CBPM Conference 2026 · Vol. 2026, Issue 1

Project Success and Professional Perceptions of Public Value in Small Scale Urban Infrastructure: A Case Study of Green Point Dome Project, South Africa

Companie, F., Windapo, A. , and Companie, S.

Keywords: project success; public value; urban infrastructure; collaborative governance; infrastructure planning; stakeholder engagement

Abstract

Small-scale urban infrastructure projects are under-represented in project management research, particularly regarding how success and long-term public value are understood beyond traditional time, cost, and quality metrics. Existing studies largely emphasise operational performance, offering limited insight into practitioner perceptions of value in complex, publicly oriented contexts. This study addresses this gap by examining how technical, managerial, and planning mechanisms shape professional perceptions of project success and sustained public value. A mixed-methods single-case study was conducted on the Green Point Dome (Cape Town, South Africa), a 3D mass timber structure with educational gardens, selected for its innovation and stakeholder complexity. Data were collected using a structured self-administered survey (Likert-scale and open-ended items) from 17 professionals involved in project delivery. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Findings show that perceived success is more strongly linked to collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive planning than to traditional metrics (on-time: 11.8%; on-budget: 23.5%). Long-term public value especially educational use (88.2%), accessibility (82.4%), and cultural relevance (82.4%) emerged as the dominant dimension. Despite its small sample (n=17) and single-case scope, the study highlights the central role of governance and collaborative processes in shaping perceived success and value.