About us
“At Localite, we envision a world where cities are designed with people at the centre.”
Call it tactical urbanism, Guerrilla interventions, urban prototyping, urban acupuncture, applied placemaking… The buzzword changes every so often but, at our core, we are convinced that even small actions can create a ripple effect that significantly impacts our public spaces and, thus, our neighbourhoods. We want more liveable, adaptable, and healthy cities for all.
Localite is proudly a Melbourne (Naarm) based practice, but our work and passion for better places have no borders.
Our approach is centred around partnerships and experimentation. We strive to understand and incorporate people's vision and aspirations into the co-creation process, by working closely with our clients and engaging with the local community and talent. We believe that cities are constantly evolving, just like living organisms, and by taking an innovative and iterative approach, we can create public spaces that truly matter to the people who use them. Through testing and learning, we can ensure that the spaces we create reflect the community's diversity and richness.
We believe that the best outcomes come from collaboration; we partner with artists and experts in urban design, landscape architecture, urban planning, human-interaction design, urban art, community engagement, and urban economics to bring a wealth of experience and deliver high-impact, unique solutions.
Founder | Creative Raul Lopez
Hola!
I am Raul, and I founded Localite in response to the shift in values and needs for a new take on public space resulting from COVID-19, recognising that every crisis is an opportunity to adapt and promote healthier and happier living, and acknowledging the crucial need to re-signify urban spaces so that people are at the centre.
I am a trained architect and got involved in public space after finishing my Masters of Interaction Design which helped me study how the experience of a place and people’s behaviour can be greatly influenced by small -yet impactful- design choices. I first encountered placemaking in 2016, and immediately was attracted to the power of people-led design and urban planning as well as the impact that low-cost, well-thought, and small localised actions could have on people’s perception and use of a place. Since then, I have worked in the public and private sectors on an array of urban projects that though diverse in objectives and scale, have had the local inhabitants at the forefront.
I believe in the power of the collective, and I am passionate about creating public spaces that truly reflect the diverse needs and aspirations of the people who use them. So, whether you're looking to create a new public space, bring an existing one back to life, or want to chat about the latest urban design trends, Let’s get in touch and work together to empower communities to shape the spaces they live in, work in, and play in.
Attention all talent!
Are you ready to take your art to the streets? At Localite, we're on a mission to create public spaces that truly reflect the diversity of our community. We're currently looking for artists and makers who want to be part of this movement. Whether you're a sculptor, street performer, or graffiti artist, we want to hear from you! Join our database today and be considered for future projects. Let's work together to bring some color and life to our community.