The Creative Central NCL public realm call-for-ideas in mid-November 2024 was an exciting opportunity to explore innovative ways to transform public spaces within our zone.
With a focus on culture-led activation, this initiative aimed to strengthen creative industries and foster vibrant communities.
Reimagining Public Spaces: The Creative Central Public Realm Workshop was led by Anna Czigler, who is currently on a Public Practice placement with Creative Central NCL. Anna plays a pivotal role in overseeing the buildings and public realm areas within Creative Central NCL, working to ensure they are accessible, inclusive, and full of creative potential.
The workshop creates space for experimentation, inviting participants to explore possibilities for the area without the constraints of delivery or implementation.
Why are we doing this
AAt the heart of this project is a vision to create inclusive public spaces that are integral to vibrant, fun, and safe cities. By inviting professional teams and students to collaborate, the workshop aimed to:
- Generate culture-led activation ideas that breathe new life into urban areas.
- Strengthen communities by fostering engagement and ownership of public spaces.
- Support creative industries by providing platforms for collaboration, performance, and innovation.
Much of the focus was on spaces surrounding heritage buildings, often perceived as imposing or inaccessible. By choosing these areas, the workshop sought to break down barriers, reimagine their use, and invite communities to see them as welcoming and functional parts of their daily lives.
A collaborative approach
The workshop brought together professional teams and students from Northumbria and Newcastle Universities, blending experience with fresh perspectives. Anna’s guidance ensured that projects aligned with the broader goals of Creative Central NCL, while also encouraging bold, creative experimentation.
For students, this acted as a live learning environment — a chance to test ideas, work alongside established practices, and develop skills they will take into their future careers.
Participating teams included:
- Topo Architects with artist Harriet Sutcliffe
- Napper Architects
- Mawson Kerr
- Harper Perry with Layer Studio
- Mosedale Gillatt
Breaking down barriers
The public realm can often feel disconnected from the communities it serves. By focusing on heritage spaces that are sometimes viewed as intimidating or irrelevant, this initiative sought to reimagine these areas as inclusive and welcoming.
Proposals ranged from natural play areas and urban furniture to temporary performance spaces, pop-up exhibitions, and community festival venues. Each idea celebrated the potential of these spaces to connect people, enhance local culture, and encourage creativity.
These concepts act as starting points, tools for sparking new thinking about how public spaces might evolve over time.
A celebration of success
The final event, held at High Bridge Works, showcased these inspiring ideas. Attended by over 70 people, including students, designers, council officers, and stakeholders, the event highlighted the importance of collaboration in urban design. The presence of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) President Muyiwa Oki, underscored the significance of this work.
A step towards inclusive cities
Through this initiative, Creative Central NCL is investigating how public spaces can evolve to meet the needs of diverse communities. By focusing on culture-led activation, we are creating ideas with the potential to transform public realms into hubs of creativity, inclusion, and community spirit, a foundation for imagining the city’s creative future.
For more information or to be involved in future public realm initiatives, sign up for our newsletter or contact Anna Czigler at Anna.Czigler@newcastle.gov.uk.