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1. Introduction
Clarkson Train Station Precinct Activation
TU is a low coast intervention that initiates domestic solution for urban problems and planning challenges on a local level. Those intervention provides short-term actions that are associated with long-term changes (Elraham 2015). This vernacular movement is run by locals who aspire to help their city through taking a community-oriented initiative toward a better quality of living. Those urban champions operate without government involvement and the projects are usually funded by locals and donations (Elraham 2015)
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The interventions consist of small-scale tactics formed to provide potential solutions for community needs. Chaiara Campotenschi is a researcher who looked into the cooperative awareness with the community. She found that tactical urbanism gives citizens the opportunity to initiate change against discontinuous planning and development processes. It also responds to community requests and meets the objectives (Elraham 2015)
TU principles were evident before the 20th century. The first citing of similar principles to those of TU can be traced back to Les Bouquinistes in Paris in the 1500s. Another movement of such concept and principles was seen in the 16th century in Paris with the pop-up book vendors along the Seine River. Fast forward in San Francisco in 1995 in parking Day. However, in 1995 the first title of tactical urbanism was granted to Play Streets of New York and London in the 20th century (Marshall, Duvall and Deborah 2016). The notion of TU provides an opportunity for the emergence of new urban ideas. Those urban interventions provide a range of benefits for the community. This is because they focus on social, cultural, and environmental matters (Marshall, Duvall and Deborah 2016). . Actions toward those matters are taken through strategies and tactics. Those interventions begin with consulting with the local councils and fund raisers to provide the best design aspect that
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can fulfill the community needs (Marshall, Duvall and Deborah 2016).
Through community involvement, citizens can initiate the change towards shaping their urban space without the need to rely on planning and government policies. TU provides a field to assess and facilitate an urban idea. From which knowledge and lessons can be gained (Brenner 2015) As a result, TU gives citizens a chance to test the success of an urban concept before laying the foundation for permanent interventions (Brenner, 2015). McFarlane describes a book written by Callon et on the impact of tactical urbanism that it is not about urbanism at the end, instead, it is about the benefits and lessons applied along the process (Brenner 2015). Whereas Anaclaudia Rossbach, the director of Brazilian foundation, comments on the topic of poverty and the importance of TU; he says, “Talking is important, but I guess seeing it on the ground, you see that it has credibility” (Brenner 2015)
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Clarkson Train Station Precinct Activation
Variety of tactics have been implemented in the past 20th century. This includes providing new infrastructure, services, job opportunities, better amenity and so forth. The notion of TU is purely based on providing a better quality of living for people century (Marshall, Duvall and Deborah 2016).
As this concept takes into account a variety of projects. For example, adaptive reuse projects for abandoned or an underutilized public space that can provide the public with community hubs and gardens. This can positively impact on people’s health and wellbeing by promoting walkability and active community engagement (Mould 2014)
As mentioned above TU brings of many benefits to the communities. Such as it increases the public engagement. Individuals can voice out the needs of their communities, through decision-making, followed by physical labor as they provide the means of production toward the tactic (Mould 2014). Another advantage of tactical urbanism is that it brings different demographics of creative minds together such as children, adults, community leaders, artists, architect, planners, trades, and town teams. Those tactics help bring the community and the public together through inexpensive pop-up urban ideas (Mould 2014). Those ideas can be the solution for many urban issues that do not require intensive planning. As sometimes small changes can have the biggest outcomes (Mould 2014).
The reason behind the success of the TU concept despite its small scale is the planning, programming, site surveying and the involvement of the community. It is based on concerned citizens who are going through the hardship and are willing to collaborate to help enhance their city and urban precincts. Therefore, this process ensures a realistic and honest outcome (Mould 2014).
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