Transforming Suburbia

Transforming Suburbia FINAL REPORT EY ICPU

WR I TT E N B Y V I C T O R I A L O N E R G AN ( 4 9 0 4 1 8 1 90 ) Z OE C HO I ( 49 0 02 6 5 9 3) T I F F A N Y F O NG ( 4 9 0 4 6 2 8 72 ) Z I Y I N G F U ( 4 9 0 0 2 9 30 9 ) N I MI T BA T AV I A ( 4 9 0 23 36 9 6 ) HE L AI N A BE L T R AM E ( 4 70 4 4 6 30 6 )

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

&

ERNST & YOUNG

At a Glance INTRODUCTION

P . 01 - 03 PROJECT AIMS & OBJECTIVE

P . 04 APPROACH & RESEARCH METHODS P. 05-06

WE LL BE I NG & GE N Z P . 07- 08 PHYSICAL PROPERSITY - DESIGN ON BEHAVIOUR

P . 09 - 1 0 ECONOMIC PROSEPRITY - LOCAL BUSINESS

Executive Summary Our current society functions by separating our lives into distinct components, exacerbating issues like mental health, isolation, and environmental destruction. The pandemic catalysed a shift in our conception of health and simultaneously transformed the many social, economic and physical functions of modern suburbia. Hence, effective resurgence will recognise this fundamentally holistic nature by caring for the wellbeing of individuals and their environments; with suburbs providing a unique opportunity to do so.

Generation-Z’s needs and values have informed our proposal, ensuring our approach is durable for long-term growth and value. This report aims to highlight the role of suburbs in wellbeing, and an innovative opportunity for the NSW government, local councils and businesses to engage together in mutually beneficial revitalisation of wellbeing. We propose MyPlace, an app that allows users to connect and access their local area on a deeper level. This integrative approach can enhance community interactions and impact suburban projects. However, MyPlace is not a stand-alone initiative, and future work regarding the physical structures and functions of suburbs is necessary to truly foster wellbeing through government, business, and community collaboration.

P. 11-12 C O M MUNI T Y P R OSE P R I TY - P LAC E B RA N DI N G P . 1 3- 1 5 M YPL A CE A P P L I CA T I O N P. 16-22 I N TE RD I S C I P L I NA R Y S YT HE SI S P. 23

01

Introduction PR OJ E CT S CO P E

Given the brief from EY, Transforming Suburbia was formulated to seek opportunities for post-pandemic resurgence informed by interdisciplinary collaboration across design & architecture, media communications, marketing, economics, and philosophy. This report explores the way in which the wellbeing of Australians living in Sydney's suburban environments can be better supported through the implementation of the digital app, MyPlace, by the NSW Government.

C URR E NT S O CI O-CULT URA L CO NTEX T

TH E GUI DI N G F OR C E O F G E N E R A T I O N - Z

One of the foregrounding challenges of a project like Transforming Suburbia is that the issue of wellbeing and suburban life itself is experienced in a multitude of ways. Therefore, to ensure a practical and focused application of complex design theories and socio-economic analyses, the project's recommendations were informed in consideration of Generation-Z. This is not only because they are one of the youngest generations, but because they are currently paving the way for more digitally-integrated living. Approximately 20% of Australia's population consists of those born between 1995 and 2010, equating to around 5 million young people with a paramount influence on the future of Australia's workforce, real estate, policy and economy (McCrindle, 2019).

"Your postcode is just as likely to determine your life expectancy as your genetic code" (Hartley, 2019) When COVID-19 first swept the world and lockdown restrictions were put in place, many Australians found themselves living out their everyday routines from the comfort (or rather, the confines) of their homes. The normalcy of everyday life was disrupted, forcing many to re-examine their previous living situations and lifestyles. The expansive adoption of remote work, homelearning, and online commerce during COVID-19 points to the potential for improvements in lifestyles in smaller suburban environments, rather than wide-sprawling, transport-oriented cities (McAuliffe, 2021).

BOOMERS 8%

GEN-Z 31%

GEN-X 28%

31% of Australia's workforce in 2025 will comprise of those in Gen-Z

GEN-Y 33%

Fig. 1 (McCrindle, 2021)

02

Introduction GE NE RA T I O N- Z & WE LLB EI N G

A S S E S S I NG P R E V I OU S GO V E R N ME N T I N I T I AT I V E S

While COVID-19 has had a significant social and economic impact on all age demographics, a report shows that Gen-Z has suffered the most significant adverse effects from COVID-19. 25% of individuals in Generation Z reportedly suffer from mental health and 10% from physical health (Fell, 2020).

