Spaceshaper

A user’s guide

1
Published in 2007 by the Commission for
Architecture and the Built Environment.

Graphic design by Draught Associates.

Front cover image © Elizabeth Hoehnke

All rights reserved. No part of this publication

may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
copied or transmitted without the prior written
consent of the publisher except that the material
may be photocopied for non-commercial
purposes without permission from the publisher.
This document is available in alternative
formats on request from the publisher.

CABE is the government’s advisor on

architecture, urban design and public space.
As a public body, we encourage policymakers
to create places that work for people. We help
local planners apply national design policy
and offer expert advice to developers and
architects. We show public sector clients how
to commission buildings that meet the needs of
their users. And we seek to inspire the public to
demand more from their buildings and spaces.
Advising, influencing and inspiring, we work
to create well-designed, welcoming places.

CABE Space is a specialist unit within CABE

that aims to bring excellence to the design,
management and maintenance of parks and
public space in our towns and cities.

CABE
1 Kemble Street
London WC2B 4AN
T 020 7070 6700
F 020 7070 6777
E enquiries@cabe.org.uk
www.cabe.org.uk

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 Contents

Introduction 4

Why measure quality? 5

How does it work? 6

How does Spaceshaper show the results? 7

How to plan your Spaceshaper workshop 8

Example agendas 11

Case studies
Station Square, Milton Keynes 13
Fairy Dell, Middlesbrough 14
Lenton Recreation Ground, Nottingham 15
Tunnel Woods, South Derbyshire 16
Langdon Hills, Essex 17

Questions and answers 18

Checklist 20

3
 Introduction

‘ This government Are you interested in improving the local

believes profoundly that spaces – the parks, streets or market squares -
the state of the local in your neighbourhood? If so, the
environment affects and Spaceshaper toolkit could be for you.
reflects the well-being of
the people living there. Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit for use by anyone – whether a
Whether it is the town local community activist or a professional – to measure the quality of a
public space before investing time and money in improving it. The toolkit
centre, local park or the works by capturing the perceptions of both the professionals involved in
street on which we live, running a space and the people that use it. The results are discussed during
it is important that they facilitated workshops which aim to debate issues of design quality and build
add to the quality of life a better understanding about how the space works for the different
stakeholders. The toolkit aims to be positive and raise aspirations,
and that they are safe encouraging people to demand more from their local spaces.
and attractive spaces’
Department for Communities and Local The Spaceshaper process
Government, How to create quality parks
and open spaces guide, 2006

1.
1. People fill in the
questionnaire, with
a facilitator
2.
4. 2. Information upload

3. D iscussion of
findings
3.
4. M ore people can
join the process
over time.

The government believes that everyone should have access to good quality
space close to where they live. Through the local government white paper,
Strong and prosperous communities, it wants to enable local residents to
take responsibility for the environment around their homes where they want
to. It wants to see continually higher standards of management, increasing
public satisfaction and engaging communities especially in poorly performing
© Stefan Kruczkowski / Nottingham City Council

areas. Furthermore, it wants to foster community cohesion through greater

resident participation in decision making and an enhanced role for community
groups. The new planning policy statement (PPS3) on housing requires local
planning authorities to develop a shared vision with their local communities
creating places, streets and spaces which meet their needs, are attractive,
have their own distinctive identity and positively improve local character.

The policy context supports Spaceshaper by:

- placing local government as a strategic leader and place shaper

- requiring stronger and simpler arrangements for involving local people
- calling for strong local leadership to shape place where we live.

