The ChangingRole of Place
Understanding how future audiences, behaviours and needs could reshape Westfield centres by 2030.
Scentre Group engaged CraigWalker to understand who might use Westfield centres in 2030, how their behaviours and needs could change, and what place and infrastructure would be required to support them. The work turned extensive future research into 13 principles that could guide decisions across the entire business.
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The project in numbers
7Months of research and co-design
90+ customer and expert interviews
13Living destination principles
From future audiences to infrastructure
CraigWalker began by looking outward, examining the social, technological and behavioural shifts likely to shape life in 2030. Global research, ethnographic studies and more than 90 customer and expert interviews helped define who Westfield’s future audiences might be and what could drive their behaviour. These insights were translated into potential directions for the places, experiences and infrastructure that could support them. These directions were explored through dozens of workshops with leaders across Scentre Group. A custom-built exhibition in a box helped senior stakeholders engage with the research, consider different future possibilities and identify where the organisation should focus over the longer term.
A framework for long-term decisions
The process captured 215 ideas for future initiatives and culminated in 13 Living Destination Principles, endorsed by Scentre Group’s CEO and board. The principles gave teams a shared framework for thinking about the future use of space and making long-term decisions across design, development, digital services, leasing and brand. CraigWalker also designed an internal website bringing together the principles, supporting research, case studies and potential initiatives. This made the work accessible across the organisation and supported its flexible application throughout Scentre Group’s network of 42 Westfield centres.
