Jeremy Bamberg

It's important to not just look to success stories, but also to failures. For example, the vision of Sidewalk Labs in Toronto was undoubtedly huge. But it failed to connect with the local community surrounding the project. This was perhaps not even to the fault of the efforts of the parties leading the project. Rather, it may have just come across as a top-down led approach – even if it wasn't. We can learn a lot from failure. Sometimes even more than success stories. And that's important to remember.

Herritage and innovation can be somewhat contradictory themes to expose in an urban regen project... but this juxtaposition can be an exciting feature of your project design. What's key here is to really dive deep into the narrative you are trying to create, especially if you are an outsider. Look back into the history and character of the place. Try to identify physical features you can begin to build a narrative around (or sometimes quite literally ontop of). The narrative you develop should be grounded in the past, but also point to innovation in the future.

Great examples and lists of meaningful adaptive reuse projects can be found via most architecture blogs. I'd also recommend "Converted: Reinventing Architecture" by Agata Toromanoff – it's also a nice coffee table book.

Place branding is more than a simple logo. Here are some strategies we've used to build a strong place narrative: 1) Tell stories of the people from the community. People bring identity and soul to a project. Showcase this. 2) Expose the history of a place, but also where it's heading. This includes crafting a strong vision together with community stakeholders. 3) Launch a series of events as a part of a placemaking strategy. This can range from social to cultural, tech and innovation-focused events in a range of formats. The main takeaway... Implement a range of activities that move beyond the design of the logo and drive authenticity.

Adaptive reuse is an exciting urban regeneration strategy. We've transformed derelict buildings into tech and startup hubs. A key lesson in adaptive reuse projects is to respect history and the building's former life while layering a new narrative on top. Work closely with architects, future occupiers, and the local community to ensure that the design matches an iconic and compelling narrative that sits well with all stakeholders. When you've gotten this right, you'll know it.

Developing a participatory urban regeneration approach can be a somewhat daunting task. But it doesn't need to be. If there's one key learning from our projects over the years it's that it's nearly impossible to meet each and every local 1:1. But there's a way to tackle this. Find support organizations that cluster or gather different stakeholder subsets. They often share goals, vision, and mission with your direction of travel. Community support organizations and clusters can be your allies, providing a megaphone for your messaging. Partner with them, but be sure to add value to their efforts as well.