4
 Why measure quality?

‘ Good design is about Measuring quality means involving a variety of interested people to define
creating a space that how well a space works. Through this process you can learn about the
requirements of different groups of people to understand if their needs
functions well, both are being met. It will identify both good and bad characteristics and
now and in the future. stimulate new ideas for improvements and how it could be managed.
It should also be This process will help to develop good relations between the users and
attractive, providing an the people who run the space and will help you prioritise improvement.
By measuring quality you are basing such decisions on good evidence.
inspirational and special
space for people. If not If you are applying for funding – or protecting existing budgets – you will be
designed well, poorly asked to provide evidence to demonstrate how any money spent on it would
defined spaces will make a difference to local people. By measuring quality you will be able to track
the changes before and after improvements. Spaceshaper compliments existing
be created that may tools for measuring quality (see page 19). Specifically it can be used for:
cause conflict between
different activities and – identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a space
users, such as younger – establishing what is most important to people
– comparing different people’s views
and older people. If – measuring how well the space meets everyone’s needs
spaces lack character – stimulating new ideas for improvements
and identity people will – tracking changes in people’s views over time
not want to use them.’ – bringing staff and users together in a structured way to discuss the space.

CABE Space, It’s our space: a guide for Spaceshaper is designed for people who have a willingness to bring about
community groups, 2007
change for a space, since using the toolkit will encourage discussion on how
the site can be improved. Spaceshaper is used for assessing existing sites but
can also be used when planning new sites. The toolkit should be regarded as
part of a process of consultation, not instead of it and not as a one-off activity.

© Elizabeth Hoehnke

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 How does it work?

Spaceshaper is a workshop-based toolkit that has the flexibility to be

If you are interested in becoming adapted to local circumstances. Key to this process is a trained Spaceshaper
a Spaceshaper facilitator, facilitator, who will advise and run the workshop. You will need to invite
have a look at our website people who are interested in the space, both users and professionals.
www.cabe.org.uk/spaceshaper Depending on the type of space you’re looking at, this could include elderly
for current training opportunities. or young people, dog walkers, office workers and planners, the maintenance
team and designers. See How to plan your workshop on page 8.

A site visit is an integral part of the process. Often led by a local expert
it allows the group to discuss the site and get to know each other. The
Over 40 organisations helped visit prepares the participants to fill out the toolkit’s questionnaire which
develop the questionnaire, records individual perceptions of the space. These are captured by rating
using a range of existing criteria the site against 41 characteristics, grouped into the eight sections:
such as the Green Flag Award,
selecting and adapting those – access: finding your way and getting about
that are appropriate for both – use: what activities and opportunities the space has to offer
users and professionals who – other people: how the space caters for different needs
know that space well. The – maintenance: how clean and cared for the space is
questionnaire has been tested – environment: how safe and comfortable the space is
by over 600 people across the – design and appearance: what the space looks like and what it’s made from
country during two pilot phases. – community: how important the space is to local people
– you: how the space makes you feel.

© Matthew Priestley

During the workshop the facilitator inputs the data into the Spaceshaper software.
The results are presented to the group provoking discussion and debate. The most
important part of the whole process is the discussion between those with the
knowledge of what it is like to use the space and those whose job it is to care for it.

What you get from using the toolkit depends on your original objectives.
Possible outcomes are: a better understanding of how the space works
for different people, the role of the space in your neighbourhood, starting
a debate on how the space can be improved and/or devising a way to
track how people’s perceptions of the space change over time.

6
 How does Spaceshaper
show the results?

‘ It appears to be the only ‘Spider’ diagrams are one of the ways in which the results of the questionnaires
method for evaluating are shown during the workshops. Each of the eight lines that radiate from the
centre point represents one of the eight sections from the questionnaire (see
the value and benefit previous page). On each axis, a point has been marked. The more positive
of improvements people’s responses are towards the space, the further out the point sits
to public space.’ on the line. All the points have been joined up and the inside of the shape
coloured in. The larger the shape, the better the perception of the site.
Anthony Bailey, London Borough of Islington.
Participant of the pilot phase.
Access

You Use

Community Other people

Design and Maintenance

appearance

Environment

‘ The session provided a The diagrams are used to help initiate the debate and discussion between the
workshop participants. This example shows that the group thought this was a
chance for groups with
poor site. Points that lie within the dotted mid line indicate poor perception of a
diverse views to come site, points sitting outside the dotted line a positive perception. For this example,
together and talk about perceptions of access, environment and community were relatively better.
their different needs
One example of how the results can be shown is to compare responses
in a positive way.’
between different groups. For example, those who use the space
Geoffrey Sinclair, The Woodland Trust. against those who work for the space, with interesting results:
Participant in the pilot phase.

