Portland Design
Human-Centric Place Making
How can we shape the future of our town centres , high streets , shopping malls and lifestyle destinations to deliver vibrant places , social and community value as well as commercial sustainability ?
In our town centres and high streets , there is a sense of urgency and no time to waste in addressing the dichotomy between the dependency on physical retail , and its decline .
There is a case for optimism if we grasp the opportunity to re-imagine our town centres , high streets , shopping malls and lifestyle destinations as compelling places for communities to gather , engage and return .
We must shift the emphasis of our town centres and high streets from a ‘ shopping rhythm ’ to a ‘ community rhythm ’. We should urgently re-think old siloed ‘ mixed-use ’ into connected ‘ blended-use ’; whereby workplace , residential , education , hospitality , health and wellness , maker spaces and community amenities seamlessly blend with retail , F & B and entertainment to create the ‘ connective tissue ’ that can activate our public realm and encourage constant footfall and engagement , whilst driving value above ground .
Imbuing our high streets with a truly authentic ‘ spirit of place ’ will involve a mix of unique experiences that align with the community and reflect the essence of the place . A ‘ Future Ready ’ masterplanning approach will facilitate the programming of our high streets , whilst blending local independents and start-up with national and international brands to deliver both permanent and transient experiences .
To accommodate this shift we will need to adopt a ‘ community curation ’ approach that transcends ‘ leasing boxes ’, and creates an animated commercial heart to our high streets
12 Portland Design