‘Placemaking aims to turn public spaces into places; places which engage those who inhabit them, places through which people do not merely pass, but have reason to ‘stop and become involved; places which offer rich experience and a ‘sense of belonging’; places, in short, which have meaning, which evoke pleasure or contemplation, or reflection and, most importantly, an appreciation of cultural and environmental diversity.’

Christopher Ryan, Professor of Design and Environmental Studies and Director National Key Centre for Design, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Places Not Spaces, Placemaking in Australia

Our Cultural Services include:

Stakeholder Visioning

Getting key decision makers and stakeholders to agree on how to proceed with a project is an essential first step on any project. Village Well makes this process enjoyable, allowing all attendees to share their issues and perceived opportunities to work toward a common good.

Concept Masterplanning

A Place Making masterplan integrates all the elements that make a great place – the people, the physical environment, the land use mix, the activities and respect for the environment. Village Well’s masterplanning provides a unique opportunity to provide guidelines for future development.

Governance & Place Management

The need for integrated place management models is becoming more important as the world becomes increasingly more complex. Village Well provides training and support in developing innovative governance structures and place management models for both local Councils and Shopping Centre Developers.

Reflecting Our Understanding Of The Relationship Between The Built, Natural & Social Environments Through Practical & Achievable Recommendations

The team at Village Well includes design professionals, planners, marketing and retail experts, and artists. We understand that to make real change we have to be able to enlist the support of the community with achievable projects that reflect their needs and support the objectives of each project. Our Place Making recommendations are delivered using the 5Ps of Place Making; Place, Product, Program, Planet and People. Depending on the project they can range from providing the right range of retail to the development and delivery of community arts projects.

Place Story Evolution & Branding

A unique logo and identity can give a place a unique point of difference. Village Well first develops a unique Place Story for taking direction from a place’s history, culture, people and ecology. From this Place Story, Village Well artists and graphic designers create a unique logo & identity that is long-lasting and continues to follow the evolution of the place. Village Well has developed dozens of Place Brandings for some of Australia’s most iconic Mainstreets and City Centres.

Urban Design Directions & Recommendations

Urban Design direction within a Place Making context and strong stakeholder ownership delivers more meaningful and longer lasting outcomes. Village Well work alongside urban designers, landscape architects, planners and developers within powerful collaborative processes. This way of working delivers a more robust and resilient brief for the project.

Public Art Briefs & Implementation

We work within a Place Making framework that taps into the deeper place story and meaning to deliver Public Art briefs that reflect the unique point of difference of a place.