While a substantial amount of study of informal settlements has been undertaken, they remain largely unstudied in terms of urban form. The purpose of this article is to set forth a conceptual framework, which considers the context in which informality takes place, the settlement itself, the houses contained therein, the dwellers of those houses and … Continue reading
New research by UQ|UP, by former MURP student Enshan Hooi and Dr Dorina Pojani, studied 10 of Brisbane’s suburbs and how their high streets are designed. The research was featured by Brisbane Times, and Dr Pojani was interviewed by journalist Lucy Stone for the paper. Read the full piece: www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/walking-through-beauty-how-brisbane-s-high-streets-could-change-the-way-we-live-20190122-p50sy1.html The research was also featured … Continue reading
If well planned and designed, suburban high streets can fulfil important economic functions and carry social significance, in addition to allowing for the passage of traffic. However, in newer cities which have been built around the automobile, suburban high streets have struggled to attract and retain customers. This study quantitatively assesses the design quality of … Continue reading
Adelaide is one of Australia’s foremost planned cities, and it is typified with a compelling parkland and grid system. In the innermost part of the city lies the grid-iron layout, and five central parks: Light Square, Whitmore Square, Hurtle Square and Hindmarsh. The city also features a greater parklands system which surrounds the Central Business District on all sides. However, these were not the most impressive aspect of Adelaide’s planning, from my brief research. The city radiates outwards, with the densest buildings located centrally, and there is a gradual decrease in height and density as buildings approach the parklands. This is often referred to as Adelaide’s pyramid planning. Continue reading
In the UK and elsewhere, crime, disorder and (in)security have become organizing objectives of urban governance with distinct implications for the manner in which public spaces are planned, designed and regulated. This presentation seeks to reframe debates about the regulation of public space, conceptualized as ‘mediated conviviality’. This perspective simultaneously decentres crime and (in)security as … Continue reading
PhD candidate Renuka Bhoge recently organized a focus group on climate sensitive urban design in her hometown of Nagpur, India. This is her travelogue: My research topic is “Climate Sensitive Urban Design: A comparison between Brisbane (Australia) and Nagpur (India)” I went to India in Christmas holidays of 2017-18. I was in Nagpur for 5 … Continue reading
‘Urban acupuncture’ to alleviate stress in informal settlements in Mexico Authors: Alejandro Lastra Dorina Pojani Abstract. This paper explores whether smaller-scale physical space interventions (‘urban acupuncture’) have the power to alleviate the stress, social pathologies and political disengagement experienced by the residents of informal settlements. The case study is Tepito, a barrio in Mexico City. … Continue reading