Power of Public Spaces

Purpose of research project *

The project adopts an innovative model of government-university-community collaboration to investigate, discuss and co-create new approaches to public space design, management, and use. The social benefits will be to better understand how public spaces positively contribute to place-based social connectivity in ways that can mitigate the negative impacts of current challenges.  

Our project asks why Australian public spaces are important, the difference they make in our lives and how their value is changing and evolving. This website is where the project team will share ideas from communities, academics, policy-makers and big thinkers on the changing role of place and public space in Australia. It is aimed as a resource for anyone thinking about, planning, creating, studying or using public spaces. 

Who has, is or will benefit *

'The Power of Public Spaces to Connect Communities and Places' project is funded through an Australia Research Council (ARC) Linkage Research Program grant (LP210200796). It involves an interdisciplinary team of academic and professional investigators from Macquarie University and NSW Government.  The project is supported by an Expert Advisory Panel comprising local, national and international experts across government, placemaking, public space, architecture, planning and academia.

Description of impact *

Project aims:
-to better understand diverse community connections to public spaces
-to consider how public spaces can mitigate the impacts of pandemics and a changing climate  
-to investigate, discuss and co-create new approaches to public space design, management, and use
-to promote Indigenous leadership in place design, place-making and caring for Country
-to increase cultural and community benefits by making public spaces more inclusive
-to use this website to support awareness, advocacy and systems-change around public spaces planning and use. 

The project is engaging with and informing public space policy and practice in NSW. The multimedia website has been published and shares stories and insights across research and practice.

Category of impact	Society impacts, Policy impacts, Organisation impacts
Impact level	Emerging (pre)