Short answer
When designing for urban regeneration, consider how to best accommodate and leverage the creative potential of businesses that are likely to be tenants, rather than assuming they will lead significant property investment.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Frontiers of Architectural Research (2019)
- Method
- Qualitative research
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Design-focused creative industries often act as tenants in revitalized industrial spaces, demonstrating latent demand and creative potential rather than leading large-scale urban transformation. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Frontiers of Architectural Research. Using Qualitative research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing for urban regeneration, consider how to best accommodate and leverage the creative potential of businesses that are likely to be tenants, rather than assuming they will lead significant property investment.
Creative Industries as Enablers, Not Drivers, of Urban Redevelopment
Design-focused creative industries often act as tenants in revitalized industrial spaces, demonstrating latent demand and creative potential rather than leading large-scale urban transformation.
Frontiers of Architectural Research · 2019
Key Findings
- 01Design creative industries primarily occupy leased former industrial buildings, with property owners undertaking initial upgrades.
- 02These industries have a low rate of property ownership and limited incentive for significant capital investment in business properties.
- 03Design creative industries are not leading actors in large-scale urban redevelopment but rather represent latent demand and creative potential.
- 04They enable post-industrial real estate development by attracting proactive property developers who transform spaces into revenue-generating assets.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing for urban regeneration, consider how to best accommodate and leverage the creative potential of businesses that are likely to be tenants, rather than assuming they will lead significant property investment.
How to apply
When proposing a design project involving the repurposing of industrial buildings, research the typical occupancy patterns and investment capabilities of creative businesses in the target area to inform your strategy.
Project actions
- 01When researching potential sites for a design project, consider the history of the area and the types of businesses that have historically occupied or are currently occupying similar spaces.
- 02Investigate the typical lease agreements and renovation responsibilities between tenants and landlords in commercial real estate for creative industries.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a nuanced understanding of the relationship between creative industries and urban development.
- +Highlights the practical constraints faced by creative businesses in property ownership and investment.
Limitations
This study focused on inner Auckland; findings might differ in cities with different real estate markets or urban planning policies.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of the research means findings are context-specific and may not be statistically generalizable. However, the depth of insight into the specific dynamics of inner Auckland's creative placemaking is a strength.
Think critically
To what extent can policy or incentives encourage design creative industries to become more active participants in the physical transformation of the built environment, rather than just users?
Design Principles
"Creative placemaking is a collaborative process where diverse stakeholders contribute to urban transformation, with roles varying based on investment capacity and ownership."
Understanding the role of creative industries in urban development is crucial for designers and urban planners. It highlights how these businesses can be catalysts for repurposing existing structures, but their limited ownership and investment capacity mean that property developers often drive the physical transformation.
What This Means for Your Design
Creative businesses like design studios often rent space in old industrial buildings that have been fixed up. They bring life and ideas to these areas, but they don't usually own the buildings or invest a lot of money to change them. It's the property developers who make the big changes to make money.
How to use in your project
- 1.Cite this research when discussing the role of end-users in urban regeneration projects, particularly when your design proposal involves repurposing existing structures for creative businesses.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The role of design creative industries in urban redevelopment is often that of an enabler rather than a primary driver. As observed in inner Auckland, these businesses tend to occupy leased former industrial buildings, bringing latent demand and creative potential. However, their limited property ownership and investment capacity mean that property developers are typically the leading actors in transforming these spaces into new revenue-generating assets. Therefore, design projects aiming to revitalize such areas should consider strategies that accommodate and leverage the creative input of these businesses, while acknowledging the central role of developers in the physical and financial aspects of redevelopment.
Source
Frontiers of Architectural Research
Nexus between creative industries and the built environment: Creative placemaking in inner Auckland
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about creative industries as enablers, not drivers, of urban redevelopment?
- When designing for urban regeneration, consider how to best accommodate and leverage the creative potential of businesses that are likely to be tenants, rather than assuming they will lead significant property investment. Evidence: Frontiers of Architectural Research (2019).
- Why does "Creative Industries as Enablers, Not Drivers, of Urban Redevelopment" matter for design?
- Understanding the role of creative industries in urban development is crucial for designers and urban planners. It highlights how these businesses can be catalysts for repurposing existing structures, but their limited ownership and investment capacity mean that property developers often drive the physical transformation.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing for urban regeneration, consider how to best accommodate and leverage the creative potential of businesses that are likely to be tenants, rather than assuming they will lead significant property investment.
- What were the main findings?
- Design creative industries primarily occupy leased former industrial buildings, with property owners undertaking initial upgrades.. These industries have a low rate of property ownership and limited incentive for significant capital investment in business properties.. Design creative industries are not leading actors in large-scale urban redevelopment but rather represent latent demand and creative potential.. They enable post-industrial real estate development by attracting proactive property developers who transform spaces into revenue-generating assets.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2019 journal from Frontiers of Architectural Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When proposing a design project involving the repurposing of industrial buildings, research the typical occupancy patterns and investment capabilities of creative businesses in the target area to inform your strategy.
- What are the limitations?
- The findings are specific to inner Auckland and may not be generalizable to all urban contexts or all types of creative industries.