Gerard Graham ICIOB, procurement manager, Wilson Group and chair of Novus committee, CIOB Northern Centre
We’re currently refurbishing a leisure centre and I’m trying to think how we can do something fun for the local children who are likely to visit when it’s finished. Construction talks a lot about community engagement, but general engagement with the public is also important and largely ignored at the moment. The attitude seems to be to segregate sites from passers by and most construction managers are all too happy to comply.
Rob Hooker MCIOB, director, Greendale Construction
Even minor efforts to make the pubic smile can make a big difference. As part of our restoration works at the grade II listed Durlston Castle in Swanage, Dorset, we had to install ply protection around a 3m-diameter sundial positioned on the main facade. With the nose-shaped dial it started to look a bit like a face, so our team cut out two eyes and a mouth and created a smiley face. The main coastal path runs past this part of the castle and members of the public frequently commented on the face and some said how refreshing it was to see a contractor that had a sense of humour.
Hoardings are another opportunity to have some fun: on a historical site you could get a local artist to paint a cartoon historical timeline of events there, or create caricatures of historical figures.
Lucynda Jensen MCIOB, project manager, Morgan Sindall
Projects need to break down barriers with the public and try to be seen as more open and welcoming. I recently heard of a project where the site opened its doors on certain weekends to allow members of the public to look at the ongoing work and meet and talk with members of the construction team.
These types of project work really well as they engage the public, let them see what’s going on behind the hoarding and by following safe, non-PPE routes through the site people feel more comfortable and able to drop by and see what’s going on.
Tony Wall, managing director, ISD Solutions
Wouldn’t it be a great idea to get the contractor or local authority to sponsor local artists’ work to be projected onto the scaffold screening, or to run a local street artist or graffiti artist competition on construction site hoardings? Or maybe we could paint all the scaffolding shocking pink and put signs up saying that “we are sorry for the convenience, but hope the pink scaffolding brought a smile to your face!”
Sean Birrane, managing director, Lakehouse
The industry definitely needs to project a more fun image and show our human side rather than be seen as a nuisance or an eyesore. In Camden we have run competitions in local schools where children were challenged to come up with their own designs for site hoardings and the winning entries were used.
Projecting a fun public image is a great way for a firm to differentiate itself and attract new talent. It’s also great for the industry’s image and to encourage youngsters to want to join us.
Phillip Hall MCIOB, managing director, Hall Construction
It’s sad to say, but the fun went out of building sites around 20 or 30 years ago. It used to be a regular occurrence to have workers who would sing, dance, or play guitar for the entertainment of passers by.
I remember working on a site opposite a nursing home and one chap used to sing Elvis Presley songs every lunchtime and all the residents would come out onto their balconies to listen and applaud him.
The problem today is people take their jobs too seriously, the focus on health & safety is too stringent and there’s not enough interaction with the public.
