.

7. Resources on the day

8. Report

Ma

tthewP

ries

tley


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Yor Spaceshaper

acilitator will design and

lead the workshop. The

ormat and how long this

will take depends on yor

objecties and the size o

the site and o the grop.

This agenda was designed

arond the need to

collectiely nderstand

the niqe ale o a

large site in an area that

will ndergo signicantchange in the tre.

11

Example agendas

Basic

Welcome and introdctions 10 mintes

Setting the scene and workshop objecties 10 mintes

Introdcing the qestionnaire 10 mintes

Walk abot the site 1 hor

Completing the qestionnaire 20 mintes

Lnch and entering qestionnaire reslts 1 hor

Presenting the reslts and discssion 1 hor

Close: thanks and next steps 10 mintes

Total 4 hours

Appreciating current value and protecting this in the utureWelcome and introdctions 15 mintes

Introdction to workshop agenda 10 mintesPlanet earth experience participants are asked to describe 45 minteswhat one single experience they wold se to describe whythey ale the space

Introdction to the toolkit 10 mintes

Introdction to the wider context o the site and tre 10 mintes

pressres on it

Site isit 1 hor

Lnch and data entry 20 mintes

Identication o key isses or the tre 1 hor

Discssion o reslts 1 hor

Next steps and close 10 mintes

Total 5 hours


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This agenda was deeloped

to encorage participants to

think o the space rom other

peoples point o iew.

12

Secret santaWelcome and program or the day 10 mintes

Introdctions 5 mintes

Yor iews: indiidals identiy their own interest grop and 10 minteswrite it down on a post-it note which is collected by the acilitator

Introdction to toolkit 10 mintes

Site isit 1 hor

Completion o qestionnaire and their own wish 20 minteslist or the site

Lnch and data entry: the acilitator allocates each participant 1 horwith a new interest grop oer lnch. Each person is asked tocome p with a secret santa git (an improement in the space)that their interest grop wold appreciate as a Christmas present.This is writ ten on a piece o paper and olded p or later.

Spaceshaper reslts are discssed both in terms o the 20 mintesspace now and what the aspirations are or the tre

Secret santa gits nwrapped participants consider 20 mintestheir gits and the list they hae jst created

The grop prioritise the nal list o improements 20 mintes

Close 5 mintes

Total 4 hours


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Station Square, Milton Keynes

Residents, shoppers and local businesses talk to the Milton KeynesPartnership (MKP) to identiy short-term improvements.

Station Sqare is one o Milton Keynes most important rban spaces.Opened in 1982, the sqare seres as an arrials and departresgateway and is a strategic transport interchange.

The sqare was designed to be large, bright and airy, with mirror-clad bildings

arond three sides and ample space or additional deelopments to connectit to the commercial district . Ad hoc interentions oer time hae taken theirtoll and the sqares appearance and condition has sadly deteriorated.

Arond e million people pass throgh Station Sqare eery year and, withincreasing rban growth, this nmber is de to rise. The sqare has beenidentied by the MKP-rn Central Milton Keynes Board as a key pblic realmimproement project in its long-term deelopment plan that will eentallyclose the gap between the sqare and the heart o the city centre.

The Central Milton Keynes team wanted to start an early processo consltation to nd ot what people thoght o the space and to

explore the potential o some shor t-term improements. A series o orSpaceshaper workshops, held at di erent times o the day and week wasdesigned to inole a range o indiidal sers and stakeholders.

Workshops engaged 33 representaties rom stakeholder grops andorganisations, proiding an opportnity or dierent sers to comparetheir own perceptions with others. Common themes emerged throgh theworkshop process. Contribtors agreed that the design o the sqare wasan architectral tour de force o its time, bt had since become a bleak andbarren space. Part icipants noted that the sqares nction as a gateway tothe city was ndermined by the absence o clear rotes throgh the sqare,interesting eatres, appropriate signage and connection with the city centre.

