Menu Close

Articles on Cities & Policy

Displaying 661 - 680 of 836 articles

Greening Manhattan: bringing nature into the city is one thing, making it part of our culture and everyday lives is another. Alyson Hurt/flickr

Why ‘green cities’ need to become a deeply lived experience

The rise of urban greening is an opportunity to recast the relationship between people and environment. Humans and non-human species are ecologically intertwined as inhabitants of cities.
More than any other Australian city, Melbourne has led a 30-year turnaround in inner-city density (red indicates increases and blue decreases in density as persons per square kilometre).

Density, sprawl, growth: how Australian cities have changed in the last 30 years

Many factors have influenced population density change in Australian cities over the past 30 years. Melbourne has led the way in inner-city rebirth as a way to help manage future growth.
With 700,000 vulnerable Australians depending on public housing, any proposal to change its status is likely to set off alarm bells. Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Productivity Commission stance has potential for social housing gains

The report’s stated goal is to make the social housing system work better. It does not present as a manifesto for an entirely marketised and deregulated framework driven by the profit motive.
Premier Mike Baird (right) has been out promoting the Sydney Metro project, but has yet to explain how the benefits of massive public investment will be shared. Stefanie Menezes/AAP

Sydney Metro’s Sydenham-to-Bankstown line – nirvana or nightmare?

Who’ll profit from the value uplift arising from the huge investment of taxpayers’ funds in creating better-serviced, higher-density suburbs? And what will the changes mean for existing residents?
At Tolhuistuin, the government provides the land, old building stock and a maintenance budget for a fixed period while the creatives develop the precinct themselves. Maurice Mikkers/flickr

Create to regenerate: cities tap into talent for urban renewal

When municipal or state governments join forces with smaller creative communities to shape urban regeneration the results can be far-reaching.
The continued preference for detached housing in new suburbs is driving Perth’s urban sprawl and means two-thirds of dwellings built over the next 15 years need to be on infill sites to meet the state’s target. perthhdproductions/flickr

To cut urban sprawl, we need quality infill housing displays to win over the public

Government and industry need to demonstrate the benefits of well-designed higher-density housing. Rich residential display projects may be the ideal catalyst for creating smarter cities.
The Yawuru Wellbeing Survey highlights the integral role of connectedness in Yawuru having mabu liyan as the key to a good life. John Puertollano, used with permission

Community wellbeing best measured from the ground up: a Yawuru example

How we think about wellbeing depends on where we come from, who we are and our experiences and aspirations. One study took account of this by involving Yawuru people in every aspect of the research.
Melbourne is being transformed by high-rise apartments, with some even being purpose-built for the Airbnb market. Jorge Láscar/flickr

How Airbnb is reshaping our cities

If the sharing economy is here to stay, planners and designers must respond with imagination to spread the positive effects of the tourism economy for the benefit of residents as well as tourists.
Suburban expansion on Perth’s fringe pushes into the SouthWest Ecoregion. Richard Weller/Donna Broun

Squandering riches: can Perth realise the value of its biodiversity?

If Perth can preserve the rich biodiversity of its setting, it will become a model for sustainable city development that fully connects with the value of natural ecosystem services.
PARKing Day in Montreal, 2015. Amelia Thorpe

A day for turning parking spaces into pop-up parks

This Friday is the 11th PARKing Day, when people pay a parking meter, then turn the space into a pop-up parklet. It’s a day that invites citizens to rethink the city and their place in it.
Only Tasmania and South Australia have introduced legislation that provides for minimum standards in rental properties. Huguette Roe from www.shutterstock.com

Dickensian approach to residential tenants lingers in Australian law

With tenancy laws under review, a ruling that landlords must maintain residential premises in good repair even if dilapidated is hailed as a ‘landmark’ decision. That tells us reform is needed.
The historical, social and moral reasons for retaining the Sirius Building for public housing are compelling, but the state government is focused on the money from its sale. Jenny Noyes/Newzulu/AAP

Why moving out public housing tenants is a tragedy for Millers Point and for Sydney

The state is ignoring historical, social and moral reasons to keep public housing in Heritage areas of Sydney. Its sell-off will further divide the city between rich and poor and end a rich history.

Top contributors

More