“We’ve taken on this philosophy at Ripley Town Centre to get people out walking, cycling and interacting with their community,” Christensen said.
“Long commute times affect mental health and wellbeing, taking time away from family and work/life balance. From an energy and carbon footprint perspective, we also know relying solely on vehicles to access every day necessities is not sustainable in the long term.
“It’s better for our wellbeing and better for the planet to live life more locally.
“With Covid-19 placing a renewed and potentially long-term focus on remote working, what our local environment can offer in terms of walkability becomes critically important.”
To reinforce Ripley Town Centre’s connectivity vision, a proposed transit hub will link the region to Ipswich, Springfield, Brisbane and beyond, delivering on the requirements under the Ripley Valley Priority Development Area.
The transit hub, featuring rail and bus connections, will be vital to lead and sustain the community, and provide residents with affordable transport options that improve access to services and employment.
Christensen says his take on a smart city considers placemaking and the human experience as its core, but at a much broader level than architecture or urban design.
“When you’re placemaking, you’re attempting to make a place more loveable, liveable and productive—a place that people will thrive in,” he said.
“We look at the community, social, environmental and economic perspectives simultaneously and how we can sustain investment over a long period of time—a much more holistic approach than conventional urban design.”
It’s this thinking that brought to life Ripley Town Centre’s ten character precincts, a concept that isn’t commonly executed in the design space.
The town centre’s Civic Heart, for example, will be one of the many dedicated community spaces featuring cultural institutions, education and retail experiences surrounding a green forecourt, which will become home to major community events.