Chinatown Neue - City of Sydney UX project

Content on this page is work by Carina Truong, Siran Cheng, and Kevin Chen

Working with stakeholders from the City of Sydney, we were tasked with designing a UX concept that would help the city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This involved a multitude of design-research and ux-testing methods. The concept we came up with revolved around gamifying cultural participation in the Haymarket-Chinatown area.

Point of View statement

In 2021, most small businesses in Sydney were severely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the influence of travel bans and lockdowns, many small businesses are facing bankruptcy in areas like Chinatown, where shutdowns of businesses have caused a large number of lost jobs and income.

Furthermore, the long term effects of COVID-19 will also hinder recovery. With large gatherings being prohibited and work from home becoming more popular, there must be concerted efforts to rebuild footfall and visitation to facilitate recovery. This is especially important for places such as Chinatown, where a high density of businesses will rely on a vibrant nightlife in order to operate post-COVID. The revival of these businesses will be a fundamental aspect in ensuring the support that support for the members of the community is provided through job opportunities, encouraging tourism and maintaining a vibrant community.

Through research and testing, we hope to develop a solution that will help revitalise the Chinatown area post-COVID. Its survival as a community and a cultural icon is important for the greater multicultural health of Sydney. We hope to not only continue to capture the attention of tourists and visitors, but to also rehabilitate the space to draw in the local residents of Greater Sydney.

How Might We questions

• How might we eliminate the idea and name of ‘Old Chinatown’ to create more modern attractions and increase footfall post COVID?
• How might we ensure a more inclusive community that eliminates any physical or linguistic barriers?
• How might we help businesses in the City of Sydney adapt to the post COVID way of life?
• How might we encourage more visitation to Chinatown in the wake of COVID?
• How might we build a vibrant night-time economy post COVID?
• How might we use placemaking to revitalise the Chinatown region post COVID?
• How might we employ better messaging to help facilitate more meaningful cultural exchange in Haymarket?
• How might we help small businesses in Chinatown attract more customers and let them visit Chinatown?

Customer Profiles

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Crazy Eights

• Instagram walls all over Chinatown
• Extended Friday night markets
  • Close more streets
  • Allow more businesses to trade outside
• Cultural music in the streets
  • Live music
  • Music of cultures inside Chinatown
• Business controlled street lighting
• Playing Pokemon Go-esque game among small businnesses
• Encourage visitation with interactive street signs
  • Display local businesses
  • Map for more footfall
  • Interaction to increase cultural participation
• Interactive pathways to encourage exploration
• Small businesses can put on concerts