Exploring the Role of Metropolitan Open Space Systems in Building Meaningful City Brands: a D’MOSS Case Study

Abstract

With a global movement and a greater focus on the greening of cities, metropolitan open space systems could add significant value and play a role in building meaningful city brands. This study explores city brands in relation to measures for building meaningful brands. Three cities, New York, Sydney and Vancouver, are assessed as best practice case studies to determine the principles underlying the building of meaningful city brands. The findings are useful for strategic planners in positioning a city as a meaningful brand in the minds of local, national and international audiences. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore through Visual Narrative Inquiry the opinions, perceptions and lived experiences of Durban residents and the Durban Metropolitan Open Space System (D’MOSS). The Durban beachfront, flagship of D’MOSS is a large stretch of paved promenade and landscaping designed to conserve biodiversity and provide amenities to residents and tourists of Durban, South Africa. The themes derived from the Visual Narrative Inquiry are triangulated with the meaningful city brand metrices and the principles of the three best practice city brand case studies. Guided by the findings from the literature review, the Visual Narrative Inquiry focuses on an insider perspective (the residents of Durban) by exploring their emotional connection with the city and the space (the Durban Beachfront as part of D’MOSS). Findings reveal that metropolitan open space systems can help unify communities, build positive city brand associations, and help residents of a city to be happier, healthier and to make their lives more meaningful. For a city brand to be a meaningful brand, strategic planners must first consider the internal stakeholders and residents, suggesting that the design of metropolitan open space systems must be implemented with the residents as a co-designed, community driven project, and second to that considering tourism. Through the development of key projects within metropolitan open space systems that offer shared value to multiple audiences (such as the Durban beachfront) cities can unify an audience and a diverse population in a single space, catering to the residents’ needs. In doing so a city brand can help residents to connect, become more tolerant and positive about their future and their emotional connection with, and investment in the city.