July 5 2013

Share an Idea scoops another international award

Christchurch City Council's Share an Idea community-led consultation together with the Draft Central City Plan has again been recognised internationally.

Share an Idea was launched by the Council in 2011, giving people in greater Christchurch an opportunity to share their thoughts on how the city should be reveloped following the February 2011 earthquake. More than 106,000 ideas came out of the intensive six-week campaign. These ideas and seven key themes helped to shape the Draft Central City Plan, the foundations for the Government's Recovery Plan for the Central City.

And now, in partnership with Gehl Architects, the project has won high profile international acclaim, taking out the 2013 Triennale for an Architecture of Necessity, given by Sweden's Virserum Art Musuem. The awards recognise building, social and city planning projects that promote the values of being responsible, diligent, sustainable, just and open.

The judging panel said The Plan "retains the existing city grid while limiting building heights, reducing car traffic and making the city greener, all based on a diligent community engagement program... thus rebuilding the urban fabric and the community."

A total of 225 entries from 35 counties were sent in to the Museum. Due to the great variety of the contributions, and in many cases, their high quality, the jury awarded four prizes, representing different conditions and categories.

The latest award follows a string of prestigious national and international accolades for Share An Idea, including being named the unanimous overall winner of The International Co-creation Award in 2011- the first time the Netherlands-based Co-Creation Association has given the award to an initiative outside Europe.

Mayor Bob Parker says it is heartening to see Share an Idea again recognised as a leading way to work with communities.

"We were given an incredibly short timeframe to engage with the public and develop a Recovery Plan for the central city. So it was a huge achievement to come up with an initiative that resulted in so many people having their say in making this a great place to live and work.

It means that the future direction of our city is truly being led by the people.

"It's really exciting to be able to welcome people and businesses back into the heart of Christchurch, knowing that development is being based on what people have told us they want to see there. We're continuing to work with the community to bring vibrancy, sustainability and innovation to the central city."

ENDS

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