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While Ms Galvin was entranced commercial or to retail. If we want Mixed Use, Stuart Penklis, enthuses
by the way public spaces, no matter vital cities we have to move on from about the opportunities afforded by
how small or unsophisticated, this fear. We do need to protect delving beyond the physical into a
would come alive in European the privacy and amenity of the deeper more spiritual connection
cities she is a passionate advocate way people live but we also need to to place.
for a uniquely local expression allow people to live.”
of place. “We have such a lot to learn about
In tandem with a renewed focus how we approach design in a more
“We can learn so much from on bringing together the many authentic way, paying respect to the
other places, but we are not Paris facets of urban life is a move natural elements and Aboriginal
or Barcelona or London. What towards Connecting to Country, an history and culture,” says Mr
makes those places special is acknowledgement that Australia Penklis. “It entails a different
their connection to their context. is not a place whose history began approach to design and place
In Australia we need places that with Colonial settlement, rather creation. That is something we are
acknowledge our unique climate has been occupied by Aboriginal embracing across all of our projects,
and culture. We need to be people for more than 60,000 years. having deeper more meaningful
increasing greenery, green surfaces, The Connecting with Country engagement with local Elders and
green parks and making them our Framework, the work of Dillon Aboriginal communities.”
own, not a carbon copy of what we Kombumerri from the NSW
see overseas. Government Architect, has been Mr Coles also sees Designing
a leading force in articulating this for Country as a step in the right
“We are quite scared of multi- opportunity and responsibility. direction towards reconciling our
use in Australia and like to make past with the present.
Left: Green Square Library our spaces discrete from each Mirvac CEO, Development – “The conversation we are all having
Below: Joynton Park, Green Square other; residential sits separate to Residential, Commercial and
at the moment is around Country
and our deeper understanding of
the fabric of place,” says Mr Coles.
“Designing with and for country
is a completely different system of
thought and belonging. It is about
accepting that instead of a model
with humans at the top of the
pyramid we are inseparable from
trees, animals and soil.
“There is not just one group that “There are so many precedents,
makes the city; there are many examples of great cities, yet we “We talk about placemaking but
and we need to be thinking about struggle so hard to replicate some place is already there; it is more
how these groups work together,” of their incredible qualities,” says about revealing or honouring
says Ms Galvin. “Economic and Ms Galvin. “We talk about place that place, listening to the natural
transport considerations can and place activation and there is systems that occur on that place.
tend to lead some of our decisions now an industry of ‘place-makers’. I “We see opportunity with
when it comes to cities. They are of think that is because we are failing “I believe we’ve companies like Mirvac who are
course important, but they can’t be at enabling great places. I don’t designing such comprehensive
the only drivers. think place is something we create. moved well past projects that include public and
“Think about how many of our “Place is the intersection of private space and mixed use. The
great places have been devastated physical form, activity and work that we are doing is producing
by dominating road systems; if meaning. What we can do as thinking that much more nature-based solutions
they hadn’t been given prime designers and developers is for our cities. This is about urban
position, how different could our provide the conditions for others apartment living is resilience and that is where the real
environments be?” to make place and that requires smarts are coming in.”
public participation. If you impose
Ms Galvin concedes that design on communities rather a compromise but Cities once divided into distinct
reimagining the future of cities is than involving them, you don’t get residential and commercial
difficult but not impossible. “I don’t support or connection. precincts are slowly being
think anything is impossible. Just the quality of life reintegrated in many of Mirvac’s
think about Sydney’s new Metro “We often over-engineer our large scale urban renewal projects,
(train) system. Who would have streets and fail to prioritise laying the foundations for future
thought we’d be able to integrate pedestrians and cyclists. When is dependent on generations to lead a more balanced
such major new infrastructure into we are creating new spaces, we lifestyle.
our city, yet we have entire city try to make them so perfect and making a meaningful “We are at a pivotal moment where
blocks being redeveloped to enable complete. But we need to leave we have to balance several critical
new stations. It goes back to how room for agency, where the challenges – a shortage of housing
we prioritise public transport over community can take over a space investment in the and the social and environmental
the private car.” that’s not too precious, perfect or impact of development,” says Mr
expensive.
Like many Australians who have public domain.” Penklis. “It makes sense to build
reacquainted themselves with the “On a recent trip through more homes close to existing
delights of European cities, Ms European cities I was obsessively infrastructure, where people
Galvin’s recent travels reminded photographing parks because of want to live, and that implies that
STUART PENKLIS
her that creating great places is not their simplicity and their abundant CEO Development - Residential, Commercial and Mixed Use many more people will be living in
a new and mysterious art. tree canopy; they don’t need to be apartments.
over-complicated.”

30 ISSUE 17 SPRING/SUMMER 2023 The Right Place by Mirvac The Right Place by Mirvac ISSUE 17 SPRING/SUMMER 2023 31