Getting to the heart of great public spaces

Government plans to improve the city centre have included centrally locating SMU, demolishing the National Library building, constructing the Stamford Road tunnel and creating a retail corridor along Armenian Street. The recent announcement of car-free Sundays in the Civic and Central Business Districts is part of the $740 million plan, announced in the 2015 Budget, to transform the Civic District into “an integrated arts, culture and lifestyle precinct”. This editorial proposes allowing spaces to be shaped by the people who use them, and looking beyond foot traffic and visitor-spending numbers to assess the vibrancy of an area. “It is the collective spirit and sense of belonging that makes the ‘X-factor’, or soul, of a place,” the writers suggest.