Moreover, 23% of Gen-Z in Australia experienced loneliness during the pandemic (The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), 2020). These statistics were significantly higher than findings from other generational groups, highlighting the importance of this project's focus on Gen-Z to better understand how well-being can be better facilitated post-Covid.

"COVID-19 has had an extreme or substantial impact on life"

Gen X

Gen Y

We first assessed notable government initiatives to understand the successes and failures of urban-planning developments. Previously, government officials focused on implementing 30-minute cities to improve the quality of life amongst Australian communities. The Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) released the Pulse of Greater Sydney 2020 with the aim to achieve sustainable and resilient cities in a post-pandemic world (Greater Sydney Commission (GSC), 2020). GSC (2018) considered the plan promising as it would allow individuals to experience lifestyle benefits from closer proximity to employment, recreational activities, and essential shopping within 30 minutes of their home.

However, new research suggested that GSC's plan to transform the region into a metropolis of three cities with fast and interconnected transportation could be difficult due to urban congestion in Sydney (Sarkar et al., 2019). For instance, infrastructure development is largely centralised, and public transport between regions is inefficient as transport connectivity is the key to growth and development (Sarkar et al., 2019). As a result, it is evident that the government's plan for a 30-minute city would be both ineffective and difficult to implement logistically. This evaluation pushed us to reshape our project's aims, moving away from an attempt to reconstruct the layout and architecture of suburbs, and to instead investigate how we can improve overall wellbeing with the existing infrastructure in Sydney's suburbs.

Gen Z

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Fig. 2 (McCrindle, 2021)

03

Project Aims & Objectives To develop a holistic and strategic recommendation that solves our problem, we set three core questions with subsequent aims and objectives:

What do people need?

Aim 1: Empathise with Australians living in suburban environments to understand what they desire post-covid.

Objective 1a: Identify the essential physical, economic, and social needs and values of Australians living in suburban environments.

Objective 1b: Address the experience and position of Generation-Z within the Australian demographic and utilize this to understand how people can engage with their suburb.

What role do suburbs have in our wellbeing?

Aim 2: Examine the key elements of wellbeing and uncover areas of opportunity for the NSW Government to better social and economic interactions within Sydney's suburbs.

Objective 2: Investigate the interactions within suburban environments through an analysis of international and domestic case studies.

How can suburbs facilitate better wellbeing post-Covid?

Aim 3: Uncover innovative opportunities to encourage interactions within suburbs in line with the key elements of wellbeing.

Objective 3: Recommend tangible actions for the NSW government using physical and digital innovations that encourage better engagement across Sydney's suburban residents and other stakeholders (ie: local council governments, small businesses, local charities).

04

Approach & Methods DE S I G N- T H I NK I NG A PPR OACH

DO U BL E -D I AM O N D F R A ME W O R K

To uncover human-centered insights, design-thinking (Dam & Siang, 2020) was adopted to select and sequence our research methods to best accommodate the project’s timeline. This approach was utilised with a double-diamond framework where divergent and convergent thinking was applied to ensure the development of both holistic and targeted recommendations: Empathise – Divergent thinking used to explore the needs of Australians and their local communities post-Covid.

Define – Convergent thinking used to discern the role of physical (public spaces) and economic (local businesses) function in suburbs.

Ideate – Divergent thinking used to brainstorm solutions based on an exploration of strategies used by international and local case studies.

Prototype – Convergent thinking used to distinguish between practical and unrealistic solutions to develop a feasible and innovative solution for the NSW Government. Pinpoint any limitations and illuminate future considerations for stakeholders.

Fig. 3 Adapted double-diamond framework Traditionally, design-thinking incorporates a fifth stage (test) to measure the effectiveness of potential solutions (Dam & Siang, 2020). In light of the project's limitations such as time constraints and scope, testing the final solution was not feasible.

05

Research Methods

A mixed-method approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods was adopted (Creswell, 2014). This combines open-ended qualitative data to explain socio-cultural themes, along with closed-ended quantitative data to identify patterns and correlations that help predict how our target demographic would respond to the final recommendations (Contini, 1974).

