Students and staff from LiveSpace travelled to the regional town of Charleville, 750 kms West of Brisbane, in July 2014 at the invitation of the Murweh Shire Council.
Students are developing concepts for street façade restoration and improved streetscaping for the town, a Qld regional centre full of history and diversity. The group had the opportunity to meet with many members of the community and Council, discussing important issues including the town’s rich history, present challenges and future opportunities. Some of the issues identified to be addressed include a history of both flooding and droughts affecting the local economy, heat islanding in the town centre with large expanses of bitumen and little planting, and degeneration of the historic facades.
Students were also able to meet with representatives from the QLD Gov. Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (South West Region) to discuss broader issues of regional development and opportunities for local projects and planning. This is a unique opportunity for design students to engage and consult with the Murweh Council and the local community on projects that aim towards strengthening long term social and economic sustainability in the region.
Student Project Team: Joel Matheson, Emma Williams, Carissa Cornelius, Jitisha Buch