The oerall process prodced a positie reslt the compilation o a list oshort-term measres to improe the sqares nction and appearance asan important gateway to the city. The Milton Keynes Partnership is set toincorporate the ndings into tre improement plans or the sqare.

Milton Keynes Partnership inited

local people to hae their say

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Fairy Dell, Middlesbrough

School children and a local riends group explain why they valuetheir local woodland and describe their ears and aspirations orthe planned improvements.

Fairy Dell is a haen or wildlie, with steeply wooded banks, a stream, lakes,woodland and grassy glades. It is ery important to the local commnity as aplace o leisre, recreation and resh air and also or the ppils o the nearby SaintAgstines RC primary school as a liing, green classroom. Howeer, it sersrom long-term neglect and anti-social behaior. The locals regard the ootpathsas mddy and oergrown.

A sccessl local campaign won the commnity 50,000 rom the Big

Lottery Fnd to restore Fairy Dell. Middlesbrogh concil match-nded theinestment and was keen to measre the change in peoples perceptionsbeore and ater the improements. The local Wildspace! ocer wantedto inole the local primary school. A workshop was designed arond ahal day in the nearby school with a year six class. Qestionnaires werecompleted on compters, allowing the children to create their own spiderdiagrams instantly and refect their indiidal perceptions o Fairy Dell.

The children said they aled the space or the greenery and wildlie andappreciated its important role in the commnity. Howeer, they weredisappointed that the Dell was not sed as oten as it shold be, was poor lymaintained and that there were no sta to control anti-social behaior.

In the eening, the Friends o Fairy Dell olnteer grop attended a secondworkshop. The reslts showed that people elt that Fairy Dells natral beaty,peace and tranqillity were its key assets. The qestionnaires st imlateddiscssion o the isses and actions to take orward. Increased politicalspport was needed, as was contined commnication with local residentson the progress o improements. The grop recognised that a balance wasneeded between the importance o consering the site and the ale oencoraging more isitors. It also recognised the ale o edcational workin bringing new amilies to Fairy Dell. It agreed that sccess o the projectwas dependant on improed standards o maintenance in the long term.

The exercise presented a snapshot o two grops perceptions or trecomparisons. It contribted to the enironmental edcation programme andhelped widen the discssion beyond jst litter and anti-social behaior.

John

sStudio

Case study 2

Ppils at Saint

Agstines RC primary

school inptted their

own qestionnaires;

this reslted in indiidal

spider diagrams

refecting their iewson the day


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Lenton Recreation Ground, Nottingham

City council seeks out local people to see what they really think otheir award-winning park.

Lenton Recreation Grond is a poplar neighborhood park in Nottingham.This compact place oers two bowling greens, playgrond, basketball area,playing eld and a ll-time parkie.

The park has met the national standard or parks and green spaces, winningGreen Flag Awards in 2005 and 2006. The concil wanted to nd ot whetherthe park lied p to local expectations and compare ndings against theGreen Flag Award jdges eedback.

Carel consideration by the concil and the local partnership orm indentiedall the grops that se the park, which led to oer 60 people assessing the sitesing the Spaceshaper qestionnaire. Representatie sers inclded yongpeople, yoth serice workers, schoolchildren, niersity stdents, memberso an oer-50s health grop, local residents, dog walkers, casal sers anda grop o lnerable adlts and teenagers. Front-line sta, maintenancemanagers, commnity protection ocers and concillors were also sreyed.

The reslts were presented and discssed at a park consltation grop meeting

managed by the Dnkirk and Lenton Partnership Form. The reslts demonstratedhow mch the commnity aled the park, refecting the recent inestmentand its Green Flag Award. Isses o concern were discssed with the conciland actions taken orward or both the partnership orm and the concil.

