New article in The Journal of Urbanism by Sara Alidoust: A systematic review of planning policies for community wellbeing
Research and Publications

New article in The Journal of Urbanism by Sara Alidoust: A systematic review of planning policies for community wellbeing

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

New paper on master planned communities and healthy living in Urban Policy and Research, by Sara Alidoust
Research and Publications

New paper on master planned communities and healthy living in Urban Policy and Research, by Sara Alidoust

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 talking about hidden homelessness among older Australians on ABC North QLD and ABC Radio Sydney
News

Sara Alidoust talking about hidden homelessness among older Australians on ABC North QLD and ABC Radio Sydney

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

New encyclopedia entry on smart densification, co-authored by UQ|UP team
Research and Publications

New encyclopedia entry on smart densification, co-authored by UQ|UP team

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

New Conversation article on informal housing among older Australians, by Sara Alidoust
Research and Publications

New Conversation article on informal housing among older Australians, by Sara Alidoust

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

New book chapter on how to plan healthy and livable cities, by Sara Alidoust
Research and Publications

New book chapter on how to plan healthy and livable cities, by Sara Alidoust

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

New article on housing and health in Reviews on Environmental Health, by Sara Alidoust
Research and Publications

New article on housing and health in Reviews on Environmental Health, by Sara Alidoust

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

New article on house-sitting and ‘home’-making among older people published in Australian Geographer by Sara Alidoust and Fahimeh Khalaj
Research and Publications

New article on house-sitting and ‘home’-making among older people published in Australian Geographer by Sara Alidoust and Fahimeh Khalaj

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

A joint PhD scholarship opportunity by UQ and Exeter University
News

A joint PhD scholarship opportunity by UQ and Exeter University

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

New article on housing in Queensland in Architecture Australia (AA), co-authored by Sara Alidoust
Research and Publications

New article on housing in Queensland in Architecture Australia (AA), co-authored by Sara Alidoust

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

New article in UPR on master planned communities and aging, by Sara Alidoust
Research and Publications

New article in UPR on master planned communities and aging, by Sara Alidoust

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