Exploratory Qualitative Research & Literature Review An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken to better understand what constitutes better wellbeing and how physical spaces influence wellbeing through an application of architectural disciplinary knowledge. Further exploratory research was performed through a review of publicly available resources including academic journals, news articles, and corporate reports.

Quantitative and International Case Study Analyses

Communications Theories and Domestic Case Study Analyses

Quantitative research revealed economic factors in suburban wellbeing where a political economic disciplinary lens was assisted in the analyses of design methodologies. Disciplinary perspectives including economics, accounting and international business were employed to conduct correlative analyses of key economic trends and reveal insights from international case studies.

Disciplinary strengths in media communications were employed to explore place branding, Gen-Z's relationship with technology and deepen understandings of how digital interactions can cultivate wellbeing long-term.

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Findings & Results D E FI NI NG W EL LB EI N G

There are numerous frameworks that aim to define wellbeing, ranging from a complex four-determinant approach as noted by Quail (2012) to even a more simplified, health-approach offered by BetterHealth (Betterhealth, n.d.).

However, we found the most suitable approach was the Social Prosperity Framework devised by Neighbourlytics to understand the relationship between wellbeing and interactions within urban environments (Hartley, 2019).

This approach defines wellbeing through three key dimensions; economic prosperity, physical prosperity, and community perspective (Hartley, 2019).

Economic prosperity measures the resilience and prosperity of the economic system of an environment including businesses, institutions, and consumers. Physical prosperity considers the community's accessibility and usability of public spaces such as parks and cultural hubs (Hartley, 2019).

Finally, community prosperity highlights the effectiveness of events and programs to connect individuals to both the economic and physical elements of a place (Hartley, 2019).

Fig. 4 (Hartley, 2019)

Complementary to this is the concept of 'liveability' which prioritises the ease at which people can access tools to fulfill their daily needs and desires (Victoria State Government, n.d.). This has previously been targeted through practical interventions such as open spaces, shops, and community amenities (City of Vancouver, 2014). However, when understood in conjunction with the social prosperity standard, it is evident that physical interventions can only fully satisfy well-being if they also support community dialogue and economic interactions.

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Findings & Results GE N- Z & W EL L B E I N G

While we now understand what wellbeing encompasses, it is important to empathise with experiences of wellbeing at a more individual level.

While COVID-19 has had significant social and economic impacts on all age demographics, a report shows that Gen-Z has suffered the most significant adverse effects from COVID-19. 25% of individuals in Generation Z reportedly suffer from mental health and 10% from physical health (Fell, 2020). Moreover, 23 percent of Gen-Z in Australia experienced loneliness during the pandemic (The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), 2020). These statistics were significantly higher than findings from any other generational group, highlighting the importance of this project's focus on Gen-Z to better understand how well-being can be better facilitated post-Covid.

"COVID-19 has had an extreme or substantial impact on life"

Gen X

Gen Y

Gen Z

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Fig. 5 (McCrindle, 2021)

G E N - Z & T E C HN O L O GY

Online tools have been widely adopted to cope with poor wellbeing, including apps for meditation and exercise. Most notably, the use of telehealth services has tripled amongst Gen-Z, with 68% indicating in 2020 that they preferred virtual video-call consultations over phone-calls (Gavin, 2021).

More mental health services have expanded their offerings virtually to respond to this need, including Smiling Minds, Hello Sunday Morning and MindSpot (Allen, 2020). As 'digital natives', Generation-Z have often been labeled as 'technology-addicts' or 'glued to their smartphones' (Global News, 2018). However, in driving the revolution for virtual health services during the pandemic, they have modeled a way in which technology can be utilised as an "extension of themselves" to help them navigate their wellbeing conveniently and self-sufficiently (Global News, 2018).

Businesses outside of the health sector have also begun adopting this trend, including Snapchat with its new feature Here For You, providing in-app behavioral health and emotional support for all users (American Hospital Association, n.d.). The outcomes of responding to Gen-Z's needs in this way are twofold. Users are not only empowered, but providers of these services are then able to understand and improve existing services based on the data collected. However, an important limitation to note is the ethical complication that arises if these organisations decide to sell consumer data to third-party ad-providers.

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Findings & Results I NFL U E NC E OF DESI GN ON BE HAVI O UR

To understand how physical prosperity in overall wellbeing can be cultivated, it is important to investigate how built environments impact people’s quality of life (Biofilico, n.d.).