Access Access

You Use You Use

Community Other people Community Other people

Design and Maintenance Design and Maintenance

appearance appearance

Environment Environment

Perception of users Perception of managers

Both groups see access and environment as relative strengths, but there
are clear differences in how they perceive the space.

Other options could include comparisons between young and older people,
or those who use the space every day and those who don’t. Other information,
such as likes and dislikes and priorities can also be used by the facilitator
to initiate discussions.

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 How to plan your
Spaceshaper workshop

This section suggests how you might plan and deliver your workshop.
This will help you to identify what resources you will need. Be prepared to
allocate sufficient time to prepare, manage and follow up. This will have a
direct impact on the success of your workshop and quality of the results.
Other factors to take into account when calculating your budget include:
venue, catering, transport, materials, equipment and promotion.

1. Getting started To get started you will need to send brief details of your project to
CABE Space. Please request a Spaceshaper project form from CABE
Space by either emailing spaceshaper@cabe.org.uk or by calling 020
7070 6700. We will ask for basic details such as the name of your site,
appropriate size, who manages it and what your project is about.

2. Select your facilitator You will need to employ a facilitator to help you use the toolkit. He or she
will run your Spaceshaper workshop on your behalf, help your group fill
in the questionnaire, explain the results, manage the discussion and help
you agree a forward plan. How much of the facilitator’s time you use is up
to you, but bear in mind you will need to pay for their time and expenses.
Their involvement can range from advising on the agenda, invite list and
managing the day, to organising the entire event and follow up.

3. Define your objectives You will need to be very clear about what you want to achieve from your
Spaceshaper workshop. How does your workshop fit into the wider project?
What information do you already have from previous consultations, reports
or plans? How will your Spaceshaper workshop build on this and what
other information will you need to collate through other methods? What
information do you need from the workshop and what are you going to
do with it once you have it? Your facilitator can help you clarify this.

©Mark Ellis Ashley Bingham / ICD Ltd

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4. Put together your invitation list Who should you invite? Take a look at the list below. Not everyone may
be able to come to your first workshop but you can continue to build on
the information collected by the questionnaires over time. A Spaceshaper
It is important that the views workshop is not about a huge audience, but about constructive debate
of children and young people and discussion between stakeholders. Workshops should be for between
are heard. eight to 18 people and a balance of both users and professionals.
CABE Space is developing a
version of the tool specifically Depending on what kind of space you have, this might include:
for children and young people, to
make sure that their opinions are Access groups Local office workers Youth groups
counted. Contact us at Arts groups Local residents Architects
spaceshaper@cabe.org.uk Casual users School children Councillors
Commuters Shoppers Landscape architects
Disabled people Sports groups Maintenance teams
Elderly people’s groups Sure Start participants Managers
Environment groups Teenagers Planners
Faith groups Tourists Police
Families Volunteers Rangers
Local businesses Vulnerable groups Wardens.

Taking the time to engage with a diverse representative group of people interested
in the space is essential to gaining a true reflection of the people who use the
space. Working in partnership will help build relations with hard to reach groups.

5. Submit your project plan Your facilitator will need to submit your plan to CABE Space for approval.
This will need to include:

– Facilitator details
– Workshop objectives
– Provisional invite list
– Approximate workshop date.

Your project details will then be uploaded onto the software for the facilitator
to access during the workshop.

6. Set the date, time and venue Points to consider: Use a venue in or near the space. Make sure that people
will be able to get into your venue; is it wheelchair accessible, for example?

Most public spaces are busier in summer. It is easier to get people interested at
this time. Avoid workshops during the coldest winter months if possible. If you
hold the workshop on a weekday, you will not attract people who work in a nine to
five job but you will catch elderly people, parents and carers. Weekends are easier
for most people although professionals are less likely to be able to attend outside
normal working hours. There is no ideal time and you may want to consider more
than one workshop, perhaps one during daytime and another in the evening.

