Taking central city design to heart

16 NOVEMBER 2007

Next week [19-23 Nov], Hamilton embarks on the most significant city design initiative the city has seen in recent times.

The City Heart Revitalisation project commences its first phase with a four-day design workshop that will result in the first concept plans for the vision of future city design and development.

Hamilton mayor Bob Simcock says that the City Heart project is about the creation of a vibrant and distinctive heart for Hamilton.

“The project’s vision is to create physical spaces that we all want to share that reflect our city’s unique identity. The City Heart project is driven by a need to deliver connectivity and cohesiveness in the central city’s future development. Key factors include: expressing Hamilton’s creativity and identity; creation of safe places to which people are naturally drawn; and the linkage of our gathering places through design as well as physicality.”
Next week, a public presentation will be made to outline the design process moving forward and introduce some of the design specialists who will lead the City Heart project.

It is an open presentation and will take place on:
Tuesday 20 November
Councils Reception Lounge
Garden Place
7.00 -9.00pm.

Workshops taking place over the coming week are structured around a consultative planning concept called Enquiry by Design. Enquiry by Design involves stakeholders and the local community in shaping a vision for the city.
The process brings key stakeholders together around the same table so that problems can be aired as they arise and every issue tested by being drawn.

These maps, plans and other concept drawings will be available for the public to see so that they may get a sense of the solutions and thinking and become actively involved by providing their feedback.

By the end of next week the product of Enquiry by Design will be a vision for the City Heart, which is shared by everyone who is linked to the development.
Council encourages all members of the public to contribute their thoughts as to how the Hamilton of the future should look.

Public workshops are:

Wednesday 21 November
2pm - 3pm
Reception Lounge
Garden Place

Thursday 22 November
10am - 11am
Reception Lounge
Garden Place

Vision and Outcomes of City Heart Revitalisation

- Garden Place and Civic Square become the vibrant heart of the city, where people come to celebrate, create, experience and share
- Garden Place and Civic Square are known as vibrant and active places where there is a wide range of exciting events in a space that is very safe and uniquely Hamilton
- There is easy and safe pedestrian access to and from the city heart to the redeveloped Claudelands Events centre
- There are exciting destinations that link Claudelands to the city heart along this walkway on the former Sonning car park and in Opoia
- Multi-use development in this area takes advantage of the unique river environment
- Developments opposite the Claudelands Events centre, on Sonning car park and the land behind ArtsPost are created as part of a cohesive city heart – Claudelands corridor
- Victoria St is developed to be a sustainable transport corridor which is concept planned in harmony with all other city heart development
- All development is achieved through integrated design principles, unique artwork, place making, district planning and economic development solutions

ENDS

© Scoop Media