News - Urban Design Forum

UDFQ 96: December 2011 is now on line

2011-12-22T00:00:00Z

UDFQ 95 (September 2011) is now available online!!

2011-09-26T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is now online – personal subscribers have already received the printed edition.

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UDFQ95_Sept2011

Feature article: Australia Award for Urban Design 2011 winners

The Australia Award for Urban Design, Australia’s premier award for urban design achievement, acknowledges the critical role of good urban design in the social, economic and environmental development of our cities and towns. This year, here were 46 entries from across the country – from local councils, government agencies, consultants and others interested in urban design.

UDFQ 94 (June 2011) is now available online!

2011-08-02T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now – personal subscribers have already received the printed edition.

Feature article: Cities: the problems and the solutions

Rob Adams, Director City Design at Melbourne City Council, believes that it is a very exciting time for Melbourne – to overcome the problems and meet the challenges. Two years ago, Rob led a team study jointly commissioned by the Victorian Department of Transport and the City of Melbourne to establish the potential to transform metropolitan Melbourne to meet the projected population of 8 million by 2050. ‘Transforming Australian Cities – for a more financially viable and sustainable future – transportation and urban design’ was a major contribution to the metropolitan planning and sustainability debate. In a recent interview with UDF, Rob reflected on what led to his observations about how cities work, and how to plan and design them sustainably for the future – and what has happened since the report was published.

UDFQ 93 (March 2011) is now live online!

2011-03-09T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now – subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Feature article Dispatch from the Front :

In recent days, enormous areas of Queensland have been affected by extreme weather events. Others can talk of the extent, the acts of heroism, the amazing displays of social capital, the good luck, the leadership, alleged reasons, and long-term impacts. There is much to discuss, but let me offer 10 Brisbane-centric urban design reflections…

UDFQ 92 (December 2010) is now live online!

2010-12-21T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now – subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Feature article National Spotlight on Urban Design:

Hosted by the South Australian Integrated Design Commission and Urban Design Forum, the recent Australian Urban Design Initiative roundtable in Adelaide marked a significant acceleration in action to use integrated urban design as a key tool for developing and managing Australia’s cities and towns for the 21st century…

UDFQ 91 (September 2010) is now live online!

2010-09-01T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now – subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Feature article Australia Award for Urban Design winners:

The intent and scope of the Australia Award for Urban Design is wide-ranging. It is given for design initiatives, projects, developments, or publications that will make a significant difference to the places, spaces, buildings and infrastructure of our cities and towns. The criteria are comprehensive…

UDFQ 90 (June 2010) is now live online!

2010-06-04T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now – subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Feature article Space for thought: the role of urban design on the Gallipoli Underpass by Daniel Bennett:

In the past 18 months, Australia has developed an appetite for infrastructure investment quite unlike any other time in our history. Fortuitously or not, Australia has dodged the recession bullet, and the huge expenditure by the Australian Government was seen as a solution to preventing a slide into what was feared would be the first depression since the ‘Great Depression’ of the 1930s …

CABEDU working group report

2010-05-05T00:00:00Z

Dear UDFers,

The CABEDU article in Urban Design Forum 89 has sparked some serious action – 50 people turned up to a ‘chat’ in Melbourne last week, and a smaller group met yesterday to progress the ideas. The Working Group is: David Rayson, Geoffrey London, Jill Garner, Jenny Rayment, Laura-Jo Mellan, Emma Appleton, Justin Kelly, Gerry McLoughlin, Bruce Echberg, Leon Yates, Rod Duncan and Bill Chandler.

The overall feedback is very positive and enthusiastic, and the interest is spreading to those who were not able to be at the initial meeting, including Interstaters. Thank you to all who sent in contributions, which have provided a very good base for the Working Group to progress the ‘CABE DownUnder’ initiative .

The Working Group had its first meeting yesterday, and it was very productive. Individuals are producing 1-2 page ‘working papers’ for development at the next three meetings, with the intention that a proposal for positive and energetic action be distributed by the end of May. The working papers being prepared are:

Quality of cities and towns – creativity, liveability, innovation, urban and suburban (Leon Yates)
Governance – roles and tasks, authority, influence (Emma Appleton)
Community participation – understanding, response, micro and macro issues (David Rayson)
Marketing – getting the message out (Laura-Jo Mellan)
Advocacy and championing – figureheads, theoretical framework, benchmarking, what are the key words (Rod Duncan)
Role of the National Urban Design Protocol (Jenny Rayment)
Mapping the players – Australia-wide, 3xGovernment, developers, community, integrative, inclusive (Bill Chandler)
The key issues – build on strength of the culture, diversity, innovation (Gerry McLoughlin)
Overview of first working meeting (Bruce Echberg)
The role of the State Architects – Australia-wide (Geoffrey London/Jill Garner)
Design Review – in the Australian context (Justin Kelly)

If you have any further contributions at this stage, please email them to me ASAP.

Bill Chandler

UDFQ 89 (March 2010) is now live online!

2010-03-19T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Feature article It’s time for a ‘CABE down-under’ by Bill Chandler:

Over the past decade, CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) has been making a significant difference to how things are done in the United Kingdom. Its heritage lies in the Royal Fine Arts Commission - but a major coup through the work of Lord Rogers’ Urban Design Task Force transformed into something very different - and last year they celebrated 10 years of achievement. (For details about CABE and their approach, see www.cabe.org.uk) Some features are ...