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 Send the invitation out in good time (allow three weeks) before
the event. It should include the following information:

– Date, time and location

– The aim of the workshop - make sure you are clear about why
you are inviting people so that their expectations are managed
– Tell people if refreshments are included
– Ask people to contact you if they have particular needs. This could include
accessibility or dietary requirements
– Let people know what they are going to be expected to do.
For example, to fill in a questionnaire (so they can bring their spectacles),
and walk around the site, so they can bring suitable clothing
– Your contact details for any queries
– An RSVP slip, so that you will know how many people to expect.

See example workshop agendas on page 11.

7. Resources on the day Agree with your facilitator who is responsible for materials which might include a
local map, flip charts, pens, post-it notes, a data projector and the Spaceshaper
questionnaires. CABE can provide translated versions of the questionnaire.
Please contact us at least a month in advance if you require a translation.

When planning your workshop, you might want to arrange visits to

other sites first. For good parks near you, take a look at the Green
Flag Award website on www.greenflagaward.org. The Green Flag
Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces. CABE
will be adding good examples of streets to its website in 2007.

8. Report After the workshop the facilitator will write up the results, discussion
and next steps in a report. You should agree with the participants
how they want to be kept up to date with progress and who else
might want to be included. It is vital that workshops are followed
up and the network of participants and others is maintained.

© Matthew Priestley

10
 Example agendas
Your Spaceshaper
facilitator will design and
lead the workshop. The Basic
format and how long this
will take depends on your
objectives and the size of
Welcome and introductions 10 minutes
the site and of the group.
Setting the scene and workshop objectives 10 minutes

Introducing the questionnaire 10 minutes

Walk about the site 1 hour

Completing the questionnaire 20 minutes

Lunch and entering questionnaire results 1 hour

Presenting the results and discussion 1 hour

Close: thanks and next steps 10 minutes

Total 4 hours

Appreciating current value and protecting this in the future

Welcome and introductions 15 minutes

Introduction to workshop agenda 10 minutes

Planet earth experience – participants are asked to describe 45 minutes

what one single experience they would use to describe why
they value the space

Introduction to the toolkit 10 minutes

Introduction to the wider context of the site and future 10 minutes

pressures on it

Site visit 1 hour

Lunch and data entry 20 minutes

Identification of key issues for the future 1 hour

This agenda was designed

Discussion of results 1 hour
around the need to
collectively understand Next steps and close 10 minutes
the unique value of a
large site in an area that
will undergo significant Total 5 hours
change in the future.

11
 This agenda was developed
to encourage participants to
think of the space from other Secret santa
people’s point of view.
Welcome and program for the day 10 minutes

Introductions 5 minutes

Your views: individuals identify their own interest group and 10 minutes
write it down on a post-it note which is collected by the facilitator

Introduction to toolkit 10 minutes

Site visit 1 hour

Completion of questionnaire and their own wish 20 minutes

list for the site

Lunch and data entry: the facilitator allocates each participant 1 hour
with a new interest group over lunch. Each person is asked to
come up with a secret santa gift (an improvement in the space)
that their interest group would appreciate as a Christmas present.
This is written on a piece of paper and folded up for later.

Spaceshaper results are discussed both in terms of the 20 minutes

space now and what the aspirations are for the future

Secret santa gifts ‘unwrapped’ participants consider 20 minutes

their gifts and the list they have just created

The group prioritise the final list of improvements 20 minutes

Close 5 minutes

Total 4 hours

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 Case studies
How Spaceshaper has been used elsewhere – and the
lessons you could learn from others’ experience.

Case study 1 Station Square, Milton Keynes

Residents, shoppers and local businesses talk to the Milton Keynes
Partnership (MKP) to identify short-term improvements.

Station Square is one of Milton Keynes’ most important urban spaces.

Opened in 1982, the square serves as an arrivals and departures
gateway and is a strategic transport interchange.