The city concil reported that it wold be adopting the toolkit as a meanso assessment. The toolkit is a alable resorce to help s measrethe qality o the pblic realm, said the concils Stean Krczkowski.It oers s an opportnity to take s beyond a compartmentalised iewo the components that make p pblic realm and see these places as awhole rather than disparate parts, in trn helping s to transorm the citysneighborhoods. We are especially keen to se it in places where we are

planning improements sch as the Meadows and victoria Embankment,to help deelop proposals with the commnity and determine the impacto inestment by assessing qality both beore and ater inestment.

views rom the wider

commnity, inclding

members o an oer-50s

health grop throgh to

lnerable teenagers,

hae demonstrated how

mch they aled their

local park S

.Kruczkows

ki/No

tting

ham

City

Counc

il

Case study 3

The Green Flag Award scheme

The Green Flag Award is thenational standard or parks

and green spaces in Englandand Wales. Awards aregien on an annal basis andwinners mst apply each year.To nd yor nearest GreenFlag Award park, isitwww.greenfagaward.org.k


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Tunnel Woods, South Derbyshire

Local people use the toolkit to help create their vision or a newcommunity woodland.

In 2005 the Forestry Commission boght 22 hectares o agricltral land withthe aim o planting it as a commnity woodland with the National Forest.

Or objectie is to establish new woodland in keeping with the srrondingarea, throgh consltation with local people, Ssan Taylor rom the ForestryCommission, now responsible or its management, explained This new tool giesan opportnity or people to meet and discss with those who make decisions.

The toolkit was sed to look at this new site dring a workshop bringing together

an initial grop o stakeholders to explore what they wold want to see in theirwoodland and deelop a way o tracking the progress made oer time. A smallgrop attended an inspiring presentation, illstrating local and regionalexamples o other commnity woodlands and the actiities and acilities theyoered. The grop was asked to think abot Tnnel Woods in two, e and15 years and to say what ses, actiities and experiences they and othercommnity grops wold like to see.

They were then asked to choose rom a list o 41 criteria, taken rom the toolkitsqestionnaire, which refected their priorities or aspirations or the site. Theseindicators wold later be sed to track progress o the wood oer time.

As a reslt o the exercise, the Forestry Commission began engaging thecommnity in ideas or the tre deelopment o Tnnel Woods. It introdcednew concepts o what the woodland cold do or the commnity and stressedthe importance o making contact with others caring or neighboring woods.

The grop went on to identiy specic key stakeholders to bring into the projectand proposed the ormation o a strategic partnership or action betweenthe conty and local athority, police, Railtrack and the parish concil.

William

Haw

kins

Case study 4

Access is not jst abot

clear signage; its also

abot site inormation

being easily accessible.

At Tnnel Woods, eortswill be made to ensre

the wider commnity are

kept p to date with the

sites progress


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Langdon Hills, Essex

Regular users and managers come together to dene the specialcharacter o the Hills and discuss uture pressures.

One Tree Hill, Westley Heights and Dnton Plotlands make p three areasknown locally as Langdon Hills. The plotlands, 460 acres, represents EssexWildlie Trsts largest inland natre resere. With its meadows, ancientwoodlands, ponds, plantations and wild scrb, it orms a rich mosaic oalable habitats.

Gien the ambitios regeneration plans or the area, the Thames GatewaySoth Essex Greengrid Partnership called a meeting with reglar park sersand representaties rom the three managing organisations to discss what

makes the area special and how they might collaborate together in the tre.

At the workshop, the grop was asked to express what each ond remarkableabot Langdon Hills and to dene why they aled it so deeply. People who seit treasred the area or many reasons; sch as its historical richness, fower-richmeadows, inspiring wildlie and the wide istas o green space amid an rbansetting. They also enjoyed the ariety o amenities it oered, sch as walkingdogs in the blebells, sledging down the hills and blackberrying on One Tree Hill.

Sixteen participants made site isits to each o the three areas.Qestionnaires were then completed to assess the qality o the siteand identiy strengths and weaknesses. They were also inited to

consider e specic isses in context o the wider Thames Gatewayregeneration project: access, edcation, local commnities, managingthe landscape setting and biodiersity erss rbanisation.

