urban planning news
Vault 2016: Streets of our town - staying on your feet
Pedestrians are suffering on the road more than they should be because of a gap in jurisdictions. Vehicle safety is the priority of road safety authorities. Traffic flow is the priority of traffic engineers. Pedestrians are difficult moving targets. Their manufacturers never update their safety features, and they are prone to unexpected changes in direction.
16.03.25 in urban-planning
Vault 2016: Watch your step
I’m getting a bit tired of being lectured every New Year’s Day, when the figures are in for the previous year, that road users just need to be a bit more careful. Pedestrians get it too, as the number killed and injured edges up year by year. “Don’t use your phone”. “Don’t drink and walk.” “Don’t rush”. “Cross at the lights.” Even “wear bright clothing.” But what if, in the chorus of victim blame, there is something else that goes unmentioned.
15.03.25 in urban-planning
We need to take back some streets
This virus thrives on density. Vehicle density has dropped, and drivers are relatively cocooned from risk, but people walking from their cars or homes to buy essentials are landing in a variety of unavoidable and unsafe situations.
29.03.20 in urban-planning
Railroaded
In May’s Victorian state budget, the Metro Rail Capacity Project was officially abandoned and relaunched as the smaller, Southern-focused Melbourne Rail Link. It’s been under consideration for less than three months, and looks to have been rushed out in time for the November state election. They’ve earmarked $8.6B – $11B, which includes (a bit like steak knives) a distant airport rail link branching off the Sunbury line.
20.06.14 in urban-planning
Comment [1]
Pruitt Igoe - the film
You know the photos and the footage. In case you don’t here it is, complete with prevailing attitude courtesy of Robert Hughes.
04.02.14 in urban-planning films
Melbourne: why parts of it are starting to feel like Hong Kong
by contributor Rohan Storey
26.10.13 in urban-planning
Comment [1]
The missing link
The term “missing link” was originally applied to old fossils. It’s fitting that it is now being used to describe Melbourne’s East West Link. This little project has been floating about since the 1950s, but in it’s current form it can be traced back to a suggestion from Premier Jeff “the quiff” Kennett in 1999. It’s been looked into since, but has always been a political impossibility, and a waste of money… until now. The planets are aligning and Dr Napthine and Tony Abbott can see the project’s “electoral” potential. As long as it’s sold in the right way to the right voters. These voters live in Melbourne’s East, in some of the most marginal electorates in the country. They’re been tempted with a big carrot – a faster run down the Eastern Freeway in the morning rush. We’re told that this run has slowed down 20kph since 2001, which is true, but only because there was a short-lived speed spike in 2001 after the opening of City Link.
20.08.13 in urban-planning cities
Comment [5]
To infinity and beyond
“I want architectural excellence and height … I want buildings that inspire Victorians. If this can be done in the right place, and with beauty, then the sky’s the limit.” Matthew Guy, April 2012
06.03.13 in urban-planning urban-design
Barangareview
Video coverage from Channel Ten late last week. The new NSW State government announced a review of the Barangaroo project.
19.05.11 in urban-planning video-clips
Comment [1]
Paul resigns
Paul Keating has resigned from his role as director of the Barangaroo Design Excellence review panel. The chronology of events went something like this:
07.05.11 in urban-planning
Central Park News
This Fairfax video link is promotion masquerading as information. Nonetheless it is worth a look if only for the theatrical performance of garden wall guru Patrick Blanc. The topic is the Central Park development in Sydney – the Atelier Jean Nouvel building in particular.
30.01.11 in cities urban-planning
Baillieu bowls tower blocks
Of the many policies being released by Victoria’s new Liberal government, one caught my ear (oh, and the announcement that train stations are so dangerous they need armed guards).
01.12.10 in urban-planning
Dharavi
Kevin McCloud’s “Slumming it” is currently running on the ABC (available at iview for short whiles). I had been turned off by its name but in the end decided to switch on. The word ‘slum’ has always had a derogatory slant to it that doesn’t help these towns and neighbourhoods at all. It can even provide instant justification for the wholesale demolition of them, so that they can be replaced by much posher and much less dense condominiums – it’s happening in Cambodia right now.
08.11.10 in urban-planning
Springberra
ACT Planning Minister Andrew Barr this week compared Walter Burley Griffin to an American cartoon character, in a blog post entitled Walter Burley Griffin is Dead .
05.11.10 in urban-planning weird-wonderful
Melbourne MSS say
Melbourne City Council and the State overnment have a new Municipal Strategic Statement in the works. Its vision is for a Melbourne that is:
26.08.10 in urban-planning
Geelong notices Deakin
Geelong Advertiser’s lead editorial today toasts the Committee for Geelong’s Vision II, which will engage with Deakin architecture students to bring about architecture with a ‘wow-factor’. The editorial states: “Geelong has been slow to utilise the grey matter of its built-environment experts.”
10.08.10 in urban-planning
From green wedge to green short back and sides
Victorian Planning Minister’s long proposed 430 square km extension to the Urban Growth Boundary for Melbourne has just received the “green” light from government, in a rare show of bipartisan unity from the major parties.
29.07.10 in urban-planning
Melton gets even bigger
ABC News announced tonight that the Melton North subdivision is proceeding. 1,300 houses spread over 106 hectares, this suburb will be much smaller than Toolern , just East of Melton, where 2,500 rural hectares are currently being suburbanised. The Precinct Structure Plan is also a lot smaller. It has a few words to say about encouraging higher density living around Neighbourhood Activity Centres, but the detail paints a different picture. Lots between 250 and 300 square metres will not require a planning permit for a single house. So smaller lots will require a planning permit? Is that encouraging?
04.07.10 in urban-planning