From a scientific standpoint, it has been found that buildings and cities affect mood and wellbeing as specialised cells in the brains' hippocampal region are attuned to the geometry and arrangement of the spaces we inhabit (Ricci, 2018). According to Robert James McMurtie, 95% of our body movement is subconscious and influenced by aspects like the architecture of the space’s individuals live in and our mood during movement (McMurtie, 2015).

The concept of 'subjectification' Bronwyn Davies (2006) notes the process of subjectification through which one becomes a subject of the space they inhabit. According to Ricci (2018), this theory also proves how architectural tectonics are shaped by humans and then how they, in turn, shape human wellbeing and have an integral psychological impact on us.

A prime example of this is the importance of green spaces which have been found by Douglas and Douglas (2021) to: Reduce psychological conditions Improve sleep and reduce stress Increase happiness and reduce negative emotions Promote positive social interactions Generate a sense of meaning to life

Fig. 6 (McMurtie, 2015)

Moreover, people have been found to be 55% less likely to suffer from a mental illness if they were in greater proximity to green spaces (Mulhern, 2020). In line with subjectification, however, it is important to note that while green spaces can shape human wellbeing, it is nonetheless humans who must maintain these spaces too.

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Findings & Results I N TE RNA T I ONA L CA S E S T UD Y - SI N G APO RE

To understand how physical prosperity could be improved, we analysed the successes of Singapore's initiatives.

Singapore's governments have promoted shaded walking and cycling pathways to allow residents to exercise indoors while also taking in the mix of newly created and historic landmarks, fostering a sense of belonging and a better understanding of the city's culture (Kankon Sen, 2020).

For example, PLP Singapore created a new design for a premium residential tower in response to increasing work from arrangements during the pandemic (Andreea Cutieru, 2021) that employs biophilic design principles to tackle indoor air pollution and enhance health and well-being.

Singapore's varying height architecture not only allows for wind circulation to produce clean inside air but also gives visual stimulation.

Biophilic design incorporates natural world components into built environments, such as water, plants, natural light, and elements such as wood and stone. It uses organic shapes and forms to connect humans with nature to improve well-being (Dima Stouhi, 2020). Hence when biophilic design brings plants indoors and uses natural material over toxic materials when building, the architecture itself helps improve physical prosperity.

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Findings & Results E CO NOM I C P R O S P E RI TY & LO C AL B USI N ESSES

Economic prosperity plays an undoubtedly large role in the well-being of a community (Boyko et al., 2021). According to Australian Unity (2015), the extent to which money can affect wellbeing lies in its capacity to alleviate financial stress. This also includes the interlinked relationship between income, consumption, and wealth where an individual's access to social services, food, and other essential amenities is dependent on the amount of income available to them (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015).

The economic impact of Covid-19 on the global economy has also affected businesses (Bremmer, 2020), with thousands of small firms forced to cease operation in Australia (Connolly et al., 2015). Those that continued to operate also faced unprecedented losses due to drastic operational disruptions and an unemployment rate that rose to 6.9% during the pandemic (Duke, 2020).

While the pandemic's physical restrictions disrupted normal consumer-tobusiness interactions, Australians are now resuming regular contact with service providers. Post-Covid, the first service providers that will have contact with local communities are small businesses, especially those that provide essential goods and jobs to local residents (Pineapplepayment, n.d.).

Moreover, the rise of 25% to 67% of people working full-time or part-time from home (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2021) means that a sense of localism will most likely transpire post-Covid, extending trends such as the “corner-store revival” (Grimmer & Mortimer, 2019). This highlights the role local businesses have in providing not just tangible goods, but in encouraging locals to walk or ride their bikes to visit corner stores and engage with other local residents. Due to this, encouraging engagement with local businesses can improve not just physical and community prosperity, but boost local economies (Brown, 2018).

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Findings & Results I NT ER NA TI O NAL CASE S TU DY - VA N C O UVE R

Vancouver's city development programmes on public spaces also highlight ways community and economic prosperity function for better well-being. For instance, in collaboration with VIVA Vancouver, the Pavement-to-Plaza programme transforms streets into engaging public spaces, improving social interactions, sense of safety, engagement, and sense of inclusion while supporting local businesses (City of Vancouver,2021). By having this high-quality community gathering place, research has shown that users at the plaza agree to the statement of "this place symbolises my neighbourhood" and “I feel welcome in this place” (Happy city & City of Vancouver & Viva Vancouver, 2019). Showing the connection and place attachment that plazas could bring.

