<p>For most new apartment buildings, the Owners Corporation starts life with little more than a bank account and the first quarterly strata levies.</p>

<p>At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/9-gay-street-castle-hill-9-gay-street-castle-hill-nsw-2154">9 Gay Street</a> in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/castle-hill-nsw-2154">Castle Hill</a>, it starts with around $7 million in reserve.</p>

<p>It's an unusual legacy of what was once one of Sydney's highest-profile apartment remediation projects. When the development, originally known as Skyview and built by disgraced developer Top Place, came under scrutiny by then NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler, an $11 million remediation bond was negotiated to ensure any building defects could be fully rectified.</p>

<p>The building underwent an 18-month remediation program, during which around $4 million of that bond was spent bringing the building up to the standard it should have been in from the outset.</p>

<p>After extensive inspections, all active rectification orders have been lifted. What's more, around $7.2 million remains secured for the Owners Corporation for the next 15 years.</p>

<p>In a twist few would have predicted, what began as a significant concern for purchasers has left the building with something almost unheard of in the apartment market: a multi-million-dollar financial reserve from day one.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359136]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a> Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said the structure offers buyers a level of certainty that is difficult to replicate.</p>

<p>"The $11 million bond established for the Skyview Castle Hill development represents exceptional value, providing genuine financial security for purchasers," Huxley said.</p>

<p>"Unlike a standard insurance policy, this bond consists of real funds held in trust for the Owners Corporation, offering a tangible layer of protection and added peace of mind."</p>

<p>The apartments themselves have been designed with a focus on practical, contemporary living. Interiors feature Smeg appliances, stone benchtops, tiled living areas, carpeted bedrooms, 2.7-metre ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and ducted heating and cooling throughout.</p>

<p>Residents also have access to a range of shared amenities, including two rooftop barbecue areas, a swimming pool, children's playgrounds, secure building access, storage cages, and visitor parking.</p>

<p>The location continues to be one of the project's strongest drawcards. Castle Hill Metro Station sits virtually on the doorstep, providing direct connections across Sydney's expanding Metro network, while Castle Towers offers extensive retail, dining, entertainment, and service amenities within walking distance.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359127]</p>

<p>The building, now named after its location at 9 Gay Street, comprises a diverse mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments starting from just under $600,000.</p>

<p>Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett said demand in the Hills District continues to be driven by buyers seeking convenience and connectivity.</p>

<p>"Interest from both owner-occupiers and investors in Castle Hill remains exceptionally strong, with buyers consistently prioritising developments in close proximity to the Metro station and Castle Towers Shopping Centre," Hamblett said.</p>

<p>"There is a clear trend in the market, with purchasers seeking convenient access to transport and lifestyle amenities that support a seamless, low-maintenance way of living."</p>

<p>On top of the long-term protection afforded by the remaining $7.2 million bond, Equitifund is offering a limited-time stamp duty rebate on selected apartments.</p>

<p>Eligible purchasers can also secure finance options, including a 3.99 per cent two-year variable rate, loan-to-value ratios of up to 90 per cent, and interest-only lending options through EquitiCredit.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=147685]</p>


Joel Robinson

Why this Castle Hill apartment building starts with a $7 million advantage

<p>For much of the past few years, conversations about Australia's property market have centred on the rapid growth seen in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3004">Melbourne</a> has followed a different trajectory.</p>

<p>That relative underperformance is now encouraging some buyers to reassess the city, particularly those willing to look beyond short-term market movements and focus on quality property in established locations, along with the long-term growth prospects of a city expected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s most populous.</p>

<p>John Bekiaris, Research &amp; Market Insights at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Projects by Equitifund</a>, said Melbourne's current position is attracting increasingly sophisticated purchasers.</p>

<p>"Melbourne continues to present one of Australia's strongest long-term investment stories," Bekiaris says.</p>

<p>"While other capital cities have experienced stronger recent growth, that relative underperformance is exactly what's attracting sophisticated counter-cyclical investors."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363268]</p>

<p>Equitifund isn't just commenting on Melbourne's property market, it's investing in it.</p>

<p>The Sydney-headquartered capital partner has taken over the remaining apartments at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/victoriana-melbourne-20-queens-road-melbourne-vic-3004">Victoriana</a>, the recently completed glass-encased development opposite Albert Park Lake in Melbourne's tightly held St Kilda Road precinct.</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and built by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hickory">Hickory</a>, Victoriana places residents between one of Melbourne's most recognised parklands and the CBD, offering oversized two and three-bedroom apartments aimed at owner-occupiers seeking a genuine alternative to a traditional family home.</p>

