Connecting communities and places
Public spaces are vital for enabling vibrant and sustainable civic life. They are not just ‘nice to have’ – public spaces provide essential social, environmental and economic benefits.
About the project
‘The Power of Public Spaces to Connect Communities and Places’ project is funded through an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant (LP210200796) between researchers at Macquarie University and partners in Transport for NSW, Department of Planning and Environment and the NSW Government Architect.
The project aims to uncover the vital role of public spaces at the heart of communities and during COVID-19 and in a time of climate change.
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.
The project will enhance understandings of the diverse community connections to public spaces, including by promoting Indigenous leadership in place design, place-making and caring for and as Country. This will be achieved through a collaborative program of public lectures, talks, workshops, case studies and the development of online resources. These activities will begin in February 2023 and run until the end of 2025.
The project is informed by an expert Advisory Board comprising international, national and local experts across government, private sectors, academia and community practice, who will guide this innovative public space research program. An interactive website will be launched in 2023.
Macquarie research team
Partner investigators
- Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon – Executive Director, Cities Revitalisation and Place, Transport for NSW
- Kiersten Fishburn – Deputy Secretary, Cities and Active Transport, Transport for NSW
- Dillon Kombumerri – Principal Architect, Office of the NSW Government Architect NSW
- Fiona Morrison – Commissioner Open Space at NSW Department of Planning and Environment