To help residents and businesses during the pandemic, the City of Vancouver's Making Streets for People Program developed pop-up plazas that allow for community involvement while remaining a safe distance from one another. Additionally, temporary patios allowed individuals to dine out and businesses to continue operations, as well as additional queuing space at key bus stations and busy streets, along with the repurposing street space for enhanced walking, rolling, and cycling along beach fronts and parks (City of Vancouver, 2020).

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Findings & Results I MP O RT A NCE OF ' P LA C E B R AN D I N G '

Along with the functional elements that fuel economic and physical prosperity, we found that places that accommodated for its "people, events and histories" were better equipped for long-term positive community engagement (Lynch, 1960; Agnew, 1987; Cresswell, 2004, as cited by Greenop & Darchen, 2015, p. 3). Place theorists argue this as an intrinsic element of place-branding, a marketing technique aimed at creating an image for a place that aligns insiders' understandings of their own identity. In developing an authentic outward-facing brand and communications strategy, existing residents will feel a greater connection to their place and in turn, attract new visitors through this authenticity.

To assess the importance of place branding in local case studies, we reviewed the best performing suburbs in the Urban Living Index (Urban Taskforce & McCrindle, 2020) which measured overall liveability based on categories of affordability, community, employability, amenity, and accessibility.

(Lynch, 1960; Agnew, 1987; Cresswell, 2004, as cited by Greenop & Darchen, 2015, p. 3)

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Findings & Results L O CA L C A S E ST UD Y - RA N DWI CK

Correlations between effective place branding and community prosperity were illustrated by the local case study of the Eastern-Sydney suburb of Randwick. This demonstrates the importance of both an inward fostering of wellbeing, and a corresponding outer place-branding to boost long-term desirability. Along with being ranked in the top 10 of the Urban Living Index (Urban Taskforce & McCrindle, 2020), the suburb was also reported as having health and community services that made up a third of the activity occurring in the area (Hartley, 2019). This is high given that the average Sydney suburb reports only 15-20% of total activity as a result of the use of health and community services (Hartley, 2019).

From an outward communications perspective, Randwick's community prosperity is effectively reflected in the Randwick City Council’s branding, including a tagline that reads “a sense of community” and a logo of three stripes. Each stripe accurately represents the three natural elements that are unique to the area; the blue symbolising Randwick’s coastline, the yellow symbolising the coastal walkways, and the green symbolising the city’s urban environment (Randwick City Council, n.d.-a).

Fig. 9 (Randwick City Council, n.d.-a)

Fig.7 (Urban Taskforce & McCrindle, 2020)

Fig. 8 (Hartley, 2019)

From the perspective of Randwick's 'insiders', this place branding has been effectively implemented through services targeted at the community's values for the environment and sustainability. This includes their initiative Permabee to protect the Randwick Sustainability Hub (Randwick City Council, n.d.-b) and the Eco Heroes Club targeted to engage the area’s youth (Randwick City Council, n.d.-c). Therefore, the council's encouragement of unique social programs align with the suburb's social interactions that feed the community prosperity of Randwick.

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Findings & Results LOCA L C A S E S T U D Y - M A RR I CKVI LLE

To assess the influence of a place's history to overall community prosperity, we also analysed the place branding of the South Western suburb of Marrickville. Beyond its third ranking in the overall Urban Living Index, Marrickville also ranked highly (25th) in the community category and 1st in amenities category (Urban Taskforce & McCrindle, 2020).

What is distinct to the suburb of Marrickville is its roots in Greek historical culture, akin to the Vietnamese communities in Cabramatta and Bankstown.

However, it was only last year when the Mayor of the Inner West Council formally recognised the suburb as a Greek Precinct last year to recognise the ongoing contribution of Greek migrants to the area’s multiculturalism, restaurant and shopping scene (GCT, 2020a). Since then, the council has been actively encouraging more social interactions that align with Marrickville's history and people, such as the city’s current ‘live painting’ sessions that showcase local artists that celebrate Greek-Australian identities (Innerwest, 2021a; Innerwest, 2021b). It is distinct community initiatives like this that foster community prosperity, and have led Marrickville to now be named the 10th “coolest suburb in the world” (GCT, 2020b).