The square was designed to be large, bright and airy, with mirror-clad buildings
around three sides and ample space for additional developments to connect
it to the commercial district. Ad hoc interventions over time have taken their
toll and the square’s appearance and condition has sadly deteriorated.
?Xm\PfliJXp
:DBJkXk`feJhlXi\$Jlim\p Around five million people pass through Station Square every year and, with
8IFLE;,D@CC@FEG<FGC<8P<8I8I<G8JJ@E>K?IFL>?JK8K@FEJHL8I<%
K?@J@JFLIFGGFIKLE@KPKF:I<8K<8GC8:<KF<EAFP8E;9<GIFL;F= increasing urban growth, this number is due to rise. The square has been
identified by the MKP-run Central Milton Keynes Board as a key public realm
improvement project in its long-term development plan that will eventually
close the gap between the square and the heart of the city centre.
G_fkf^iXg_Yp>c\ee?fn\ccj8iZ_`k\Zkj

The Central Milton Keynes team wanted to start an early process

Image © Glenn Howells Architects

of consultation to find out what people thought of the space and to

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explore the potential of some short-term improvements. A series of four
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designed to involve a range of individual users and stakeholders.
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Workshops engaged 33 representatives from stakeholder groups and
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organisations, providing an opportunity for different users to compare
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workshop process. Contributors agreed that the design of the square was
an architectural tour de force of its time, but had since become a bleak and
Milton Keynes Partnership invited
local people to have their say barren space. Participants noted that the square’s function as a gateway to
the city was undermined by the absence of clear routes through the square,
interesting features, appropriate signage and connection with the city centre.

The overall process produced a positive result – the compilation of a list of

short-term measures to improve the square’s function and appearance as
an important gateway to the city. The Milton Keynes Partnership is set to
incorporate the findings into future improvement plans for the square.

13
Case study 2 Fairy Dell, Middlesbrough
School children and a local friends group explain why they value
their local woodland and describe their fears and aspirations for
the planned improvements.

Fairy Dell is a haven for wildlife, with steeply wooded banks, a stream, lakes,
woodland and grassy glades. It is very important to the local community as a
place of leisure, recreation and fresh air and also for the pupils of the nearby Saint
Augustine’s RC primary school as a living, green classroom. However, it suffers
from long-term neglect and anti-social behaviour. The locals regard the footpaths
as muddy and overgrown.

A successful local campaign won the community £50,000 from the Big
Lottery Fund to restore Fairy Dell. Middlesbrough council match-funded the
investment and was keen to measure the change in people’s perceptions
before and after the improvements. The local Wildspace! officer wanted
to involve the local primary school. A workshop was designed around a
half day in the nearby school with a year six class. Questionnaires were
completed on computers, allowing the children to create their own spider
diagrams instantly and reflect their individual perceptions of Fairy Dell.

Pupils at Saint
Augustine’s RC primary
school inputted their
own questionnaires;
this resulted in individual
spider diagrams
reflecting their views
on the day

© John’s Studio

The children said they valued the space for the greenery and wildlife and
appreciated its important role in the community. However, they were
disappointed that the Dell was not used as often as it should be, was poorly
maintained and that there were no staff to control anti-social behaviour.

In the evening, the Friends of Fairy Dell volunteer group attended a second
workshop. The results showed that people felt that Fairy Dell’s natural beauty,
peace and tranquillity were its key assets. The questionnaires stimulated
discussion of the issues and actions to take forward. Increased political
support was needed, as was continued communication with local residents
on the progress of improvements. The group recognised that a balance was
needed between the importance of conserving the site and the value of
encouraging more visitors. It also recognised the value of educational work
in bringing new families to Fairy Dell. It agreed that success of the project
was dependant on improved standards of maintenance in the long term.

The exercise presented a snapshot of two groups’ perceptions for future

comparisons. It contributed to the environmental education programme and
helped widen the discussion beyond just litter and anti-social behaviour.

14
Case study 3 Lenton Recreation Ground, Nottingham
City council seeks out local people to see what they really think of
their award-winning park.

Lenton Recreation Ground is a popular neighbourhood park in Nottingham.

This compact place offers two bowling greens, playground, basketball area,
playing field and a full-time parkie.

