With more than half of the world’s population living in cities, a growing body of research is showing the role of urban environments in promoting the wellbeing of communities. This paper conducted a systematic review of 28 planning policy documents from 6 different countries. It explored how ‘community wellbeing’ is defined by local governments across … Continue reading
Master Planned Community (MPC) Developments are a dominant form of urban growth and housing development. This paper provides a systematic review of the literature on the associations between MPCs and community health. Our review of 39 peer-reviewed journal papers suggested that the MPC physical features (public spaces/facilities, built form, spatial segregation, and location), social dimension … Continue reading
Sara Alidoust in conversation with Adam Stephen in ABC’s QLD Regional Drive radio show, and Cassie McCullagh in ABC Radio Sydney’s Mornings radio show. She talks about her latest research on informal housing and the rise of house-sitting among older Australians. Listen to the full interviews: ABC’s QLD Regional Drive radio show: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/northqld/programs/north-qld-drive/drive/13751672 ABC Radio … Continue reading
Smart densification is a metric that holistically integrates the quantitative (percentage/unit-to-area-ratios) and qualitative (context, perception, user experience) dimensions. The definition extends beyond the numerical relationship between physical space and the occupants who use that space. It incorporates the qualitative aspects of context, user perception, and experience to determine the appropriate configuration and scope of density … Continue reading
The severe lack of affordable housing is hurting Australians right across the community – from young renters, to families seeking to buy and older people needing a stable home. The number of Australians over 55 who are homeless jumped by 28% between the 2011 and 2016 censuses. An increasing lack of affordable housing is forcing some older people … Continue reading
This chapter provides a holistic view of the role of urban planning in promoting health. It discusses how planning decisions play a central role in the social, mental, and physical health of residents through the provision of healthy housing and urban infrastructure and promoting inclusive and equitable societies. Climate and environmental management can also create … Continue reading
This paper provides a systematic review of the evidence linking housing and health. This involved a review of 59 peer-reviewed journal papers, that included case studies on the health impacts of housing and were published in English, in the past decade (2010–2020). Our systematic review of the literature suggested most of the research on the … Continue reading
The growing housing unaffordability is forcing people to take on unconventional pathways and experiment with alternate means of ‘home’-making. This research explores opportunities for making ‘home’ that emerge from practices of house-sitting among older people, particularly those with no permanent housing. Findings from semi-structured interviews suggest that house-sitting is an affordable shelter that provides rent-free … Continue reading
We have a PhD scholarship opportunity available to study alongside Dr Sara Alidoust, Professor Jonathan Corcoran, Dr Scott Lieske from the University of Queensland and Professor Victoria Tischler from Exeter University, on a QUEX funded project, ‘Green Spaces for Healthy Ageing’. The project will be the first international comparative study, of Brisbane (Australia) and Exeter (UK), unpacking … Continue reading
The current economic downturn has exposed, more clearly than ever, Australia’s shortage of social and affordable housing. Using Queensland as a focus, our roundtable discusses this shortage, while some diverse case studies from across the state demonstrate how resident-focused projects can fill the gap. Title: Housing initiatives and opportunities in Queenslan Authors: Cameron Bruhn and Sara … Continue reading
Applying a qualitative methodology, this research suggested that Master Planned Community (MPC) developments play a core role, as a place, in creating opportunities to establish social ties for older people, whereas social life in conventional suburbs is interest-based. The research found that safety and community in MPCs were initially delivered as pre-fabricated commodities, as a … Continue reading