The document discusses narrative placemaking and how storytelling can be used to create better places. It provides information from a conference on using narrative in placemaking, including quotes and examples. Some key points made include that narrative helps make places more engaging and understandable, appeals to wide audiences, and should involve listening to community stories from the beginning of the placemaking process. The document encourages finding a place's unique character and values to craft a vision and experience for users.

1. #placemaking
Conference Sponsors
Making the Case for Place
Slides from afternoon sessions
Wednesday 28 June 2017

2. Lucy Musgrave
Director
Publica
#placemaking

3. Rosanna Vitiello
Director
Local Legends
#placemaking

4. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Local Legends
on narrativeplacemaking
FUTURE OF LONDON
PLACEMAKING
local-legends.or
g

5. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
local-legends.org
Exploring how the power and poetry of narrative can make better places

6. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Starting withStories
the who, what, why, where, when
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

7. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
WHAT are stories?
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“The story is a machine for empathy.
A story is about emotion that gets
staged over a sequence of dramatic
moments,
so you empathize with the characters
without thinking about it. It is a really
powerful tool for imagining yourself in other
people’s situations.’”
Ira Glass
Radio Host and Producer, This American Life

8. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Places +People+Experience=
Narrative
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
WHAT are stories?

9. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
WHAT — timeless connection stories and places
From Aboriginal songlines... ...to Soap Operas
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

10. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
WHERE — no better stage than London
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Will Self ’s writing
desk

11. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Characterised
by change
Placemaking deals with
evolution. Whether we
need massive change or
baby steps, a story helps us
understand that change.
Appeals
universally
Narrative helps us make
sense of the world.
Stories can create a
shared vision that
endures through
years of change.
Cuts through
complexity
Places are complex.
Yet narrative allows for
nuance, variedthreads,
voices and twists and turns
to keep us hooked.
Takes
many forms
Circulation, materials,
landscape, vistas,
activities and public
realm and people all help
communicate a story.
WHY — narrative is a natural fit for placemaking
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

12. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
HOW — Adding value for all involved
ECONOMIC
VALUE
ENVIRONMENTAL
VALUE
SOCIAL
VALUE
CULTURAL
VALUE
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

13. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Cultural
Value
Physical
Value
Social
Value
Economic
Value
TOURIS
M
EXPERTS
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
ATTRACTIO
N
PLANNERS
CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS
EDUCATIONA
L
INSTITUTIONS
INVESTORSARCHITECTS
&ENGINEERS
NARRATIVE&
EXPERIENCE
ARTS
ORGANISATIONS
COMMUNIT
YGROUPS
PLACE
BRANDING
MASTER
PLANNERS
LANDOWNERS
&DEVELOPERS
ENVIRONMENTA
LGROUPS
WHO — Uniting different agendas

14. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
DISCOVERY DEFINITION DESIG
N
DELIVERY
WHEN — Building story in from the start
Start crafting the story at briefing
stage to ensure it’s embedded in
the design and experience
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

15. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Learning
from Local
Legends
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

16. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Let’s not assume that we as designers can
imagine everything that everyone else can. That
means we need many more heads coming up
with new ideas and interpretations for places.”
Marcus Willcocks,
Research Fellow, Central St Martins
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

17. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
understand
society, politics
and economics
understand
physical
space
understand
symbolism and
communication
Narrative placemaking
needs people that...
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

18. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Every project means embedding yourself:
listening, looking and then finding your way in
Our work is about how to feel all that research:
how can we step in? You need to make sure there
is authenticity in every moment that you are
creating.
Suzanne O’Connell, The Decorators
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

19. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Gather story assets with an open mind
Listening
radio and audio
interviews
Looking
photography,
illustration and art
Learning
archival
research
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

20. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“The story has to have high stakes. It has to have
consequences or people don’t care.”
David Waters, Radio Maker
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

21. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Structure the story
Welcome, Challenge, Resolution
Diagram © NY Film Academy

22. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Narrative thrives on drama and conflict. It’s
actually in our interest to work with contested
spaces because that’s what interests people.”
Tricia Austin
MA Narrative Environments Course Leader
Central St Martins
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

23. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Draw out opportunities and challenges
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

24. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Find something that is evocative of what the spirit
of place is. The spirit of place in Fidenza is music
and food. That’s what’s going to drive the design;
how do you give that some three-dimensionality?
It’s about digging deeper into the culture than
what’s on the surface.”
Brian Garrison, SVP, Value Retail
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

25. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Find a place’s unique and enduring value
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Olympic Park,London

26. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Who is it for? What are the values?
What’s the personality? What’s the attitude
you’re trying to express and how do you market it?
Most importantly of all, why are you doing it? If
you stop doing it, would anybody care?
Jane Wentworth, Brand Strategist
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

27. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Craft a place vision and establish tone
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Manhattan, Woody Allen

28. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemakinglocal-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“How do you create permanent moments of
surprise, of emotion, of intrigue? Once you
string a collection of those together, you build a
character for a place, and an experience.”
Adriana Marques
Former Head of Arts & Culture, Olympic Park

29. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Stage + Props + Mood
+ Plot + Cast & Crew
Build an experience to build a story
Granary Square, London
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

30. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“You can seriously change the meaning of
something just by swapping the sequence of
objects, and that’s the same in a place.
How you encounter it is really important.”
Allison Walker,
Content Developer
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

31. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Change is the bedrock of life and
therefore the bedrock of narrative. ”
John York,screenwriter
Pace yourself
Create a journey, not just a space
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

32. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“When two opposites are juxtaposed
correctly, an explosion occurs,
and story comes alive. ”
John York,screenwriter
Juxtapose
Collide ideas to create pace
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

33. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“When two opposites are juxtaposed
correctly, an explosion occurs,
and story comes alive. ”
John York,screenwriter
Coreograph views
Think like a cinematographer to capture vistas
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

34. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Set gleaming details
Make the ordinary extraordinary
St Michael and All Angels Church, Croydon
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

35. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Places are not made by disciplines,
Places are made by people.”
Marie Aquilino,
Post-Crisis Reconstruction Expert
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

36. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Profile your protagonists
Who are you doing this for? What’s in it for them?
RESIDENTS
belonging
NEIGHBOURS
welcome
WORKERS
pride
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

37. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Conversations happen through action, through
activity, through encounter. If I walk down the
street a bit faster because I’m nervous that’s a
conversation between me and the street.”
Marcus Willcocks,
Research Fellow, Central St Martins
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

38. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
What do your protagonists ...
...see? ...do? ...feel?
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

39. “Architecture doesn’t respond well to change, and
it’s a shame because it takes so long to build.”
Jorge Mendez Caceres, Architect
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

40. Bring time into the equation
Think through chapters of progress
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
0.5
years
5 15
years years

41. Prototype a new story
We try to develop projects that have some things
that are fixed and some things that are flexible.
We often use the Elvis Costello quote about how,
when he records an album, he plays it back on a
crap tape recorder. If it still sounds good on that,
then he knows it must be a good album!”
Vincent Lacovara,
Croydon Council Placemaking Lead
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

42. Fix and Flex
Mr Tinto, Coffee Cart, Ruskin Square, Croydon
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

43. “The storytelling itself and the passing on
of the experiences is what’s important.
That’s what really creates change.”
Annegret Affolderbach, Cultural Futurist
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

44. Hand over the spark
Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

45. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
“Good storytelling never gives you four,
it gives you two plus two. Don’t give the
audience the answer, give them the
pieces. They are rewarded with a sense
of thrill when they find the answers
themselves.”
Bob Peterson, Screenwriter, Pixar
local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking

46. local-legends.org Narrative in Placemaking
Join the conversation
local-legends.org
locallegendsproject@gmail.com
ROSANNA
VITIELLO

47. Making the Case for Place
Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper
#placemaking
Conference Sponsors

48. Tom Bridgman
Delivery Lead, Regeneration
LB Lambeth
#placemaking

49. IF COMMUNITY-LED BE PREPARED TO INVEST & CAPACITY
BUILD..
- ENSURE YOU HAVE FUNDS IN PLACE TO HELP DESIGN, COST
& BUSINESS PLAN + SUPPORT & MONITOR
OR..
- OR ARE YOU HAPPY TO LET IT GO AND IF NECESSARY FAIL?

