Does Melbourne need an Urban Planning Centre?

Earlier this year an episode of ABC 7:30 Report posed the question, “Is Australia is prepared for the predicted population growth?” which raises important considerations about ensuring that the community is informed about what ‘planning’ is occurring to prepare for the future.

A Melbourne Planning Information Centre, like the one in Shanghai, would be beneficial in keeping the community and visitors up to date and informed about the existing and future planning for Melbourne, Victoria and possibly even Australia.

I visited the purpose-built Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall during the 2017 VEPLA China Study Tour which was informative and engaging. Not only does the Exhibition Hall included a range of interactive exhibitions for all ages about Shanghai and China in relation to population, infrastructure, transportation etc from the past, to now and into the future, it also displays an impressive large 3D model of the Centre of Shanghai.

This facility is visited by locals, tourists, dignitaries and there are other cities in China and around the world that have centres like this one, such as:  

Ho Chi Minh

Beijing

Recently, Melbourne had a brief ‘planning’ City DNA Exhibition during May 2018 as part of Knowledge Week. This concept could be further developed to become a permanent Melbourne/ Victorian Urban Planning exhibition. This information resource could become a place where all people can visit to understand and access planning for the future, in order to understand and be prepared for the future. It could also be a place for changemakers to table proposed changes to the urban environment.

By Susan Mitchell

melbourne, melbourne planning, planning excellence, community, compact cities

What is the future of Urban Design in Melbourne?

This week we asked the DLA team to think about what the future of Urban Design in Melbourne will look like. Here’s what they had to say!

 

As you can see Imaginations ran wild, but we all agreed that Melbourne will be ‘taller, more integrated and more prominent’.

 

Now, it’s our turn. What do you think is the future of Urban Design in Melbourne look like?

By Amy Ikhayanti
 

melbourne, urban design, future, town planning melbourne, compact cities