Newspaper
CABE launches public space tools
CABE seeks to inspire the public to demand more from their buildings and spaces. The two tools recently launched from CABE Space hope to achieve just that. It’s our space is a guide for community groups – and smaller councils without in-house design teams – to help them deliver public space projects of excellence. Through a series of case studies the guide puts the importance of employing the services of a professional designer at the heart of successful projects. The guide explains the value of design quality and takes people through the four stages: prepare, design, construct and use. While recognising that all projects are unique, the guide sets out the roles of the community client and the professionals that they will need to work with, and illustrates the principles of good design to inspire people to demand more. Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit for anyone who wants to evaluate the quality of a public space before investing time and money in improving it. It brings together professionals and users to jointly assess a space of any type; park, street or square. Workshops, managed by Spaceshaper facilitators, hope to inspire local people to demand more from their space. By comparing different groups’ perceptions, the Spaceshaper process encourages participants to step back and think about the function of the space, its strengths and weaknesses, how it can meet different users’ needs and ways of exploring its future potential. Developed with input from the LI and tried and tested with over 600 people, the toolkit is free to use – although use of a Spaceshaper facilitator is mandatory. With the publishing of the local government white paper, Strong and prosperous communities, the guidance has come out just at the right time – when people are asking for tools to help them deliver its aspirations for community groups to manage and even own assets, and for local people to become more engaged in decision-making about their local spaces. To order a copy of It’s our space, please email publications@cabe.org.uk. To find out more about Spaceshaper, visit www.cabe.org.uk/spaceshaper. Taster sessions and subsequent training to become a Spaceshaper facilitator will be offered in early summer; please register your details on the website. Discuss this article
Would you like to read more? To receive your copy of the Landscape Institute's monthly newspaper subscribe today.
