Part 1: Empty spaces becoming permanent social spaces

In my first entry for Social Spaces theme, I focused on Fortitude Valley and the movement of people, projects and ideas into what was an inaccessible, red-light district into a creative industries hub with various entertainment options.  Now, I want you to imagine an area in your city, an area that is empty and void of People, Projects and Ideas and imagine what the area will look like if it was being shaken and renewed physically.  One of these areas in Brisbane is Stone Corner which, in tourism marketing copy, is currently being promoted as one of the retail/factory outlet areas to visit and an alternative shopping district to areas such as the Brisbane CBD:

“Fashion bargain hunters, this is the place for you.  Stones Corner features a wide range of brand name factory outlets, and you’ll always find a fantastic deal or two. Outlets include Cue, Just Jeans, Mathers, Colorado, Rockmans, Table Eight and Strandbags…”

Source: Queensland Holidays (2009)

But the locals can tell you that there is much to be desired with a description of this type (OurBrisbane is a bit outdated at the moment as well).  Despite being only ten minutes from the Brisbane CBD, the emergence of mega factory outlets (DFO) and the effects of the global financial crisis means many empty spaces in Stones Corner:

What can be done to help revitalise these empty spaces into an actual place for the public, urban centres (for commercial and/or entertainment purposes), more meeting places for people to exchange and work on ideas?

These buildings will eventually be redeveloped and occupied, but who will be the new tenants?  These new tenants will be one of the forces that could help reshape the image of Stones Corner – from being an area to go to for bargain shopping into the possibility of something else.  It is much better if that ‘something else’ is to be public idea spaces, meeting places, market places, places for creative industries entrepreneurs, businesses and organisations.

There are many examples of such individuals who adopted a physical space and renovated it into their own vision such as the story of The Space in Kenmore and 19Karen in the Gold Coast.  An example of a large scale idea that rejuvenated empty commercial properties into spaces that can be loved and used by the public is Renew Newcastle:

“Renew Newcastle was founded to help solve the problem of Newcastle’s empty CBD. While the long term prospects for the redevelopment of Newcastle’s CBD are good, in the meantime many sites are boarded up, falling apart, vandalised or decaying because they are is no short term for use them and no one taking responsibility for them.

Renew Newcastle has been set up to clean up these buildings and get the city active and used again.”

Part 2:  Empty spaces becoming temporary social spaces

Brisbane’s 2high Festival | Photo by Trent Barton

Let us move away from Stones Corner and explore how empty spaces, not necessarily absolutely empty but spaces void of people, ideas and projects either all of the time or at certain times. How can these areas be transformed into temporary and mixed-use spaces?

I attended the Metro Arts forum (part of Brisbane Festival’s Under the Radar fringe theatre program) in which one of the suggestions/ideas was to bring Under the Radar outside of the CBD hub of Metro Arts, a building which holds and a number tenants, and into other areas including empty stores and space.  Other examples within Brisbane have largely drawn from events where creative uses of empty spaces have transformed it into something else:

• Straight Out of Brisbane festival in 2006 transformed empty spaces into meeting and social spaces such as Ann’s Street Party.
• Brisbane Festival’s Under the Radar program included Street Feats which allowed fringe theatre and performance to occupy the Brisbane CBD.  Certain areas of Brisbane’s key shopping centre, the Queen Street Mall, was transformed temporarily to hold a performance/installation into another world (Nok Cha Cafe) and a multimedia projection, Giants Among Us, reminds the public on the importance of taking children into account during the development of a new public urban space.
• Brisbane will soon be holding an independent fringe event across four venues around Brisbane called bitsF.
• Brisbane PARKing Day have legally transformed urban public spaces (parking areas) into spaces occupied and used in creative ways such as 2high Festival’s parking spot (see below for photo by Trent Barton)

PARKing Day at 2high Festival | Photo by Trent Barton

The value of bringing new ideas and projects into spaces normally not considered to be ‘home’ for these projects, therefore empty spaces, is an opportunity to bring in and interact with new audiences.  However, there are also the operational and logistical concerns of this such as the cost of public liability insurance and the risks associated in moving away from an established venue and even established creative clusters.  However, there are successful examples of permanent and temporary use of spaces.  Individuals and groups have navigated the difficulties and challenges of transforming empty spaces into something that manifests a vision that adds value, creates new opportunities, inspires the community, and creates a new identity for the space.

