Speeches: 2004
Revitalisation of urban cultural precincts
My mission today is to draw on contemporary large-scale examples of best practice in the field of revitalizing urban cultural precincts. To that end, I will traverse the globe somewhat, comparing and contrasting important developments and finally settling on a major redevelopment project in my own backyard, Brisbane, Queensland.
Address to ALGA Ageing Project National Workshop
Councillor Paul Bell AM
Vice President Australian Local Government Association and
Acting President Local Government Association of Queensland
14 April 2004: Taipei
Mr Chairman, our venerable host, distinguished guests all, it is my great pleasure on behalf of Australian Local Government to address this august gathering.
At the outset let me say how much value Australian Local Government places on these forums and on the work of IULA ASPAC. I am sure as well as striving to make a contribution to this session, I will learn a great deal which will be valuable, and which I can take back to Australia.
In standing here before you I make no special claim to be an expert on the subject matter, rather I could be described as an interested observer.
My mission today is to draw on contemporary large-scale examples of best practice in the field of revitalizing urban cultural precincts. To that end, I will traverse the globe somewhat, comparing and contrasting important developments and finally settling on a major redevelopment project in my own backyard, Brisbane, Queensland.
I would also add that I represent Emerald Shire a relatively small mining and agricultural community of 10,000 people in Central Queensland, which is unlikely to ever be rewarded with a modern arts architectural masterpiece, despite our strongest aspirations and desire!
In addressing the subject of the revitalization and or reuse of urban cultural precincts, it is hard to escape what has been coined the Bilbao effect. Of course referring to the stunning cultural and economic renaissance and of that Basque city, post the development of its new cultural precinct in the late 1990's. This development is without doubt the most iconic and high profile example of its genre.
The picture coming from Bilbao's Guggenheim experiment is one of growth in tourism, urban renewal, economic rejuvenation through cultural industries and the impact of a single flagship project on the transformation of the image and reality of that city. It has been called a 'Cinderella' story.
What was a tired, depressed former shipping construction centre for centuries with unemployment above 20 percent for decades was transformed in a matter of years.
The Basque Government has reported that 5 million additional visitors have visited Bilbao, generating $160M annually, and creating more than 3800 new permanent jobs.
Of course every city has dreamt of its own Bilbao effect. It is on the experience of Bilbao that arts critics such as Leslie Bellavance wrote, "More than merely housing masterpieces, today's art museums must be master pieces themselves. Every city its seems, must boost a significant cultural facility".
There are many contemporary examples of the renewal or reuse of urban cultural precincts around the world. In Ideas and Trends: Culture Clash; How the arts transformed an Urban Landscape, Hillary Ballon chronicles developments from the time of the Lincoln Centre on Manhattans upper west side in the 1960's and how this inspired similar redevelopment around America. Put simply this is not a new fad.
Ballons work correctly describes how the early ventures such as the Lincoln Centre with exclusively an art focus have metamorphosed to embrace commercial ventures and popular culture.
The most recent American experience is St Louis Grand Centre. Over the past five years that project has made great progress, with Pulitzer Centre for the Arts locating there in 2001, the revitalized Coronado Ballroom, the University of St Louis Arts School establishing in the area, while housing precincts have flourished in the immediate vicinity.
The Scots would direct you to Glasgow's renaissance through revitalizing its cultural precinct in the 1980's. Manchester too has claims with the refurbishment of the City Art Gallery and the enhancement of the Manchester Museum and Museum of Science and Industry. Not to forget the Tate Modern Gallery which was established in a renovated power plant on a bleak stretch of the Thames in London. In its first six weeks alone the Tate Modern Gallery attracted 1 million visitors.
In my region of the world both Auckland and Wellington cities in New Zealand have embarked on major cultural precinct redevelopments that both showcase their spectacular harbours and improve former industrial wastelands in the form of disused shipping wharfs.
Australia too has many worthwhile examples of cultural precinct regeneration with Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney boasting fine examples. Indeed there is a strong competition amongst Australian states in this field. However, none are better than the capital city of my own state, Brisbane with is South Bank precinct.
South Bank was remodelled into Brisbane's cultural and recreation precinct after World Expo 1988. The dynamic South Bank precinct encompasses an area of 125.5 hectares, from the William Jolly Bridge in the north, to the Mater Hospital in the south, and across the Musgrave Park. The popular precinct just across the Brisbane River from the city's CBD, has a diverse range of activities, tastes, cultures and experiences.
Enjoy the delights of a lush, sub-tropical, 17 hectare parkland that includes Australia's only beach in the heart of the City, Streets Beach, the beautiful Energex Arbour, rainforest walks, picnic and barbecue areas, water features and a picturesque riverfront promenade on which to walk, run and cycle.
South Bank is also Brisbane's arts precinct - home to the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum, Opera Queensland, Queensland Theatre Company and State Library - all of which take pride and place along the south bank of the Brisbane River.
A centre for learning, South Bank is home to South Bank Institute, Griffith University's Queensland Conservatorium and Queensland College of Art, the University of Canberra Brisbane Campus and a number of secondary schools.
