Night economy research in city centres gains traction- Night economy research initiative gains traction with study of Newcastle, Sydney and Liverpool night precincts and their night time characteristics. The project is part of a broader initiative to view night precincts through both a statistical and social research view.
The Night Owl Research Project which was paused substantially by the COVID 19 pandemic is starting to show some progress.
The research had its origins in the precinct analysis of regional town settings from Townsville to Newcastle and Liverpool by Dr Jon Drane. These studies were conducted during Dr Drane’s doctoral research at UNSW Built Environment and then Western Sydney University.
His focus on dormancy and precinct activation in these studies of day/night precincts led to an interest by Local Govts in his unique view of city precinct activation. His research also bridged planning and real estate development principles.
‘ I was interested in the fact that so much research attention focuses on an Economic Lens with the associated plethora of statistics and charts that are helpful but do not view precincts ‘from the ground’ and are not indicative of key social characteristis of the night economy’ Dr Jonathan Drane
The social research focuses on graphical representation and mixes the use of gis systems with CAD and photographic approaches to bring these precincts to life.
‘The Liverpool study was of particular interest because it highlighted ‘alcohol free’ venues that provided a vibrant and renewed energy to the traditional pubs and clubs culture of Australian night life. There were many lessons to learn from these offerings’.
Over the past 6 months we have revisited our former precinct studies and also undertook a detailed study of Newcastle City which is shown on our Night Owl Web Page. Please Contact Us if you need more information and also see our new Linked In and Facebook Pages for Optimum Search City Research Centre which runs the research with Dr Drane as founder.
The Newcastle study involved the mobilisation of a talented mix of early career students from University of Newcastle (UON) who brought their inherent skills and local knowledge to the study. The wonderful group of students came from different cultural backgrounds and from faculties/disciplines including Business, Architecture, Communications, Town Planning, Medicine and Economics. Thanks to you all, you have inspired me to continue with this research with future teams.
Dr Jonathan Drane
Related Articles:
ANZ Night Economy Forum explores the sleeping city: Read article.
City Planning and Design for Night Time Economy: Building Vibrant Spaces After Dark: Learn More
Contact Jonathan
Thanks for your interest in The City Whisperer. Please fill in the form below and we will gets back to you soon. Contact Us- Dr Jonathan Drane- The City Whisperer – Smarter Healthy Cities.
Dr Jonathan Drane
Dr Jonathan Drane is an independent researcher and advisor to government, corporate, legal and academic sectors. He applies research methods to solve complex problems through project analysis in the commercial construction and development sector.
How well do you know your night economy?
The night economy is the new frontier of the 24/7 city. In Australia this is an emerging concept and there is much to be learned from internatinol cities on how they sustain a continuous economy during the night time. Dr Jon explores the ‘structural’ elements of a night economy that can mean that they operate 24/7 consistently and not just be an event space.
https://www.jondrane.net/how-well-do-you-know-your-night-economy/
Research Sites – Jonathan Drane
Google Scholar Profile Jonathan Drane
A Teaching Framework for City Development Processes
Dr Jon Drane provided a framework for understanding City Development Processes and more recently updated this to include the concept of Place Economy and Property Development Dynamics. See youtube video below and his Faster Class offering for professional development in Property Development.
Advocating for Professionalisation of Property Development
The property development industry is experiencing the continued entry of untrained, non professional players. There are very low barriers to entry to the world of property development. The result has been the rise of poor quality buidings and the horrors of the past decade of dangerous defects.
Dr Drane is advocating for the creation of a doctorate in ‘city and property development processes’ that supports the improvement of professional recognition and credentialing of property developers. See our youtube video on A Decade of Dangerous Defects which includes the tragedies of the decade.