Tactical masterplanning for Timaru.
Over the decades there has been a slow decline in the health of Timaru city centre, with many heritage buildings remaining vacant or threatened by earthquake strengthening issues. Shops close early, and there is a disconnect between town and sea, and a new retail development at the edge of town has further impacted traditional main street retail. The CityTown programme was initiated to create a long-term vision and strategy to return investment, people and vitality to the centre of Timaru.
In collaboration with Gap Filler we developed a programme of trials alongside the strategic framework, with evaluation and monitoring aligned to outcomes and key moves. This tactical approach enabled localised testing of the place strategy, and helped people experience ideas in real-time through temporary activation and physical interventions. This was the first time that a tactical urbanism approach to masterplanning had been tried in Aotearoa, and we learned some valuable lessons on the ground about what worked, and what didn’t.
Read more about this innovative project here and the dedicated project website www.timarucitytown.co.nz