Type of project: Community-driven project
Collaborator: Te Whare Roimata, Christchurch City Council
Sponsors/Funders: Christchurch City Council, Chris Lee – land owner, Christchurch City Mission, Orion, Schick Civil Construction, Variant, Life in Vacant Spaces, CoLab, City Care, Mr Lumen, Piko Wholefoods, Just Work Ltd, Centraus Engineering, Ideal Electrical, Road Metals, The Pump House, Terra Lana Wool Insulation, GN Brewer, The Tree Co, Tree Tech, Oakleys Plumbing, Briford Trailers, Christchurch Community House, Phillipstown Community Hub

Location: 102 Stanmore Road, Linwood, Christchurch, NZ
Completed: 12th June 2019 (official opening)
Status: Active

Linwood Tiny Shops Village is a collection of small buildings set in a landscaped garden which hosts community-led activities, workshops, shops and a cafe since opening in February 2019.  Creating Tiny Shops Village was a collaboration with Christchurch City Council who funded and supported the work, and Te Whare Roimata who operate the village as part of a wider programme of community development projects in Christchurchs’ Inner City East.

The site on Stanmore Road was transformed from a disbanded empty section to a unique community hub; a garden setting with 6 small buildings dotted along a central path.  The Tiny Shops Village is the culmination of several transitional projects which emerged in response to the hopes of local people, as well as the needs left by the damage of the 2011 Canterbury Earthquakes.  The Green Lab led the co-design and community build of these projects. The landscape includes a quirky children’s play space; raised planter boxes for veggies; tree planters and in-ground plantings of flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables and ornamental shrubs; park benches and a bike stand.  At the street edge is the heart of the place, the Kua Hua Ake Te Ao Cafe with a decked area, tables and chairs. Each tiny shop is different, rustic and charming in their design and use of reclaimed materials, and hosting low cost or free activities including a book, craft and op shop, a bicycle workshop and a community food pantry. There is a wonderful video about the village here by Telling Lives.

As a next step in the re-development of the Village, the Tiny Shops project provides an opportunity to develop the neighbourhood economy, adding to existing businesses with community projects, small businesses, and learning opportunities that are based locally and that are appropriate for the area. It looks to act as an incubator, allowing people to test out a business, a new idea, or a new way of doing things, in a supportive environment. The project is also an opportunity to celebrate the Inner City East/Linwood community, its history, its people, and what makes it unique. 

-From Tiny Shops Website

This project was part of the Christchurch City Council’s submission for supporting community placemaking that won the Nancy Northcroft Supreme Planning Practice Award and Best Practice – Non-statutory Planning at the New Zealand Planning Institute 2019 Planning Awards.

Media Links: 

Awards:

Community-led urban development recognised at national planning awards

Project:

Supporting community-led planning and place-making

Award Winners:

  • Christchurch City Council – Urban Design, Regeneration and Heritage Unit
  • Christchurch City Council – Community Support, Governance and Partnership Unit

Thanks to our sponsors:

All rights reserved © 2019 The Green Lab

Website hosting and maintenance by Websites That Work