Information and education: two essentials of urban renovation

Managing a construction site requires communication with local residents and the broader community to keep them informed about the nature of the work being undertaken, its estimated duration, and more. This explanatory phase significantly impacts the smooth progress of the project. Therefore, the importance of the messages conveyed, their presentation, and the choice of media used cannot be overstated.

Better Safe Than Sorry…

A construction site is not something that goes unnoticed, especially when people are attached to their city, neighborhood, or live nearby. Naturally, it can raise questions and cause inconveniences for a while (changes in traffic patterns, pedestrian pathways, access to shops, and parking difficulties). Therefore, it is best to anticipate this situation as much as possible by prioritizing dialogue and increasing the means of information. The goal of construction communication is to make the project’s benefits understood, share the same vision, and defuse tensions. This is even more crucial in the age of social media!

Seeking Approval

Communicating about a territorial development is not just about posting a building permit. It involves launching a comprehensive system that includes press articles, publications in the municipal bulletin, organizing public meetings, and more. This strategy aims to avoid potential conflicts and the legal actions that often accompany them. The outcome: a calmer atmosphere and significant savings in time and money. It is better to gain support for a project than to impose it. Doubts and concerns must be addressed. Cities, in particular, have fully embraced this approach by developing a range of consultation tools: exhibitions, visits, meetings, registers, dedicated websites, and emails. They anticipate demands, issues, and potential disputes, involving residents as active participants in urban renewal.

On-site Communication

What better visibility than at the construction site itself? It makes sense to make the most of the site’s surroundings. This approach allows information to be disseminated directly and immediately to local residents and nearby businesses. Therefore, it is essential to identify strategic locations: access routes, busy passageways, and more. Many urban dressing solutions exist. Celize’s expertise in this area has enabled the development of various types of supports that adapt to both the site’s realities (topography, possible display areas) and the messages the project owner (city, developer) wishes to convey.

Combining Display Methods

Public or private, territorial development stakeholders need to promote their projects to make them attractive and thus garner the support of as many people as possible. Various display methods can be conceived and deployed either individually, simultaneously, or successively. In Avignon, to announce a requalification project, the Citadis agency chose exhibition panels mounted on mobile wooden totem displays. In Nanterre, the renovation of the Les Papeteries neighborhood is explained through a pathway combining 2 LIZ totems, a hoarding, and ground markings that create a link. Many combinations and arrangements are possible: 4×3 displays, totems, banners on scaffolding, dressing prefabricated modules, and more. The Mobilize hoarding even serves to enclose and secure your construction site: killing three birds with one stone!

Keeping Up with the Work Pace

Totems offer true flexibility in terms of information, making them an ideal tool for construction communication. You can communicate step-by-step, throughout the construction by easily replacing printed elements. This approach reflects the image of continuous and transparent communication. The mobility offered by the totems also allows them to be moved, ensuring that a majority of people have access to the displayed data and updates. Being modular and flexible, an entire scenography can be envisioned. Celize’s outdoor totems display come in various forms (2, 3, or 4 faces) and dimensions. They are customizable, allowing them to adapt to the visual identity of the municipality or company.

Construction communication is a profession in its own right. The Celize teams are its craftsmen. Ask them for advice.