Two award winning UQ|UP academics make important contributions in a new book on research methods (Methods in Urban Analysis, edited by Scott Baum, Springer). Stephanie Wyeth draws on her considerable experience as an influential city shaper and urban strategist in her Communicating Urban Research chapter. Dr Laurel Johnson‘s extensive experience in applied urban research is … Continue reading
New research from another award winning UQ|UP student, Sirena Kwok. Sirena recently graduated from our MURP program. Her research compares two high profile Australian planning cases and finds that local voices are often overwhelmed in the politicised planning system. Download the full text of UQ|UP Research Paper no. 7 below. Continue reading
In the latest paper in the UQ|UP research series, award winning Master of Urban and Regional Planning student Alex Dimmock shares his evaluation of Australian energy efficiency policy at the Federal and State levels. Download the full text: UQ|UP_Dimmock_6 Continue reading
The Sunshine Coast design approach is an exemplar of government-initiated, community-led design that reflects local values in ‘good design’ to guide new public and private developments in that fast growing region of Australia. UQ|UP’s Laurel Johnson provided planning advice about design regulation to the Sunshine Coast Council during production of the Sunshine Coast Design Book. … Continue reading
The third paper in the series is out! This research centres on the effectiveness of Brisbane City Plan 2014 to protect heritage homes in the growing city. The reasons for loss of heritage homes and character streets is analysed and the case study approach presents a forensic review of this loss in Brisbane’s inner city … Continue reading
The second UQ|UP Research Paper is now published. This research explores the reasons for the housing vulnerability of older women in Australia. These reasons resonate in International communities, particularly in the Global North. To investigate the housing constraints, aspirations and preferences of older women, the researcher reviews literature and current trends and the results of … Continue reading
UQ|UP’s Laurel Johnson was interviewed on ABC radio Gold Coast today to share her view on a recent decision of the Planning and Environment Court to reject an application for a high rise development at Greenmount Beach on the Gold Coast. The proposed development was well outside of the height limits and car parking provisions … Continue reading
UQ|UP’s Laurel Johnson and Dr Elin Charles-Edwards joined Natalie Rayment and Morgan Randle on Emma Griffith’s ABC radio show FOCUS to engage with Brisbane resident callers and consider the quality of change in this fast growing city. The program is available here. http://www.abc.net.au/radio/brisbane/programs/focus/focus-on-suburban-development/10520618 Continue reading
UQ|UP’s Laurel Johnson says the Live, Work, Play CityPulse indices are a broad though helpful way to compare the quality of life in key locations in the growing metro region of south east Queensland. Interviewed for Channel 9 news, Laurel said that the key to liveability is access via ‘high frequency, affordable public transport’ across … Continue reading
UQ|UP’s Laurel Johnson attended a selection of Chinese Normal Universities last week to exchange research interests and promote UQ’s urban planning programs. Other UQ|UP members in attendance included Dr Yan Liu and Prof Jonathan Corcoran. UQ|UP continues to attract Chinese students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The trip included workshops with prospective students. Ms … Continue reading
UQ|UP member Laurel Johnson was interviewed on ABC radio Sunshine Coast to share her insights into the community’s mobilisation against perceived over-development in that part of the south east Queensland region. Laurel spoke of the significance of a recent rally of 1,000 residents at Coolum. She also spoke about the challenges associated with accommodating 191,600 … Continue reading
In the wake of another horrific murder of a young woman in a public space in an Australian city, UQ Urban Planning’s Laurel Johnson was interviewed on ABC Radio about urban planning and design strategies to keep Brisbane’s public spaces safe. Listen to the interview on ABC Radio Breakfast show. Continue reading
UQ town planning students visited a Walter Burley-Griffin building that was converted to a theatre. Walter Burley-Griffin and his wife Marion were responsible for designing Australia’s capital city- Canberra. The students toured the ‘backstage’ of the Ipswich Little Theatre and they were briefed on the history, adaptation and current use of the Burley-Griffin building. The … Continue reading
UQ demographer Dr Elin Charles-Edwards and UQ urban planner Laurel Johnson joined a lively panel of four experts to consider the future of south east Queensland in a ‘Big Australia’. Topics included the nature and location of population growth, sharing space, transport, social disadvantage, jobs, decentralisation and others. Listen to the podcast on ABC radio’s … Continue reading
I guided a tour of 12 laneways in Brisbane city this week for the World Symposium on Transport and Land Use Research. These spaces are hidden treasures for sanctuary and walking ‘short cuts’ that enable empathy through the sharing of city space. BUT they could produce so much more than coffee consumption. They are limited … Continue reading
UQ’s brilliant Assoc Prof Glen Searle presents evidence of the disastrous results of the failure of planning in Australian cities in his latest article in The Conversation: theconversation.com/city-planning-suffers-growth-pains-of-australias-population-boom-75930?sa=pg2&sq=glen+searle&sr=1 Continue reading
AT UQ urban planning we strive with our colleagues at UQ Architecture for excellence in design and community building. It was a pleasure for UQ urban planning to participate in the UQ Master of Architecture presentations of the final designs for missing middle and mixed use renewal sites in the communities of Logan. Innovative, responsive … Continue reading