“How do we prove this is the right thing to do?” Making Impact in Wilton Park, Dublin

Hunt expresses some regret that the social impact study began part-way through development. “Ideally you would be starting with a blank sheet of paper. We didn’t have that luxury because the scheme was already designed and indeed underway when we commenced this piece of research.” However the impact of the public realm improvements can be measured as the park and public spaces come into use, due to complete this summer.

Hassell is leading the research team with PRD and Gehl. Together they form a multidisciplinary partnership with different expertise. Appointed in 2022 to study the Wilton Park neighbourhood over a 5-year period, the methodology measures the value created in four pillars – social, cultural, economic, and environmental.

The research is focussed on public areas around the buildings. There are 20 different reporting areas on which the consultants are collecting data (property values, footfall, training opportunities, belonging, etc) using over 70 quantitative and qualitative individual metrics, with the responsibility for collecting those figures divided between Gehl, Hassell and PRD.

Project lead for the Making Impact study Camilla Siggaard Andersen leads Hassell’s research across the urban design, mobility, environment & communities sectors.

“We are measuring cultural engagement by how many visitors come to view public installations, for example," says Andersen. “If IPUT are planting 20 trees, that’s a physical investment in place, we would hope to see that nature engagement improves and that the environmental quality of the place improves, and that will drive more footfall or see people feel more connected to the place."

Anderson says the findings are all recorded to track the changes year-on-year, with the most interesting findings summarised in the annual report. Described as a continuous feedback loop, the hope is that any negative impacts can be acted on.

“Great places are not just about paving stones and benches, or their yoga classes and coffee shops, or maintenance regimes; great places are all of those things working together," says Andersen. "The first step to making an impact is making an effort. We have to try and fail and try and try again to eventually succeed and get it right." 

The aim of the study is to demonstrate, using an evidence-based approach, the long-term social value that investment in the public realm creates, and how vibrant, attractive developments improve the quality of life. IPUT say they hope their quantitative and qualitative metrics have the potential for widespread and global application.

The first year’s report tracks the initial changes during this construction period. One of Andersen’s takeaways from the findings was that small gestures can go a long way, referring to the provision of moveable deck chairs and a decent cup of coffee. 

“There’s no legislation making us do this, we’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do," says Hunt. “The question is how do we prove to our investors and shareholders that doing this is the right thing to do."

Find out more

• View the presentation
• Download the IPUT Making Impact report
• Listen to the IPUT podcast