Artful Innovation: driving innovation districts with public art

What are Innovation Districts?

Innovation Districts, which can be briefly described as concentrated geographic areas clustering startups, businesses and key anchor landmarks, have recently emerged as engines of economic growth that foster collaboration through strategic colocation.  In contrast to the isolated suburban office parks and corporate campuses that once defined the working environment, Innovation Districts reflect a growing desire for ‘living, breathing, connected’ working communities and a return to a layered sense of ‘cityness’ that had somewhat been extinguished by the gradual shift to suburban sprawl that had persisted over the 20th century.  Over the past decade, Innovation Districts have seen remarkable success globally with notable examples including the Milan Innovation District (MIND), Italy, 22@ in Barcelona, and the Knowledge Quarter in London, England. Meanwhile, closer to home, the New South Wales Government has also followed global precedent by establishing innovation hubs in Westmead, Liverpool, Macquarie Park, the New South Wales Central Coast, and inner city Sydney.  At Art Pharmacy, we have long championed the transformative power of public art as a vital tool for placemaking. With the Committee for Sydney’s recent paper on the role of government in Innovation Districts sparking new conversations on how best to approach the development of these emerging ecosystems, there is no better time to explore the pivotal role that public art can play.

Why Is Public Art Important For Innovation Districts?

We believe a robust public art program can play a strategic role in three key aspects of building a thriving Innovation District: identity formation, creating welcoming spaces, and attracting traffic.  

It is also useful to think about innovating during the broader process of a public art project. This can involve developing the scope to include a detailed art strategy, art activations, digital art, and opportunities to generate and evaluate tangible social impact from these artistic innovations. 

Identity Forming  

Innovation Districts can adopt a number of different urban development models, but often, they involve revitalising an existing area through concerted renewal or building an entirely new district. In the context of renewal, public art can reflect and reinforce the ‘local identity of an area’ and encourage a sense of cohesion and community. Likewise, in a new area, public art can establish identity anew. 

In New South Wales, where Innovation Districts are intended to cater to not just technology businesses but a multitude of industries ranging from deeptech to health, public art can at once celebrate the diversity of the area while providing a sense of unity through the proliferation of shared values or identities.

Take for example, Conrad Shawcross’s ‘Paradigm,’ a 14-metre tall sculpture at Europe’s largest biomedical research centre, the Francis Crick Institute in London. The sculpture, made of weathering steel and composed of increasing tetrahedral blocks, embodies the tension and balance of scientific progress that defines the Institute. 

Shawcross describes the work as a symbolisation of the precarious nature of knowledge and in such a way the sculpture exemplifies how public art can reinforce the identity of a place by serving as a landmark that inspires creativity and intellectual pursuit that persists in the halls of the institute.

Creating Welcoming Spaces  

Public Art can also serve to create a sense of cohesion and humanity within new environments.  

Andrea Conte’s ‘Islands’ and ‘The Unknown’ are two large-scale floor paintings in the Milan Innovation District (MIND). Spanning approximately 1700 square meters, these artworks draw inspiration from technology, scientific research, and nature. ‘Islands’ focuses on global health and environmental themes like the heat island effect and solar reflection, while ‘The Unknown’ pays homage to the mysteries of the abyss and the infinite connections in research and development. By transforming the expanse of sterile open spaces into visually stimulating environments, the paintings encourage activity and interaction between inhabitants, fostering community as opposed to creating public spaces that are only transitory in nature.

Conclusion

As Daniel Hunter, CEO of Business NSW, aptly puts,

The integration of public art is vital to the success of this mission. Not only do public art programs reinforce emergent identities in these Innovation Districts but also activate public spaces, enhance community engagement, and attract traffic. As Innovation Districts continue to develop both globally and locally, stakeholders must keep public art at the forefront as they create vibrant, exciting, and inclusive Innovation Districts.