<p>The development comprises 232 completed residences alongside a suite of resident amenities, including a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, landscaped entertaining areas, resident lounges, EV charging, secure basement parking and a concierge-style arrival experience.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363229]</p>

<p>The apartments have been designed with owner-occupiers firmly in mind.&nbsp;Open-plan living and dining areas flow onto generous balconies framing views across Albert Park Lake, Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Melbourne skyline.</p>

<p>Kitchens feature Gaggenau appliances, stone benchtops and generous preparation space. Bedrooms include built-in robes, while bathrooms feature full-height textured tiling. Hardwood flooring and ducted air conditioning complete residences designed for long-term living.</p>

<p>Rothelowman's architecture takes its cues from the landscape opposite the site. Sweeping horizontal glazing references the movement of Albert Park Lake, while generous balconies and expansive glazing strengthen the connection between the apartments and the surrounding parklands. The result is a building designed to deliver the scale and amenity expected of luxury apartment living, while offering the larger floorplans increasingly sought by owner-occupiers.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363284]</p>

<p>The location is one of Victoriana's defining characteristics. Positioned on Queens Road, residents are directly opposite Albert Park Lake and within easy reach of Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, South Melbourne, St Kilda Road and the CBD. With few comparable development opportunities remaining in the precinct, buyers are increasingly placing value on outlooks that are unlikely to be interrupted by future construction.</p>

<p>Greg Huxley, Founder of Equitifund, believes those qualities become even more valuable over time.</p>

<p>"Premium real estate has always rewarded buyers who take a long-term view," Huxley said.</p>

<p>"Victoriana represents the kind of asset that's increasingly difficult to recreate today, particularly in an established location like Queens Road."</p>

<p>He said rising construction costs are also changing the way buyers assess completed developments.</p>

<p>"When you combine an irreplaceable location with thoughtful architecture and premium finishes, you create something that becomes increasingly difficult to reproduce as construction costs continue to rise."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363228]</p>

<p>According to National Sales Director Ben Hamblett, enquiry has been driven largely by Melbourne downsizers and buyers upgrading from smaller apartments.</p>

<p>"Interest in Victoriana continues to build, with strong buyer focus on the larger owner-occupier residences within the development," Hamblett says.</p>

<p>"Enquiry is increasingly driven by local buyers who recognise the rarity of what's on offer: park-facing apartments in an established neighbourhood where new development opportunities are becoming increasingly scarce. At Victoriana, the view is not just a feature; it's an appreciating asset in its own right."</p>

<p>He said interstate enquiry has also strengthened as buyers reassess Melbourne's position within the national property cycle.</p>

<p>"Melbourne currently stands as the most compelling entry point of any major Australian capital, and discerning buyers are beginning to recognise what those who move early always understand: the best opportunities are taken before the price rise confirms them."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=1979]</p>


Why now is the time to buy in Melbourne's premium apartment market

<p>Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.</p>

<p>While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.</p>

<p>A new Colliers report, <em>Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions</em>, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.</p>

<p>The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.</p>

<p>Construction Skills Queensland's <em>Horizon 2032</em> report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.</p>

