Once upon a time …

Pyrmont as new urbanism

“The new urbanist approach can be applied at many scales, from individual subdivisions to entire regions. One of the avowed goals of new urbanism is to reduce the environmental impact of development and to protect natural areas. Among other things, it promises to cut land consumption through more compact development; decrease air pollution and energy consumption by reducing driving; and limit water pollution by preserving wetlands and by reducing the number of roads and other impervious surfaces that produce contaminated runoff.” Pollard, 2001

The Congress for New Urbanism “… views disinvestment in central cities, the spread of placeless sprawl, increasing separation by race and income, environmental deterioration, loss of agricultural lands and wilderness, and the erosion of society's built heritage as one interrelated community-building challenge.” user.gru.net/domz/charter.htm

“We advocate the restructuring of public policy and development practices to support the following principles: neighborhoods should be diverse in use and population; communities should be designed for the pedestrian and transit as well as the car; cities and towns should be shaped by physically defined and universally accessible public spaces and community institutions; urban places should be framed by architecture and landscape design that celebrate local history, climate, ecology, and building practice.” user.gru.net/domz/charter.htm

The Ahwahnee Principles Complete and integrated communities Walking cities Diversity of housing stock Business-jobs correlation Integrated land-use and transport planning Centre focus Open space – squares, greens, parks Public places Well defined edges and corridors

The Ahwahnee Principles Non-motorized transport networks Preservation where feasible of natural terrain, vegetation, drainage Resource conservation, waste minimization Water management Energy efficiency Regional context Integrated implementation strategies Public participation

Benefits of new urbanism Access and accessibility Liveability Reduced costs to governments and individuals Reduces the need for travel Sensitive to cultural heritage Traffic calming Sense of place Based on long-term construction principles and practices

Integrates different groups Makes walking feel more enjoyable Avoids commercial blight Increases citizen access to culture Local orientation in business Less car dependence Passive surveillance and civic care Links to other existing neighbourhoods Preserves and promotes community character Self sufficiency emphasised

The great neighbourhood Identifiable centre and edge – ‘you have arrived’ Mixed land use and building stock Built-in diversity Networks Prime property is public property

Private cities

Critiques of new urbanism Nothing new here Recurring planning themes Simple clusters of housing, retail, transit systems Exclusive Failure to implement principles of equity Diluted by political and capital concerns Basically banal

Tangible results

Design for sustainability mixture of commercial and residential uses smaller lots and more parks and open space walkable, transit-oriented neighborhoods; and street networks instead of cul- de-sacs connected to a few large collectors and arterials.