The park has met the national standard for parks and green spaces, winning
The Green Flag Award scheme Green Flag Awards in 2005 and 2006. The council wanted to find out whether
the park lived up to local expectations and compare findings against the
The Green Flag Award is the Green Flag Award judges’ feedback.
national standard for parks
and green spaces in England Careful consideration by the council and the local partnership forum indentified
and Wales. Awards are all the groups that use the park, which led to over 60 people assessing the site
given on an annual basis and using the Spaceshaper questionnaire. Representative users included young
winners must apply each year. people, youth service workers, schoolchildren, university students, members
To find your nearest Green of an over-50s health group, local residents, dog walkers, casual users and
Flag Award park, visit a group of vulnerable adults and teenagers. Front-line staff, maintenance
www.greenflagaward.org.uk managers, community protection officers and councillors were also surveyed.

© S.Kruczkowski / Nottingham City Council

Views from the wider
community, including
members of an over-50’s
health group through to
vulnerable teenagers,
have demonstrated how
much they valued their
local park

The results were presented and discussed at a park consultation group meeting
managed by the Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum. The results demonstrated
how much the community valued the park, reflecting the recent investment
and its Green Flag Award. Issues of concern were discussed with the council
and actions taken forward for both the partnership forum and the council.

The city council reported that it would be adopting the toolkit as a means
of assessment. ‘The toolkit is a valuable resource to help us measure
the quality of the public realm,’ said the council’s Stefan Kruczkowski.
‘It offers us an opportunity to take us beyond a compartmentalised view
of the components that make up public realm and see these places as a
whole rather than disparate parts, in turn helping us to transform the city’s
neighbourhoods. We are especially keen to use it in places where we are
planning improvements such as the Meadows and Victoria Embankment,
to help develop proposals with the community and determine the impact
of investment by assessing quality both before and after investment.’

15
Case study 4 Tunnel Woods, South Derbyshire
Local people use the toolkit to help create their vision for a new
community woodland.

In 2005 the Forestry Commission bought 22 hectares of agricultural land with

the aim of planting it as a community woodland with the National Forest.

‘Our objective is to establish new woodland in keeping with the surrounding

area, through consultation with local people,’ Susan Taylor from the Forestry
Commission, now responsible for its management, explained ‘This new tool gives
an opportunity for people to meet and discuss with those who make decisions.’

The toolkit was used to look at this new site during a workshop bringing together
an initial group of stakeholders to explore what they would want to see in their
woodland and develop a way of tracking the progress made over time. A small
group attended an inspiring presentation, illustrating local and regional
examples of other community woodlands and the activities and facilities they
offered. The group was asked to think about Tunnel Woods in two, five and
15 years and to say what uses, activities and experiences they and other
community groups would like to see.

They were then asked to choose from a list of 41 criteria, taken from the toolkit’s
questionnaire, which reflected their priorities or aspirations for the site. These
indicators would later be used to track progress of the wood over time.

As a result of the exercise, the Forestry Commission began engaging the

community in ideas for the future development of Tunnel Woods. It introduced
new concepts of what the woodland could do for the community and stressed
the importance of making contact with others caring for neighbouring woods.

The group went on to identify specific key stakeholders to bring into the project
and proposed the formation of a strategic partnership for action between
the county and local authority, police, Railtrack and the parish council.

Access is not just about

clear signage; it’s also
about site information
being easily accessible.
At Tunnel Woods, efforts
will be made to ensure
the wider community are
kept up to date with the
site’s progress
© William Hawkins

16
 Case study 5 Langdon Hills, Essex
Regular users and managers come together to define the special
character of the Hills and discuss future pressures.