As a reslt o this strctred opportnity, the grop was able to presenttheir ideas abot how they cold saegard the special qalities o thehills or tre generations and discss improed joint working.

Greengri

dSou

thEssex

Case study 5

Throgh workshop

discssions, the

identity and character

o Langdon Hills was

recognised by a

ariety o sersand proessionals

But what makes a placea place? A place is alocation with a meaning.

Take a raw locationor map reerence orpostcode and addmeaning associations,ideas, history, a senseo identity and youhave a place.

CABE, New things happen: a guide to the future

of the Thames Gateway, 2006


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Why is quality important?Good qality places are clean and well cared or. They are easy toget to and moe abot in. Good spaces can be sed or a ariety oactiities, rom energetic sports to simply being somewhere to relax in.This attracts people to se them and helps create a sense o saety.

Good pblic spaces can also help bild a sense o commnity, creatingneighborhoods and town centres with real character that make peoplehappy and healthy and encorage them to isit. Badly designed andmanaged spaces, on the other hand, can qickly trn into neglected eye-sores attracting anti-social behaior and bringing down the local area.

How is Spaceshaper toolkit dierent rom other tools?There are a nmber o tools aailable to measre qality o pblic space.

Spaceshaper was deeloped to complement these, bt is niqe becase:

It is designed to be sed in all types o pblic space - not jst parksand green spaces

It is sbjectie rather than objectie: the key part o the processis the dialoge between sers and proessionals, not a nalscore that can be sed to compare with other spaces

It ses strctred criteria like the Green Flag Award bt has beenspecically deeloped or sers as well as proessionals

The criteria are spread across a broad range o isses, not ocsing onmanagement, which is the role o the Green Flag Award, or taking the marketresearch srey approach sch as GreenSTAT (www.greenstat.org.k)

Qestionnaire data is stored so that changes in the perception canbe easily measred oer time. This is to encorage managers tomaintain dialoge with sers oer a long period o time and continallybild p the data, bringing in new grops and indiidals.

Why do I need a special acilitator?The acilitator has proed an essential part o the process. He or she willtake yor grop throgh the workshop, explaining the qestionnaire andsing the sotware to show and interpret the reslts. He or she is skilledat ptting eeryone at ease and making sre the discssion is prodctieand not dominated by a single isse. The acilitator can oer independentadice abot yor space and bring in experience rom other spaces.

Can I adapt the questionnaire or my site?No. The process has been designed so that each space is assessedaccording to a standard set o criteria. This encorages people to thinkabot a whole range o isses o qality, not jst the obios ones likelitter and dog mess, althogh these are important. Howeer, whencompleting the qestionnaires on the day participants can chooseto tick not releant or dont know against any o the qestions.

Is it a design quality indicator?Spaceshaper is part o the design qality indicator (DQI) amily (see www.dqi.org.k). The DQI is a process or ealating the design qality o bildings. Itcan be sed by eeryone inoled in the deelopment process to contribte to

improing the qality o the bilt enironment. The DQI is generic and can be sedor any kind o bilding, as this toolkit can be sed or any kind o otdoor space.

Questions and answers


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Can I compare results across dierent sites?Each time the toolkit is sed, it is completed by a grop o people niqe tothat space based on their own sbjectie opinions. Reslts are thereorenot comparable between sites. In theory i the same grop o people assesseda nmber o sites on the same day, comparisons cold be made bt this hasnot been tested.

How is climate change refected in the questionnaire?The role pblic space plays in dealing with the eects o climate change issbstantial. Redcing air polltion, increasing biodiersity and encoragingpeople to walk and cycle more are jst three examples o how the design,management and se o pblic space can help s deal with these isses.Where appropriate these isses hae been incorporated into the qestionnaire.Some more technical qestions are asked separately o the person managing

the space, which the acilitator will bring to the workshop as appropriate.