<p>The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]</p>

<p>Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.</p>

<p>"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.</p>

<p>"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."</p>

<p>Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.</p>

<p>"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]</p>

<p>Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.</p>

<p>Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.</p>

<p>Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.</p>

<p>The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.</p>

<p>Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.</p>

<p>"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.</p>

<p>"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."</p>


Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

<p>It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]</p>

<p>Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.</p>

<p>"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.</p>

<p>"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.</p>

<p>"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]</p>

<p>Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.</p>

<p>Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]</p>

<p>Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.</p>

<p>"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.</p>

<p>"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."</p>

<p>Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]</p>


Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

<p>Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.</p>

<p>The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]</p>

<p>Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.</p>

<p>"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.</p>

<p>"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]</p>

<p>La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.</p>

<p>Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.</p>

<p>The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.</p>

<p>Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.</p>

<p>Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.</p>

<p>"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.</p>

<p>Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]</p>


La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Liveability

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<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/61661/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, moved from the world’s second-least-liveable city to the fourth-least-liveable city in The Economist’s latest liveability survey.</p>
<p>But cities are complex and measures of liveability often subjective. These rankings perhaps say more about the biases of global standards than about Dhaka itself.</p>
<p>This isn’t to suggest these measures do not have their uses. The very growth of the urban measurement industry points to the productive diversity of world cities. It also illustrates how cities are internally diverse, even contradictory, in character. </p>
<p>This is especially true in Dhaka. On the back of high GDP growth, standards of living for Dhaka’s middle class have risen considerably. At the same time, informal settlements have also grown.</p>
<p>Based on Bangladesh’s 2014 census, it was calculated that 1.06 million people are living in slums in the Dhaka division. This number “has increased by 60.43% in the last 17 years”. Unofficial estimates of the number of slum residents are much higher, around 3.5 million.</p>
<p>Across the developing nations, around one-third of city residents live in slums. A 2013 Rockefeller Foundation report suggested that rather than focusing on a linear vision of “world-class cities”, planners and policymakers should adopt an alternative lens of “hybrid cities”, in which:</p>
<p><em>"… informal economies are directly integrated into city planning and priorities."</em></p>
<p>This requires inclusion of social movements and grassroots organisations that exist in and around informal economies. Secure housing, political recognition, legal protections and well-funded health and education programs are minimal measures for how this might be realised.</p>
<h2>Illuminating shadow economies</h2>
<p>As cities trumpet their liveability, creativity and greenness, informal settlement activities are often relegated to the shadows. The Rockefeller report suggests this is not only a problem for social justice or political representation, but also for economic growth.</p>
<p>A hybridised city looks to light up those areas where communities are already bringing together existing needs, new ideas, vigorous debate and innovative possibilities. John Thakara observes that informal settlements have a “DIY urbanism”, which has implications for urban design, planning and development:</p>
<p><em>"The shadow economy is more fragmented, and more reliant on social networks, than the formal one – but it is no less dynamic for that. Because social practices are a key part of this urban transformation, the tasks of design are mutating."</em></p>
<p>An integrated approach would recognise how these practices – and associated urban planning processes – respond inventively to the limits and loopholes of rapidly expanding cities. According to the Rockefeller report, such limits include:</p>
<p><em>"… information asymmetries in the labour market that prevent equitable access to jobs; and insufficient access to resources (for example, skills, finance and markets) that enable growth."</em></p>
<h2>Kolorob: a participatory platform</h2>
<p>Kolorob is an urban innovation initiative stemming from a multi-sectoral collaboration with the communities of two slums in Mirpur, Dhaka. Young people have been integral from the start as mappers and facilitators to collect data about services and involve communities in the application’s design.</p>
<p>A Bangla word meaning “clamour” or “noise”, Kolorob is aimed at amplifying the diverse voices and inventive practices of these informal settlements. It builds on the immediate strengths and networks of these communities to help meet their need for information about services, jobs and opportunities in a rapidly growing city.</p>
<p>The main features of the GooglePlay app include an interactive map about essential services in the two informal settlements. Kolorob also provides detailed information, a feedback system and a comparison tool.</p>
<p>We are exploring the expectations, experiences and reflections of community members involved in co-designing the app. Discussions with young people highlighted how they strongly value: </p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>increasing smartphone penetration and usage in their communities;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>making the variety of local services more visible, providing in-depth detail about these, and using community feedback to enhance decision-making; and</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>beginning to promote informal jobs to increase opportunities and autonomy for informal-sector workers.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Our initial research into the co-design of Kolorob has found significant scope for participatory platforms to enhance access to existing services and employment opportunities in these areas. They also generate the potential for broader capacity-building by linking people to skill development and institutional support where available.</p>
<p>How such technology platforms can be maintained and leveraged in continued partnership with such communities is critical. This experiment connects with similar conversations in other cities and through other networks. One prominent example is the Platform Co-operativismmovement, which includes RefugeesWork in Germany, Sensorica in Canada and Enspiral in New Zealand. </p>
<p>Such platforms work to make data collection and knowledge sharing more inclusive.</p>
<h2>Connecting people and opportunities</h2>
<p>A range of policymakers, politicians, researchers and community organisation representatives are now converging on the UN’s Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador. Key to the conference is the adoption of a New Urban Agenda. This aims to be:</p>
<p><em>"… an action-oriented document which will set global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live in cities through drawing together co-operation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors at all levels of government as well as the private sector."</em></p>
<p>The role of information and communication technology in this invites not only close attention but novel collaborations. For instance, a 2015 report highlights several hurdles to overcome:</p>
<p>More public-private partnerships are needed to incubate new ICT startups to provide locally appropriate services.</p>
<p>Small, fragmented demonstration projects require national scale-up with business models addressing urban and rural areas.</p>
<p>As a platform, Kolorob is still in its early development stage. But there is interest from existing and new multi-sectoral partners in exploring the potential of scaling it up within Dhaka, as well as across other South Asian megacities. </p>
<p>Rather than focusing on artificial solutions based upon improving world-class cities, we need to turn the spotlight to inclusive ICT platforms that contribute to both informal and formal economies. We can then begin to meet the wider social and political needs of hybrid cities.</p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Teresa Swist is p</span>ostdoctoral research fellow, Western Sydney University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/teresa-swist-172271" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">David Sweeting is i</span>nstitute associate, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-sweeting-265851" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Liam Magee s</span>enior research fellow, Digital Media, Western Sydney University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liam-magee-227430" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>All are authors for The Conversation.</em></p>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Design in the ‘hybrid city’: DIY meets platform urbanism in Dhaka’s informal settlements