UDFQ 88 (December 2009) is now live online!

2010-01-04T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

This edition of Urban Design Forum focuses on what is happening in urban design in Queensland. Most of the edition, and financial support for it, has been put together by Mike McKeown and his colleagues at Queensland Urban Design Alliance (UDALQ). A big thank you to them, and the supporters: UDALQ, PIA Queensland Division, Queensland Government, Brisbane City Council, Conics, Deicke Richards, and Malcolm Middleton Architects.

Mike has been so successful, and authors so enthusiastic, that some items have had to be held over until the next edition: Lily Chan and follow-up to the recent very successful conference on the Gold Coast; Andrew Hammonds on his current work with PIA to provide urban design training for planners; and Tony Hall’s suggestions that sustainable and affordable housing in Australia could benefit from looking at the ‘Essex’ model which has been evolved since the mid-1970s. So enjoy the contributions to this edition, and look forward to more from Queensland in the next edition.

UDFQ 87 (September 2009) is now live online!

2009-10-13T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Lead Article: Australia Award for Urban Design 2009

This year saw a record number of entries for the Australia Award for Urban Design, as well as a richness of creative projects from around the nation.

Entries ranged from master plans for new neighbourhoods and town centres, to sustainable villages and high density housing projects, to urban squares, malls and foreshore parks. Of note was the fact that one of the entries put out a challenge to major development processes and the sometimes reluctance of the planning and design professions to adequately listen to the communities they serve. This is a timely reminder to practitioners that good urban design should include open and honest community engagement.

Apart from award winners, the Jury wishes to recognise the commitment of the developers and designers of Rouse Hill Town Centre, in Sydney’s northwest. Since the project’s inception, they have sustained their efforts to deliver an integrated, vibrant and sustainable mixed use suburban town centre that has challenged the paradigm of the big box surrounded by car parking. As a result Rouse Hill Town Centre is now used as a model for progressive town centre development throughout the country.

This year the Jury has given the Australia Award for Urban Design to two projects.

Transforming Australian Cities
Paddington Reservoir Gardens

UDFQ 86 (June 2009) is now available online!

2009-06-25T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Lead Article: We don’t need to keep on sprawling by Rob Adams

More than 80% of Australians and over half of the world’s population now live in cities — cities that are responsible, directly or indirectly, for nearly 75% of the world’s greenhouse gases. The design and operation of our cities is therefore a critical challenge facing humanity in the 21st century. Our successes or failures to transform cities over the next 20 years will be a key legacy to future generations ...

Maribynong Road study area

... and possible future

Read full article >

UDFQ 85 (March 2009) is now available online!

2009-04-08T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

UDFQ 84 (December 2008) is now available online!

2008-12-16T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is online now - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

UDF 2008

2008-08-28T00:00:00Z

The NUDF08 Nathalia and Shepparton was a success and it will be reported in the December edition.

UDFQ 83 (September 2008) online now

2008-08-24T00:00:00Z

The latest version of UDF Quarterly is now available online - subscribers will receive the printed edition in their mailboxes in the next couple of days.

Planning for this year’s National Urban Design Forum is well advanced, with the theme of “Design for Vitality in Rural Communities”. It will be held in Nathalia and Shepparton in rural Victoria - find out all about it. Registration packs will be available from this website this week.

In the spirit of NUDFs, there will be some excellent presenters to start us thinking, but everyone attending will have the chance to make a contribution – and enjoy the friendly networking, food and wine.

As you may have noticed, there have been some changes around this site in the last month or so - we hope you find the information better organised and easier to browse. We've also got dedicated pages for urban design-related events and links - you can submit information for either section via our contact page.

Remember, too, our register of Australian urban design practices. It's growing fast, and is a great way to showcase your work and promote your business.

National Urban Design Forum 2008

2008-08-09T00:00:00Z

This year’s National Urban Design Forum will be held in Nathalia and Shepparton in rural Victoria. The theme will be "Design for Vitality in Rural Communities".

Nathalia Post Office

Recent NUDFs have been in state capital cities and major regional centres, but never in a rural town. Yet today, large shires, after having catered for their larger towns are now engaging firms to do planning and landscape designs for many of their smaller rural towns - with varying success. Part of the reason for this may be the lack of local knowledge, and the differences between larger urban and regional centres and smaller communities. Nathalia provides the quintessential environment in which to hold this discussion. (Locate it on a map or Google Earth!) Some of the questions we will address include:

how do you change the town centre streetscape (often only one or two blocks long) in a rural town and contribute to its economic strength, its amenity and its social cohesion?
how can planners, landscape architects and artists acknowledge existing assets and create built form solutions that compliment these?
what will be the effects to design (ESD for example) in rural communities in a future with greenhouse effect taking hold?
what will be the effects of planning with the possibility of “peak oil” reducing travel to larger rural centres for materials and entertainment? (even before ‘peak oil’, current prices are affecting travel patterns to regional centres).

UDFQ 82 (June 2008) now available online

2008-06-06T00:00:00Z

The latest edition of UDF Quarterly is now available for online browsing. Visit the edition page for the table of contents, or to downline a PDF of the edition as it appeared in print.

Submissions for UDFQ 83 close on August 10th. Send all enquiries to Co-ordinating Editor Bill Chandler.