Are there empty spaces being transformed in your city? Which spaces are ripe for transformation? Share your thoughts in the comments section below to join the conversation.

Where does the Valley sit in relation to the Brisbane CBD?

Fortitude Valley is one of those areas that are developing from being a red-light district into a hub into what is described as ‘eclectic urban culture’ by OurBrisbane.   I have decided to focus particularly on Fortitude Valley (The Valley for the locals!) because it is also one of those areas where:

• There is the most interesting change
• Where most of the ‘action’ is in terms of activity (day and night)
• I’ve had more exposure with many of the people in the Valley compared to surrounding areas such as New Farm, Southbank and West End

Brett Wiskar, the Director of Speedwell, will soon be moving their office from Wooloongabba to a building near Juggler’s Art Space in Fortitude Valley, pictured below:

This building (not pictured) was previously owned by Gallery de Pasquale (GDP) which is an independent communications agency.  Brett tells me that GDP will be moving across the road from them in another building.  His business will be across the street from Liquid Interactive, around the corner from BCM Partnership and near the likes of Queensland Media Group, George Patterson Y&R, Hyro, and Mitchell Communication Group. It will also be alongside the established arts centres such as Artworkers Alliance, Phillip Bacon Galleries and the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts.

The Brunswick St Mall (and its surrounds) is filled with independent art galleries and art spaces, cafes, bars, nightclubs, backpacker spots, live music venues, strip clubs and other adult entertainment and more.  Particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, it turns into one of the nightlife hubs.  Local major entertainment and cultural activities include the Fortitude Valley markets, the Valley Fiesta and the Valley Jazz Festival and this joins numerous smaller happenings and gatherings.  When one thinks of the Valley, one imagines a night out or a lazy weekend perusing the Valley Markets or Chinatown Mall which is currently in re-development.

During the day on a weekday, the Valley transforms into an alternative CBD, a working creative industries hub predominantly encompassing communications, advertising, design (web, furniture and graphics) and retail run by fashion entrepreneurs.  The Valley buzzes with agencies creating the newest campaigns, entrepreneurs of fashion and design professionals opening their showrooms (in September 2008, 39 out of 48 showrooms where in the Valley for Brisbane Indesign).  People flock to the Valley for Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts to see the exhibitions in the Institute of Modern Art or take part in a circus class by Circa. Major events such as Brisbane Festival facilitates the connection between the creative quarters of the Valley to the much-loved heritage creative quarters of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Art Gallery and the State Library of Queensland which are connected, by the likes of the Victoria Bridge, South Brisbane to the Brisbane CBD (see below):

During the night, Valley literally disconnects and recharges during the night and weekends with many of the men and women in business attire are replaced by younger women tottering in shiny dresses or younger men in faded band shirts.  New venues such as Cloudland, Zuri Bar and Dining and the Emporium cater for these urban groups alongside established venues and nightclubs such as The Zoo, Birdee Num Nums and the Mustang Bar.  This space has mixed public reactions of being loved or hated and cries of losing its original identity. However, I believe that the Valley have moved from being inaccessible to being a centre for many of the new groups today with an eclectic urban mix offering various choices where people can interact and share ideas across various settings – whether it is a young person creating projects in Visible Ink or an established designer creating beautiful products for Viva Design Furniture.   Is there such a space in your city?

Even though the topic of Social Spaces can denote activities taking place during a person’s social time on a weekend or during the night, what happens during the day and during ‘work time’ is equally as important.  Brisbane’s creative industries are centred on these sorts of places forming and developing within both the public and private spheres, during the day and night.

Hannah Suarez, Brisbane Creative Industries

I originally did design and digital art since ’99 and I was incredibly focused on it. In 2007 after doing a series of interviews for a full-time graphic design position, I thought to myself “Is this it?” I decided to do something else. Being open to new opportunities have led me to be doing work in areas I never thought I would be involved in but have somehow managed to obtain due to passion, enthusiasm and hard work.

One of them was BCI (Brisbane Creative Industries), established in April 2008 as a start-up resource which focused on professional development events by offering a directory listing of these events. In the past 3–4 months BCI has been focusing on creative industries practitioners and projects primarily through the Blog.

Brisbane is a very interesting city in that it is easy to engage with many people from various fields and to build that rapport due to the small degree of separation.  Through BCI, I am working on Brisbane rather than just working in it.  One of the best rewards for this is when people from other cities/states/countries take an interest in the Brisbane creative industries, what it offers, the opportunities and the growth.