<html><body>
<p>For the sixth year in a row Melbourne has topped The Economist's list of the world's most liveable cities. </p>
<p>Vienna was ranked the world's second-most liveable city, followed by Vancouver and Toronto.</p>
<p>Sydney is one of the biggest losers of this year's report, tumbling out of the top 10 most liveable cities, down four places to 11th.</p>
<p>Adelaide has managed to hold on to its title as the world's fifth-most liveable city, tied with the Canadian city of Calgary. </p>
<p>Overall the survey reported increasing instability around the world, including through civil war and other violent acts.</p>
<p>"This has been a year undoubtedly marked by terrorism," the report said.</p>
<p>"While not a new phenomenon, its frequency and spread have increased noticeably and become even more prominent in the past year."</p>
<p>Paris (32nd place) was among the cities that experienced the biggest declines in liveability in the past five years.</p>
<p>The Syrian city of Damascus ranked last among the 140 cities.</p>
<p>The Economist liveability score hasn't changed much since 2011 for Melbourne although the city has lost points in the categories of stability and culture and environment. But it scored a perfect 100/100 in education, healthcare and infrastructure.</p>
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Melbourne tops Vienna to be most liveable city: The Economist

<html><body>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>For the fifth consecutive year, Melbourne has been named the <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">world’s most liveable city by The Economist Intelligence Unit’s </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">annual survey. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">While the ranking is based on a range of factors </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">such as healthcare, culture, education and infrastructure, </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Secret Agent believes that Melbourne's success is due to </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">thoughtful urban design.</span></p>
<p>We owe it to Jan Gehl, the Danish architect and urban designer <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">who worked together with Melbourne City Council in the early 1990s to transform the city from, in his own words, “</span>neutron bombed<span style="line-height: 1.3em;">, not a soul - not even a cat”, into a place for people.</span></p>
<p>Much of our laneway culture and outdoor dining today can be <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">attributed to Gehl’s visionary thinking and humanistic approach </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">to urban design.</span></p>
<p>Three main principles can be drawn from Gehl’s work:</p>
<p>1. Design the city at 5km/h</p>
<p>Cities had always been designed for people, who move at <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">a modest speed of about 5km/h, up until the boom of the </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">automobile in the 1960s. New cities were then designed at </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">60km/h - wider, further apart, less accessible by foot. Gehl’s </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">intervention in Melbourne applied the human scale of the </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">older, 5km/h cities, giving birth to our laneway culture that is </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">now inseparable from the city’s identity. Narrow, dense and </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">brimming with life, there is a certain magic that comes with </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">compact spaces.</span></p>
<p>Thanks to Gehl and planning changes, Melbourne CBD has <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">gained 20 hectares of footpaths over 15 years. Designing </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">walkable urban spaces encourages people to do so, resulting </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">in a healthier population. Think about how far a person has </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">to walk to get from A to B; is it a comfortable distance? If it </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">necessarily becomes a lengthy walk, can it be a safe, pleasant </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">and eventful journey?</span></p>
<p>2. Design the city at eye level</p>
<p>The city at 5km/h, naturally, becomes the city at eye level. <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">There must be visual interest or the opportunity for interaction </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">at eye level to enrich the experience of a space. When Gehl </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">suggested to Melbourne city planners in 1978 that it needed </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">more sidewalk cafes, he was met with disapproval, due to its </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">health risks and Melbourne's harsh weather. Today, the city has </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">over 200 outdoor cafes.</span></p>
<p>Imagine yourself walking along Swanston Street or Bourke <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Street Mall on any given afternoon of the week. Chances are </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">you've also thought about the large crowds, buskers, outdoor  </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">diners and corporate workers having their takeaway lunches </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">out in the sun. Our city presents many opportunities to stop </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">and have a conversation, or simply sit and enjoy peoplewatching.</span></p>
<p>3. Life &gt; Space &gt; Buildings</p>
<p>Start by designing for life. What will people be doing; eating, <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">walking, playing? Where can people stand or sit; will there be </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">an opportunity to sit in the afternoon sun? By first painting a </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">picture of how people will feel and behave, we can craft urban </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">spaces to accommodate them. Only then do we consider how </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">buildings can enrich the environment and preserve the flow of </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">daily life.</span></p>
<p>Urban developments that fail typically suffer from the same <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">syndrome: they’re bland and stark, where buildings are just </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">objects in space. There’s nothing to do or see, and they fall </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">short of making that transition from spaces to places.</span></p>
<p>As Melbourne’s population grows, Secret Agent hopes that we <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">continue to build liveable and walkable places for people. Let’s </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">not forget the most important lesson from Gehl:</span></p>
<p>“Every time we build something, we <span style="line-height: 1.3em;">manipulate the conditions of people’s </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">lives, but most planners don’t know </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">enough about this manipulation. We </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">are manipulating every time we put </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">down a stone.”</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"><em>For more information, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</em></span></p>
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Three reasons why Melbourne is the world's most liveable city: Secret Agent