One Tree Hill, Westley Heights and Dunton Plotlands make up three areas
known locally as Langdon Hills. The plotlands, 460 acres, represents Essex
Wildlife Trust’s largest inland nature reserve. With its meadows, ancient
woodlands, ponds, plantations and wild scrub, it forms a rich mosaic of
valuable habitats.
‘ But what makes a place
a place? A place is a Given the ambitious regeneration plans for the area, the Thames Gateway
South Essex Greengrid Partnership called a meeting with regular park users
location with a meaning. and representatives from the three managing organisations to discuss what
Take a raw location makes the area special and how they might collaborate together in the future.
or map reference or
postcode and add At the workshop, the group was asked to express what each found remarkable
about Langdon Hills and to define why they valued it so deeply. People who use
meaning – associations, it treasured the area for many reasons; such as its ‘historical richness, flower-rich
ideas, history, a sense meadows, inspiring wildlife’ and ‘the wide vistas of green space amid an urban
of identity – and you setting.’ They also enjoyed the variety of amenities it offered, such as ‘walking
have a place.’ dogs in the bluebells, sledging down the hills’ and ‘blackberrying on One Tree Hill.’

CABE, New things happen: a guide to the future Sixteen participants made site visits to each of the three areas.
of the Thames Gateway, 2006
Questionnaires were then completed to assess the quality of the site
and identify strengths and weaknesses. They were also invited to
consider five specific issues in context of the wider Thames Gateway
regeneration project: access, education, local communities, managing
the landscape setting and biodiversity versus urbanisation.

As a result of this structured opportunity, the group was able to present

their ideas about how they could safeguard the special qualities of the
hills for future generations and discuss improved joint working.

© Greengrid South Essex

Through workshop
discussions, the
identity and character
of Langdon Hills was
recognised by a
variety of users
and professionals

17
 Questions and answers

Why is quality important?

Good quality places are clean and well cared for. They are easy to
get to and move about in. Good spaces can be used for a variety of
activities, from energetic sports to simply being somewhere to relax in.
This attracts people to use them and helps create a sense of safety.

Good public spaces can also help build a sense of community, creating
neighbourhoods and town centres with real character that make people
happy and healthy and encourage them to visit. Badly designed and
managed spaces, on the other hand, can quickly turn into neglected eye-
sores attracting anti-social behaviour and bringing down the local area.

How is Spaceshaper toolkit different from other tools?

There are a number of tools available to measure quality of public space.
Spaceshaper was developed to complement these, but is unique because:

– It is designed to be used in all types of public space - not just parks
and green spaces
– It is subjective rather than objective: the key part of the process
is the dialogue between users and professionals, not a final
score that can be used to compare with other spaces
– It uses structured criteria like the Green Flag Award but has been
specifically developed for users as well as professionals
– The criteria are spread across a broad range of issues, not focusing on
management, which is the role of the Green Flag Award, or taking the market
research survey approach such as GreenSTAT (www.greenstat.org.uk)
– Questionnaire data is stored so that changes in the perception can
be easily measured over time. This is to encourage managers to
maintain dialogue with users over a long period of time and continually
build up the data, bringing in new groups and individuals.

Why do I need a special facilitator?

The facilitator has proved an essential part of the process. He or she will
take your group through the workshop, explaining the questionnaire and
using the software to show and interpret the results. He or she is skilled
at putting everyone at ease and making sure the discussion is productive
and not dominated by a single issue. The facilitator can offer independent
advice about your space and bring in experience from other spaces.

Can I adapt the questionnaire for my site?

No. The process has been designed so that each space is assessed
according to a standard set of criteria. This encourages people to think
about a whole range of issues of quality, not just the obvious ones like
litter and dog mess, although these are important. However, when
completing the questionnaires on the day participants can choose
to tick not relevant or don’t know against any of the questions.

Is it a design quality indicator?

Spaceshaper is part of the design quality indicator (DQI) family (see www.dqi.
org.uk). The DQI is a process for evaluating the design quality of buildings. It
can be used by everyone involved in the development process to contribute to
improving the quality of the built environment. The DQI is generic and can be used
for any kind of building, as this toolkit can be used for any kind of outdoor space.

18
 Can I compare results across different sites?
Each time the toolkit is used, it is completed by a group of people unique to
that space based on their own subjective opinions. Results are therefore
not comparable between sites. In theory if the same group of people assessed
a number of sites on the same day, comparisons could be made but this has
not been tested.

How is climate change reflected in the questionnaire?

