ClarkeHopkinsClarke's Dean Landy comments on the value of employment hubs within our neighbourhoods
Life during the pandemic has led many of us to gain a better appreciation for the small businesses, services and existing public facilities within our local communities. In many ways, this time has encouraged us to look at what typifies a liveable neighbourhood and which aspects of it we value the most.
Recently I caught up with Dean Landy, partner at ClarkeHopkinsClarke and author of the book Creating Vibrant Communities, to get an idea of how urban neighbourhoods could be designed for a life post-COVID-19.
Given the significant job losses as a result of the pandemic, we discussed some of the employment hub projects which could reinvigorate job prospects and ways in which master-planned communities can promote a better work-life balance. Dean also suggests how we might not need to overcomplicate the design of our neighbourhoods, but look back to pre-war architecture to find examples of perfectly integrated 'mixed-use' precincts.
Watch the interview:
Topics discussed:
00:23 - What is an employment hub? What benefits does it provide a community?
01:30 - Which ClarkeHopkinsClarke projects are considered an 'employment hub' and which aspects of those developments are you most proud of?
03:44 - Is it true that the developer of St Germain is a local family who had a vision for how they wanted their community to progress, so they took the project into their own hands and developed it themselves?
05:34 - How do you find the best ratio between commercial space and residential dwellings within your developments?
07:20 - Given the significant job losses as a result of COVID-19, are you looking to fast-track any developments which could provide a substantial amount of job opportunities once complete?
08:39 - How do you see traditional workplaces evolving given the rise of people working remotely during the lockdown?