Nevertheless, it is important to note that there are some limitations to these findings, including the influence of other factors such as household incomes and wealth distribution that may contribute to the overall liveability of a suburb. These case studies are only a small indicator of the impact that holistic and effective design and place-branding can have on the overall physical, economic and community prosperity of an urban environment. Therefore, we recommend that further analysis be performed to understand the role other factors play in determining a suburb's longterm liveability.

Therefore, similar to Randwick’s place branding and emphasis on its environmental uniqueness, Marrickville is a prime example of how effective recognition of a place's people and histories can promote social cohesion and long-term wellbeing (Taylor, 2021).

Hestia's Migration by Ox King: Alex Trevallion Plaza (Innerwest, 2021b)

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Discussion R EC O MM END A T I O NS

I DE A TI O N PH A S E

From an evaluation of our findings, it was concluded that there are a number of interrelated factors that ultimately contribute to wellbeing in suburbs.

Therefore, the final recommendation requires an integration of 4 key criteria that our findings highlighted as the best ways to strengthen a suburb's economic, physical and community wellbeing.

To facilitate the prototype phase, the COCD boxes tool developed by the Centre of Development of Creative Thinking was adopted to guide discussions for suitable solutions (Baillie, 2006). This process involved compartmentalising ideas informed by our research into four categories indicating low to high feasibility, and low to high originality.

This includes the following:

1. Personalised and digitally-enhanced living

2. Encouraged interaction with green spaces, public spaces, and social spaces 3. Program to connect residents and local businesses 4. Clear communication about the people, events and histories of suburbs

Fig. 10 Adapted COCD Box

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Discussion P RO TO T Y PI N G

In doing so, only solutions found in the red box (most feasible and most original) were chosen to inform the prototyping of our final recommendation.

Considering this, the digital application, MyPlace, was designed with three main functions to boost the ease at which an individual user could interact with their:

App: MyPlace Software used: Proto.io & Undraw View opening walkthrough of app here

Secondary colour: Green Reflecting themes of health, nature and growth.

Local Community (to boost community prosperity) Local Businesses (to boost economic prosperity) Local Council (to boost physical prosperity) Primary colour: Lilac Reflecting themes of youth and creativity

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Discussion T AR G ET I NG C OM M UNI T Y P RO SP ERI TY

Firstly, while it was found that the element of community wellbeing was built through effective community interaction, such interactions cannot occur without individuals’ awareness of opportunities that appeal to their interests.

Therefore, the first function was designed in response to the need for a more centralised communication system amongst those within a community.

To form this, the strengths and weaknesses of the Nextdoor (n.d.) digital application were assessed. The main benefit of the application was the ability for users to connect with their neighbours in discussion boards and easily join groups of interest. In terms of usability however, the layout of the dashboard meant that it was hard for users to keep track of upcoming events and local group meet-ups.

Considering this, MyPlace is designed to give users the ability to view discussions occurring within their suburb and neighbouring areas filtered through hashtag topics that reflect their interests. MyPlace also centralises upcoming events that can be added to a users’ personal calendar to encourage ongoing engagement with their local area.

View walkthrough of function 1 here

Fig. 11 Nextdoor group page (n.d.)

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Discussion T AR G ET I NG E CO N O MI C P R OSPERI TY

MyPlace's second function was built to support engagement with local businesses to boost the economic wellbeing of Sydney suburbs. MyPlace offers users the ability to view the latest offers from local cafes and stores, whilst saving their transactions in one place. Local businesses are also given the opportunity to engage with the community through the app's Kindness Coin initiative. This enables users to nominate which local charity receives a monetary contribution gathered from the LGA’s local businesses. This was inspired by the success of the Local Matters initiative held by Grill’d (Grilld, n.d.) whereby three charities each month are given the opportunity to receive between $200-$500 based on customer votes.

This not only adds an element of fun and gamification to consumer and local business interactions, but it increases awareness of the values and histories of local charities that fuel the suburb's social cohesion.

View walkthrough of function 2 here

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Discussion T AR G ET I NG P H YSI C AL PRO SP ERI TY

Finally, the third function extends this QR-code operation to support engagement with a suburb’s green spaces and public amenities. MyPlace users are given the ability to scan QR stickers at local amenities and earn badges that they can then add to their MyPlace Map to see their local area “come to life” digitally.

