Creative industries and the experience economy are big growth sectors. We worked with Futurecity and Opportunity London on a cultural placemaking toolkit to help boroughs take advantage of the opportunities.
In a highly competitive global market, London’s boroughs need to draw out distinctive and authentic narratives for their places undergoing regeneration.
Futurecity, London’s leading cultural placemaking consultancy, has launched a new cultural placemaking toolkit for London’s boroughs. Last year, Future of London and Opportunity London hosted an event for London boroughs to preview the toolkit.
The toolkit offers a clear and structured approach to help local authorities:
- identify and articulate a site’s cultural DNA.
- strengthen the borough’s place offer to investors and stakeholders.
- align development with community, economic and cultural priorities.
- support compelling narratives for funding and investment bids.
This draws on Futurecity’s unique experience over more than 17 years of working with developers and helping boroughs create successful, high-impact development strategies on major sites across London. These include Wembley Park, Battersea Power Station, Greenwich Peninsula, East Village and Barking Riverside.
Futurecity says: “Creating a unique Place Vision sets out the ‘cultural DNA’ of a site, identifying the unique real estate, placemaking and community opportunities that it can unlock.
“At a time in which each of the London boroughs are busy drawing out their unique identities, the Toolkit will help make investment opportunities more attractive, relevant and more contextual to reflect the unique identities of each borough. It helps position the site’s strategic contribution to the local area, the borough and London, connecting investors to the site’s specific potential as a unique destination.”
Previewing the cultural placemaking toolkit
Public sector teams came to Olympia to preview the toolkit, supported by Yoo Capital. We brought together professionals from across regeneration, planning, inward investment, culture and communications. We explored the role of culture in creating vibrant, attractive places for investment and community well-being. Lloyd Lee and Louise Page-Jennings from Yoo Capital then introduced and led a short tour of this major regeneration project.
“The new toolkit will help our borough partners with good principles, new tactics and fresh ideas for showcasing the potential of their places to London’s communities and global investors,” says Nicola Mathers, Chief Executive of Future of London.
Why culture matters in regeneration and placemaking
At the event, Quintain CEO James Saunders and the Wembley Park management team talked with Futurecity founder Mark Davy about the process of transforming the former industrial site into a new creative district for London.
Some key points that emerged from this and the wider audience discussion included:
- Holistic approach: Successful placemaking and regeneration require a blend of cultural, economic and community-focused strategies.
- Flexibility and adaptation: Boroughs need to be adaptable and responsive to changing trends and community needs.
- Community involvement: Continuous engagement with local communities can ensure their needs and identities are reflected in placemaking strategies.
- Long-term partnerships: Cultural organisations and local authorities must collaborate effectively to sustain cultural initiatives.
Futurecity has devised and launched the Place Vision Toolkit. To get your copy, please email info@futurecity.co.uk. Please note: this tool is for local authorities only.
Images courtesy of Futurecity.