How is inclusive design refected in the questionnaire?Access and inclsie design inoles ensring pblic spaces can beenjoyed and sed saely, easily and with dignity by all o s regardless odisability, age, gender, ethnicity or circmstance. I yo wold like to testwhether yor space can be enjoyed by all yo will need to ensre that arange o people complete the qestionnaire.

Can I use the questionnaire without the acilitator or the sotware?No. The qestionnaire has been designed to be completed with the assistanceo a acilitator who can take participants throgh it and answer any qeries.

The Spaceshaper sotware enables the qestionnaire data to be storedand presented in a nmber o dierent ormats according to the needso yor workshop.

Can I use the questionnaire with people who dont know the space?The Spaceshaper qestionnaire has been written or people whoknow the space, whether a reglar isitor or a passer by. Those whodont se the space are an important grop to canass as par t o yorwider project, bt are likely to reqire a dierent set o qestions.

How much will it cost?This will ary rom project to project, dependant on what elements othe process yo need to pay or. These may inclde: ene, catering,

transport, materials, eqipment, organisation time, adertising and theSpaceshaper acilitators ee. Facilitators are independent o CABESpace and are employed directly by the organisation who wants tose Spaceshaper. They will hae their own horly or daily rates.

Where can I nd out more?visit www.cabe.org.k/spaceshaper, or contact Kent ArchitectreCentre, who are rnning Spaceshaper on behal o CABE,on 01634 401166 or email [email protected].


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You

Fac

ilitator

Register yor interest in sing Spaceshaper with CABE Space. Brie detailso the project (no more than 200 words) shold inclde the name o thesite, approximate size, who manages it and what the project is abot

Employ a acilitator to help yo se the toolkit. CABE Space will thenrelease the list o acilitators to choose rom. It is p to yo and theacilitator to agree yor working arrangement

Gather inormation rom preios consltations, reports and plans

Pt together an initation list, try to inclde a wide range o people:

Sbmit yor project plan to CABE Space, this will inclde: site details workshop objectives approximate workshop date.

Set the date, time and ene, ensring its easily accessible to peopleand the space

Send the initation allowing three weeks beore the eent, with theollowing inormation: date, time and location the aim of the workshop

tell people if refreshments are included ask people to contact you if they have particular needs let people know what they are going to be expected to do contact details for any queries RSVP slip.

Ensre there are adeqate materials or the day; this may inclde a localmap, fip charts, pens, post-it notes, laptop, a data projector and theSpaceshaper qestionnaires

Agree with participants i and how they wold like to be kept p to date

Write p the report, inclding reslts, discssion and next steps

Keep people inormed o progress!

Access gropsArt gropsCasal sersCommtersDisabled peopleElderly peoples gropsEnironment gropsFaith gropsFamilies

Local bsinesses

Local oce workersLocal residenceSchool childrenShoppersSports gropsSre Start participantsTeenagersToristsvolnteers

vlnerable grops

Yoth gropsArchitectsConcillorsLandscape architectsMaintenance teamsManagersPlannersPoliceRangers

Wardens.

The ollowing checklist outlines the key stages o a Spaceshaperworkshop. Agree rom the outset who, either you or the acilitator,has responsibility or each o these tasks. There may be some youwish to do together. Tick o each stage as they are completed:

Checklist


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Spaceshaper is a practicaltoolkit or use by anyone whethera local community activist or aproessional to measure thequality o public space beoreinvesting time and money inimproving it. This users guiderom CABE Space explains

how Spaceshaper works andoutlines practical steps to planyour workshop. It shows howSpaceshaper has been usedelsewhere and the lessons youcan learn rom others experience.

Spaceshaper is

administered on

behal o CABE by Kent

Architecture Centre.

To ind out more

about Spaceshaper

please contact:

Kent Architecture Centre

Admirals Oices

Historic Dockyard

Chatham

Kent ME4 4TZ

T 01634 401 166

urb spaceshaper a users guide

Documents