51. GET THE RIGHT OPERATOR IN..
- DIFFERENT SPACES AND SITES REQUIRE DIFFERENT SKILLS
- THE PROJECT WILL COME TO END – A GOOD OPERATOR IS
THERE TO MANAGE THAT PROCESS

53. WORKS BEST IF A MEANS TO AN END, NOT AN END IN ITSELF..
- ACTIVATING SPACE IS GREAT… BUT EVEN BETTER IF PART OF
A BIGGER PICTURE
- ROOTS LONG-TERM CHANGE IN LOCAL CONTEXT
- LEARN LESSONS FOR FUTURE USES (E.G. ALLOCATIONS)

55. MONITOR & EVALUATE..
- MAKE THE CASE FOR LONGER-TERM ROLE OR FUTURE
MEANWHILE USES
- WORTH THE INVESTMENT
- BUILD INTO OPERATORS SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT

57. BE FLEXIBLE & RESPONSIVE..
- LEARN BY DOING
- BE IN A POSITION TO BE REACTIVE OR OPPORTUNISITIC
- CONSIDER HOW YOU MIGHT EXPAND OR CONTRACT
SHARED VALUES WITH OPERATOR AND COMMUNITY IS KEY
TO THIS

59. PLAN FOR SUCCESS (AND FAILURE)..
- PROJECT WILL EVOLVE
- HAVE YOU SAFE GUARDED ORIGINAL OBJECTIVES?
- WHAT HAPPENDS IF IT DOES NOT WORK?

61. BE PREPARED TO INVEST & CAPACITY BUILD..
GET THE RIGHT OPERATOR IN..
WORKS BEST IF A MEANS TO AN END, NOT AN END IN ITSELF..
MONITOR & EVALUATE..
BE FLEXIBLE & RESPONSIVE..
PLAN FOR SUCCESS (AND FAILURE)..

62. Maia Tarling-Hunter
Senior Project Officer
Sustrans
#placemaking

65. Sustrans DIY Streets – Marks Gate, Barking & Dagenham
| July 17Presentation title, © Sustrans
DIY Streets Marks
Gate, Barking &
Dagenham

67. | July 17Public Policy Exchange, © Sustrans
15% speed
reduction
65%
walked or
cycled
more
“Sustrans have been instrumental in the successful delivery of a range
of schemes, working in partnership with the Council and local communities
on projects combining place making, modal shift and community engagement
which have led to increased community cohesion and resulted in the
creation of safer, more attractive places throughout the borough.”
Tim Martin, Transport Planning & Policy Manager, Barking and Dagenham

68. | July 17Public Policy Exchange, © Sustrans
Very high
accident
rates
High
levels of
traffic
No safe
crossing
points
High walking &
cycling rates
DIY Schools
Richard Atkins,
Brixton Hill

69. | July 17Presentation title, © Sustrans
Trialling
the new
road
layout

70. | July 17Public Policy Exchange, © Sustrans
27% speed
reduction
14%
volume
reduction

71. Sustrans is the charity making it easier for people
to walk and cycle. We connect people and places,
create liveable neighbourhoods, transform the
school run and deliver a happier, healthier
commute.
Join us on our journey. www.sustrans.org.uk
Twitter @sustrans
www.sustrans.org.uk
Maia Tarling-Hunter
Collaborative Design

72. Paul Hocker
Director
London Play
#placemaking

73. Healthy Schools London steering group

74. Almost a third of children play outside for
30 minutes or less a day and one in five
don’t play outside at all on an average
day. Children spend twice as much time on
screens inside as they do playing outside.
Research conducted by Edelman Berland, 2016

75. Children aged under-15
in London 1,531,169
2011 census
Today 306,000 children
will not play outside

83. Making the Case for Place
Procurement for Placemaking
#placemaking
Conference Sponsors

84. Nik Randall
Managing Director
reForm Architects
#placemaking

89. “…open to the Mayor and TfL to work
with Heatherwick Studio without a
competitive procurement process, but
they chose not to do so.”

90. Marks Barfield Architects

93. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU

94. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU
In the UK these are invariably 2 Stage Restricted Procedures,
but they don’t have to be.

95. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU
In the UK these are invariably 2 Stage Restricted Procedures,
but they don’t have to be.
Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 we can also use;

96. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU
In the UK these are invariably 2 Stage Restricted Procedures,
but they don’t have to be.
Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 we can also use;
- Negotiated Procedure Without Prior Publication
(Part 2 – Chapter 2 – Section 3 – Regulation 32)

97. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU
In the UK these are invariably 2 Stage Restricted Procedures,
but they don’t have to be.
Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 we can also use;
- Negotiated Procedure Without Prior
Publication (Part 2 – Chapter 2 – Section 3 –
Regulation 32)
- Competitive Procedure With Negotiation
(Part 2 – Chapter 2 – Section 3 – Regulation 29)

98. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU
In the UK these are invariably 2 Stage Restricted Procedures,
but they don’t have to be.
Under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 we can also use;
- Negotiated Procedure Without Prior
Publication (Part 2 – Chapter 2 – Section 3 –
Regulation 32)
- Competitive Procedure With Negotiation
(Part 2 – Chapter 2 – Section 3 – Regulation 29)
In other EU Countries as little as 30% of public projects are
procured through OJEU

99. In the UK 90% of public projects are procured through OJEU
In other EU Countries as little as 30% of public projects are
procured through OJEU

111. Lean
● Optimised form
● Optimised performance
● Challenge constraints

113. space craft architects

122. Sherine McFarlane
Head of Social & Economic Regeneration
Genesis
#placemaking

123. Context

124. Approach to commissioning services
Indirect
• Influencing Procurement Process
• Framework for Social Value
• Social Value Exchange
Direct
• Needs led
• Filling gaps in provision
• Bespoke services
• Responsive to needs
• Capacity building
• Furthering reach
• Development Trusts
• Community Interest Companies

125. Case study Grahame Park
• Start on site 2007
• Scheduled
completion 2019
• Minimum 1677
homes will be built
• Health Centre
• Community Hub
• Retail and
commercial units

126. Case Study Woodberry Down
• Woodberry Down Built
in 1940s
• Genesis are in a S106
with Hackney Council
and Berkeley Homes
• Started 2007 –
Scheduled to
Complete 2040
• 2158 New Homes
• Community Centre
• Commercial and retail
units

127. Benefits & Challenges
Benefits
• Self sustaining programmes
• Lasting legacy
• Community led
• Supporting Local economies
• Funding vehicle
• Shape activities
• Adaptable
• Partnerships
• Impact
Challenges
• Funding streams
• Patient investor
• Capacity building
• Internal business case
• Getting people on board
• Continued alignment
• Return on investment
• One size doesn’t fit all

128. Thank you
Communities are the most important ingredient in placemaking!

129. Anthony Peter
Senior Project Manager
Argent
#placemaking

140. Making the Case for Place
Management & Maintenance
#placemaking
Conference Sponsors

141. Polly Plunket
Property Management Director
Broadgate Estates
#placemaking

142. Ojay McDonald
Policy Manager
Association of Town Centre Management
#placemaking

144. Population
Growth
Pressure on
Transport Network
Digital
Revolution
Economic
Recovery?
Devolution
Spending Cuts
Pressure on
Public Services
Pressure
on Land
Use
Business
Rates
Retention?
Poor Productivity
Pressure on
Housing
Social
Need?
BREXIT

145.  Housing
 Business Support & Innovation
 Employment & Skills
 Infrastructure Delivery
 Tourism
 Sustainability
 Inward Investment
 Social Cohesion
Town & City Management

152. Kate Swade
Director
Shared Assets
#placemaking

153. Common Good Placemaking
Future of London Placemaking conference
Kate Swade
@kateswade
@sharedassets

154. I will talk about...
Alternative models - beyond the public / private dichotomy
Different ways of thinking about the “community”
Frameworks for thinking about alternative models
Some examples

155. About Shared Assets
Think and do tank
Creating the new relationships that make land work for everyone
Urban, rural, peri-urban land
Consultancy, research and innovation focus

156. Common Good Land Use: a framework

157. Placeshaping
Local plans, local govt & landowners
Placemaking
Developers, architects, urbanists
Placekeeping
… everyone? Citizens, government, long
term stakeholders

158. The problem

159. Community-led approaches - possibility models
Oversight Animation Taking care
Managing
and
developing
Oversight
Lobbying
Representation
Events
Open days
Activities
Adopting
Volunteering
Planting
Lease
Contract
Agreement

160. OrganicLea
Food growing
Veg Box
Training
Systems change
… new
consortium at
Wolves’ Lane

161. Myatt’s Fields
Public park
Community
greenhouse &
kitchen
Events
Activism

162. Tower Hamlets
Cemetery Park
Ancient woodland
Heritage
Education
Events & Festivals
Gardening & design
services outside of
the park

163. Some of the challenges in “alternative” models
Community engagement
New and existing stakeholders
Conflicting interests
Setting up the right kind of organisation
Making it pay

164. Some of the opportunities…
Control over quality and cost
‘Ownership’ of place (shaping and keeping)
Ability to make changes as people and place change
Making spaces work
Developing local skills, jobs, resources

165. Policy considerations / things to think about
Thinking long term
Designing spaces that are easy to manage productively
Leaving things undone
Willingness to let go of control

166. Thank you!
Kate Swade
www.sharedassets.org.uk
@sharedassets
@kateswade