Users can also access easily-consumable information regarding the historical roots, uniqueness and current social media activity of this public space.

As highlighted in the findings, wellbeing is also boosted by individual agency to cultivate the spaces that influence our physical prosperity. This is reflected in this function where users can scan an amenity’s QR code and chat directly with their local council to report needs for repairs, traffic control or maintenance. This pushes individuals to be selfsufficient in the management of their local suburb and have their needs heard directly by their local council.

View walkthrough of function 3 here

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Discussion RE CO M ME ND ED D I GI T AL TO UC HPO I N TS

Kindness Coin redemption codes could be scanned in a variety of convenience stores, local shops and restaurants.

MyPlace Map codes could be installed in existing and developing green spaces such as walkable greenways, indoor pavement plazas, or buildings of biophilic design. Take One Central Park as an example of a high prosperity design with a sky garden and green and pavement plaza.

Kindness Coin

Scan to redeem

MyPlace Map codes could be scanned in local charity events, sports events or pop-up markets to encourage engagement with local start-ups and create a sense of belonging in the community.

MyPlace Map codes could be installed near public utilities so locals residents can report needed improvements/repairs.

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Discussion F U RT H E R C O NSI DER AT I O NS

Ultimately, MyPlace users are given the ability to better navigate their neighbourhood, public spaces, and local businesses.

LI MI TA T I O NS

Budget: Costs for further prototype testing, in-depth consumer research, UX/UI designers, materials for physical QR stickers and marketing campaign to launch the app need to be considered.

Resistance to change: Hesitance to adopt the new app and engage with its new functions may occur. Therefore, the marketing campaign to launch the app should effectively communicate the benefits of using MyPlace.

Digital literacy and ease of use: Readability and ease of use was taken into account during the prototyping phase. However, it is important that as the app’s UX/UI design is further developed, its interface and functions cater to demographics beyond Gen-Z.

Subsequent outcomes of digitising these suburb interactions are threefold: User privacy & trust: If implemented, the NSW Government should carefully consider how data from MyPlace will be gathered in a way that respects user privacy.

Sustainability: Environmentally-sustainable, and long-enduring materials should be considered for the implementation of QR-stickers in public spaces. Moreover, geo-caching could be a sustainable alternative to minimise the waste from physical QR stickers.

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Interdisciplinary Synthesis Interdisciplinary team learning allowed us to utilise a diverse range of disciplinary skills and interpret the project's complex problem from a range of standpoints (Kreber, 2008, as cited in Pennarola, 2017). From the onset, we strived to conduct research that utilised the strengths of each members' disciplinary background, whilst also finding ways that disciplines could complement each other. For example, when investigating the economic function of wellbeing and previous government initiatives, members with an accounting and finance background worked together to provide relevant insights.

Concurrently, members with media communications and marketing backgrounds compared case study findings that illuminated the importance of place branding in solving our problem.

The interdisciplinary nature of the project also posed challenges where equal contribution throughout all stages of the research process was lacking, and boundaries between disciplinary backgrounds needed to be overcome (Krishnan, 2019). For instance, while perspectives from architectural and philosophical backgrounds provided rich insight into theories of behaviour and design, these abstract ideas needed to be grounded in ways that could lead to tangible recommendations for our stakeholders. Overall, the combination of our interdisciplinary strengths allowed us to tackle an issue through the applications of diverse knowledges, leading to a recommendation that prioritises a holistic, integrated understanding of community engagement with local suburbs.

Conclusion This project has aimed to improve people's wellbeing by transforming suburbia and enhance lifestyles through the MyPlace app. The pandemic has altered the Australian population's needs for well-being in a variety of ways.

However, our findings indicated that Gen Z, our future workforce and economy, was significantly impacted.

To promote improved wellbeing post-Covid, we choose to leverage technology-based interactions inspired by Gen-Z to formulate a user-based application that serves to revitalise suburban interactions.

MyPlace app encourages interaction within the suburbs through a discussion board to foster community, a Kindness Coin program to encourage local businesses, and QR Sticker digital touchpoints for engagement and enhancements to the suburbs' public amenities in order to unify, reintegrate, and regenerate civilians and suburbs in a post-pandemic world.

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