6 August 2018

Last Thursday I participated in the Lord Mayor’s Cultural Think Tank, which is an initiative designed to explore the opportunities to develop Adelaide’s cultural potential and activity.  The objective is to generate a diverse, inclusive and dynamic community that supports innovation and creative enterprise, encourages people to remain in SA, provides an attractor for tourists and sustains economic growth.

Using the City of Adelaide Cultural Strategy and the outcomes from the previous think tank as a spring board, nine participants proposed an idea to make this strategy a reality.  Ideas ranged from mechanisms to increases the visibility of existing activity, to creation of maker districts and activation of the parklands to support creative activities.

The presentation by the Chair of Rundle Mall Management Authority, Peter Joy, focused on branding.  He shared data gained over a range of studies that defined Adelaide’s brand as liveable, smart, sustainable and creative and noted that a brand is defined by what an organisation/entity does as opposed to what it says.

He went on to say that, while people saw liveability as Adelaide’s key strength and a powerful attractor, it was not enough in itself to retain people, especially younger people, in SA.  Smart, sustainable and creative were weaker parts of the Adelaide brand, that need to be fostered if we are to thrive and reach our full potential.

As architects we are in a unique position to support and realise the Adelaide brand as presented by Peter.  Every project that an architect undertakes involves informed synthesis of complex parameters (smart) and innovative expression of context, brief and culture (creative) to produce an environment that is fit for purpose, environmentally responsive (sustainable) and provides value and delight to users and the wider public (liveability).

In addition, architects have the capacity to support the local economy through design and documentation that preferences the locally made over the imported and embeds local artisans and trades.  We can design places that provide engaging public spaces that foster community and wellbeing.  Our education and experience enable architects to see opportunities to do things differently and move beyond conventional, business as usual outcomes to create new ways of doing, thinking and living.  We create environments that foster and enable creative enterprise undertaken by others.

In short, architects embody the Adelaide brand through doing.  The Institute is working on a number of fronts to engage with policy and decision makers to improve their awareness of the huge potential inherent in the profession.  We are striving to increase the understanding that to fully realise this potential requires increased engagement with architects and a willingness to accept the inherent risks involved in architectural projects, especially those that embrace innovation.  We are also working to educate clients and policy makers that these risks can be more effectively managed when an architect is involved in a way that provides them with agency and independence.

We realise that this is a long-term project in our cautious and frequently unforgiving political climate.  However, if SA is to better realise its latent potential, we firmly believe that architects are part of the solution, and will continue to work towards this outcome.

Nicolette Di Lernia
SA Chapter Executive Director