The role public space plays in dealing with the effects of climate change is
substantial. Reducing air pollution, increasing biodiversity and encouraging
people to walk and cycle more are just three examples of how the design,
management and use of public space can help us deal with these issues.
Where appropriate these issues have been incorporated into the questionnaire.
Some more technical questions are asked separately of the person managing
the space, which the facilitator will bring to the workshop as appropriate.

How is inclusive design reflected in the questionnaire?

Access and inclusive design involves ensuring public spaces can be
enjoyed and used safely, easily and with dignity by all of us regardless of
disability, age, gender, ethnicity or circumstance. If you would like to test
whether your space can be enjoyed by all you will need to ensure that a
range of people complete the questionnaire.

Can I use the questionnaire without the facilitator or the software?

No. The questionnaire has been designed to be completed with the assistance
of a facilitator who can take participants through it and answer any queries.
The Spaceshaper software enables the questionnaire data to be stored
and presented in a number of different formats according to the needs
of your workshop.

Can I use the questionnaire with people who don’t know the space?
The Spaceshaper questionnaire has been written for people who
know the space, whether a regular visitor or a passer by. Those who
don’t use the space are an important group to canvass as part of your
wider project, but are likely to require a different set of questions.

How much will it cost?

This will vary from project to project, dependant on what elements of
the process you need to pay for. These may include: venue, catering,
transport, materials, equipment, organisation time, advertising and the
Spaceshaper facilitators fee. Facilitators are independent of CABE
Space and are employed directly by the organisation who wants to
use Spaceshaper. They will have their own hourly or daily rates.

Where can I find out more?

Visit www.cabe.org.uk/spaceshaper, or contact Kent Architecture
Centre, who are running Spaceshaper on behalf of CABE,
on 01634 401166 or email spaceshaper@cabe.org.uk.

19
 Checklist
The following checklist outlines the key stages of a Spaceshaper

Facilitator
workshop. Agree from the outset who, either you or the facilitator,
has responsibility for each of these tasks. There may be some you

You
wish to do together. Tick off each stage as they are completed:

Register your interest in using Spaceshaper with CABE Space. Brief details
of the project (no more than 200 words) should include the name of the
site, approximate size, who manages it and what the project is about
Employ a facilitator to help you use the toolkit. CABE Space will then
release the list of facilitators to choose from. It is up to you and the
facilitator to agree your working arrangement
Gather information from previous consultations, reports and plans
Put together an invitation list, try to include a wide range of people:
Access groups Local office workers Youth groups
Art groups Local residence Architects
Casual users School children Councillors
Commuters Shoppers Landscape architects
Disabled people Sports groups Maintenance teams
Elderly people’s groups Sure Start participants Managers
Environment groups Teenagers Planners
Faith groups Tourists Police
Families Volunteers Rangers
Local businesses Vulnerable groups Wardens.
Submit your project plan to CABE Space, this will include:
• site details
• workshop objectives
• approximate workshop date.
Set the date, time and venue, ensuring its easily accessible to people
and the space
Send the invitation allowing three weeks before the event, with the
following information:
• date, time and location
• the aim of the workshop
• tell people if refreshments are included
• ask people to contact you if they have particular needs
• let people know what they are going to be expected to do
• contact details for any queries
• RSVP slip.
Ensure there are adequate materials for the day; this may include a local
map, flip charts, pens, post-it notes, laptop, a data projector and the
Spaceshaper questionnaires
Agree with participants if and how they would like to be kept up to date
Write up the report, including results, discussion and next steps
Keep people informed of progress!

20
Spaceshaper is a practical Spaceshaper is
administered on
toolkit for use by anyone – whether behalf of CABE by Kent
a local community activist or a Architecture Centre.
professional – to measure the
To find out more
quality of public space before about Spaceshaper
investing time and money in please contact:
improving it. This user’s guide
Kent Architecture Centre
from CABE Space explains Admiral’s Offices
how Spaceshaper works and Historic Dockyard
Chatham
outlines practical steps to plan Kent ME4 4TZ
your workshop. It shows how T 01634 401 166
Spaceshaper has been used
elsewhere and the lessons you
can learn from others’ experience.