Leeds: Our Spaces 4x4 November 2017
Changing Approach to Our Spaces
Our Ambition
Our Spaces become our City’s greatest Cultural asset – Cultural Strategy Promotes Leeds as the European Capital of Culture to create and improve our spaces to form a city centre that feels as good as it looks Leeds welcomed 331,000 international visitors in 2016 10% rise from 2015 27.29 million day and night visitors worth £1.64bn to the local economy Visitors to Leeds supports 18,890 full time jobs Business tourism worth £501 million to the economy – up 12% from 2015 3rd best place to shop in the UK outside London 5th largest UK shopping destination
Three Approaches to Public Realm Tactical/Temporary Proposals – quick interventions, low cost and can be delivered quickly Early Interventions – Response to highways infrastructure changes or early phases of larger developments brought forward prior to wider development Transformational Schemes – major redevelopment proposals to enhance existing spaces and create new gateways into the City
Transformational Schemes
A place for events
A space to play
Sculptural Seating to frame spaces
A place to explore
City Square
A space to relax
A space for the unexpecte
City Square Considerations
2. Sovereign Square Footbridge
Leeds Integrated Station
City Park
Quarry Hill
10a. Clay Pit Lane
Animation of Public Space
Definition: ‘Deliberate, usually temporary employment of festivals, events, programmed activities or pop-up leisure to transform, enliven and/or alter public spaces and stage urban life’
Why Tactical Interventions • • • • • • • • • • • •
Austerity Time taken for delivery, site assembly Cost – try before you buy Land values Intensity of land use Opportunity Animation of sites offers Flexibility Fast pace Ongoing means of transformation Low cost Social engagement and empowerment
• Lighter Quicker Cheaper • People
Animating Spaces – Tactical/Temporary Approach •
Need to find moments when we can come together in a public space – need to create the fabric in which these can happen
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Moments filled with surprise, awe, thought, fun, trigger conversation, inspiration and civic pride
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Canvas of a public space provides an ideal opportunity to bring these threads together, weave moments of positive collision between people and ideas.
Options for animating spaces • • • • • • • •
Art installations Street furniture Pop up markets Food trucks Ice/skating rinks Yoga classes Musical performances Temporary greening
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Positive activity and perception of vitality, transformational Meaning and value enriches understanding of peoples emotions and attachments
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A family-friendly temporary public realm intervention, developed in partnership with City Centre Management, Leeds Art Gallery and DLA Architects . Supported by city partners such as Sir Robert McAlpine, Marshalls and Leeds Bid • 4800 visits over the 17 day event; • 85% of people attending had children with them; • 25% of children were under 5 and 21% 5-11 • 90 per cent of people surveyed said the event was either Very Good or Excellent; • 90% of respondents said they would be much more likely to have outings in Leeds if there were more events like this; • 77% said they spent more time in the city centre because of the event; • The event attracted higher than the Leeds average of BME groups, with 8% from Asian background (Leeds average is 5% of population); 4% Black/African/Caribbean Black background (Leeds av. 3%); and 4% Mixed background (Leeds av. 3%)
Harper street Artwork
Briggate Pop Up Play Space
Light Night Leeds is an annual free multi-arts and light festival which takes over Leeds City Centre on two nights in early October. The city centre comes alive with an exciting programme of spectacular projections, interactive installations, exhibitions, dance, music and street performances. As darkness falls, the city is seen in a new light.
• Light Night Stats go here – 60 events across the 2 nights • Footfall – 60,000 • Spend – over £2m • Dwell time 3-4 hours
Partnership - DLA
Yorkshire Design Group
BID
A City that Feels as Good as it Looks Embrace the micro – its just as important if not more so! Attention to detail is vital •Cleanliness is next to … tourist approval •Corporate and civic duty – for all •Greening the city – address air pollution and lack of tree cover •Wayfinding – being able to navigate and feel safe •Telling our story – find ways to celebrate our heritage •The waterfront – clean, used and usable waterfront which is animated with events •A ‘dark’ city – finding the dark spots and animation •THE PEOPLE
In Summary
Our Spaces and Our Ambition for them give us •a city better for visitors - it is better for its citizens •Give’s us the opportunity to Shout about Leeds – 2023 has done this amazingly •The opportunity to hear the voices of our children and young people - Children and Young people are our the placemakers of the future •When people are enjoying themselves, having fun and leave with a positive experience they stay longer and return more often