South Bank also houses the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre. Unique in its capacity and versatility the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre can accommodate several large conferences and exhibitions at the one time and under the one roof. It also provides an intimate venue for small to medium-sized meetings.
By any account it has been a spectacularly successful redevelopment of what was just 20 years ago a run down industrial estate, albeit one which has evolved and purposely been redesigned at critical points in its relatively short life span. Most importantly it continues to grow and expand with our state government committing a further quarter of a billion dollars in capital expenditure over the next few years via its Millennium Arts Project.
The Millennium Arts Project is in affect a significant example of urban cultural arts precinct reuse. In that it largely involves the redevelopment of existing facilities, built in the 1970 and 80's, the State Library, State Art Gallery and Museum. In comparative terms the original South Bank arts and cultural precinct was alike to the 1960s version of the Lincoln Centre in New York - a stand-alone arts culture hub. The only genuine new addition in the Millennium Arts Project is the Modern Art Gallery, which will be the largest modern art gallery in Australia.
All of the Millennium Art projects are due for completion in 2005. Key features of the construction are public plazas linking all buildings, improved public access with a network of pedestrian "walks" and view corridors to enhance the sub precincts connection to the Brisbane River and to the overall South Bank Parkland Masterplan.
South Bank Corporation which oversees the precinct development and operations is a body corporate established by the Queensland Parliament through the South Bank Corporation Act.
Significant amendments to this Act in October 1991 and December 1993 reflect the changing role of the Corporation in the ongoing management of South Bank.
The vision of the Corporation is to plan and facilitate the development and operation of a successful, world-class cultural, leisure, business and residential precinct for the enjoyment of South Bank visitors and the economic benefit of Brisbane's community and investors.
The job of the South Bank Corporation Board is to ensure that the south bank of Brisbane's great river, realises its potential.
The Corporation's primary activities include:
- Maintaining and administering the South Bank Corporation Area Approved Development Plan;
- Coordinating the development of land within the Corporation Area;
- Disposing via lease land vested in or under the control of the Corporation;
- Promoting, organising and conducting tourist, education, recreational, entertainment, cultural and commercial activities within the Corporation Area;
- Marketing and promoting South Bank as an appealing and entertaining precinct for leisure, tourism and convention activities for Queensland residents and interstate and international visitors; and
- Promoting South Bank as an attractive and viable residential and commercial address to investors, financiers and business operators.
South Bank Corporation Board is chaired by Brisbane and Queenslands leading stock broker and has representatives from both state and local government, as well as commerce, the arts and culture.
In 1997 the South Bank Board realised that there was an under utilization of the site and that while it was a popular precinct for tourists and locals alike, this activity tended to be more at weekends and for special events. Furthermore, that with a few notable exceptions that commercial redevelopment had not proceeded.
It was concluded that this outcome was largely a function of a lack of accessibility, both physical and visual, that affected the site some seven years ago.
To fulfil the vision the South Bank had to be reclaimed as a place of "living" city. With its natural advantages of locations, directly across the river from the Brisbane Central Business District, the precinct was replanned to provide more convenient access, increased parklands, a wider range of developments uses, while reducing the overall area of development. The "edges" of the precinct were also blended into the community of South Brisbane that surrounds it. The total cost of the master plan was just short of $100 million Australian.
The State Government added to the renewal of the site with its Millennium Art strategy. The arts cultural and entertainment facilities are now successfully intertwined with the balance of South Bank by three unifying spines.
- Street spine
- Park spine (Arbour)
- River spine
Each spine has enabled a variety of development options and activities to establish themselves along its length. The spines have their individual modes of activity and character, while linking functions and activities within South Bank.
The vision of South Bank as 'living' piece of the city of Brisbane has been well and truly achieved.
The next slide clearly shows the increase in visitor numbers over the last five years. In June 2003 the moving annual attendance achieved over 5.79 million visitors, a 24 percent increase over the period.
Clearly investment in renewal of urban cultural precincts can be economically, cultural and socially successful. The few examples I have given to you are testament to that fact. In most cases these projects have been partnerships between city, state and federal governments. In the case of Europe there has been the added supra national dimension, via the European Union and its Reconstruction Bank. The truth is many billions of dollars have been invested in these projects, but the return on investment has been manyfold.
On the numbers coming from Bilbao and other cities it seems, that there is nothing more restorative for a city than investment in emblematic architecture. Notwithstanding the importance of architecture, which the Greeks believed to be the first art, it alone is not the answer to urban renewal. It is a matter of where art interacts with commerce. One could argue that post modernist monumentality or faux populism has become the personification of Andy Warhols statement that 'every museum should become a superstore'.
It is clear that the new paradigm is one of synthesizing architecture, art, commerce and education, into urban environments which not only become people magnets, but are also become a home to many. It is the linking and fusing of these elements, the asymmetries of consumerism and art that are potentially at the heart of the revitalization of many of our cities, or at least previously dormant precincts of them.
Thank you for permitting me to address this important conference, I look forward to contributing in the panel session and wish you well for the balance of your program.
Councillor Paul Bell
14 April 2004
Tapei