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<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>Australia is well regarded internationally as one of the world’s most liveable places. Australians continue to think so too with 99 percent of us agreeing that this is a great place to live! </p>
<p>In our second annual survey, we take another look at what makes this country such a special place to live. Relative safety &amp; security, general lifestyle &amp; friendliness and access to quality healthcare continue to be valued most highly, with open spaces, climate and environment also important drawcards. Our people, an acceptance of diversity and love of sport have also become bigger drawcards, but the economy and education are contributing less.</p>
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<div class="column"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Our relative safety &amp; security (36 percent) and general lifestyle &amp; friendliness (35 percent) continue to be cited as the key factors making Australia such a great place to live. They also resonated with more Australians in 2016 than in last year’s survey (33 percent and 32 percent respectively). Access to quality healthcare was also viewed as key positive for 30 percent of Australians, albeit less than in 2015 (33 percent).</span></div>
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<br><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Access to open spaces, beaches and parks, climate, clean environment &amp; unique natural wonders continued to be highly valued by around 1 in 4 Australians.</span>
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<br><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">It was however notable that a strong and stable economy (18 percent) contributed less to liveability in Australia in the 2016 survey (21 percent in 2015), which is perhaps not surprising given weaker economic growth outcomes last year. There was also a notable fall in the number of Australians (15 percent) citing access to quality education as a driver of liveability (19 percent in 2015).</span>
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<br><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">On a positive note, our people and their acceptance of diversity was recognised as a bigger drawcard by 17 percent of Australians (up from 13 percent in 2015), while the number who valued our love of sport climbed to 11 percent (8 percent in 2015).</span>
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<br><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">The national results hide some big differences between states. For example, safety &amp; security was valued most highly in SA/NT (43 percent) and contributed least in WA (31 percent) and Victoria (31 percent). Climate was a much stronger drawcard in WA (29 percent) and Queensland (28 percent) than in Victoria (17 percent) and Tasmania (14 percent). </span>
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<div class="column"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">People and an acceptance of diversity was most highly valued in NSW/ACT (21 percent), but access to quality education (17 percent), a love of sport (14 percent) and entertainment options (9 percent) resonated most with Victorians, while general lifestyle &amp; friendliness was a much bigger factor for Tasmanians (54 percent).</span></div>
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<p><span>New South Wales / ACT </span></p>
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<p><span>In NSW/ACT, relative safety &amp; security (40 percent), general lifestyle &amp; friendliness (35 percent) and access to quality healthcare (29 percent) were the most commonly identified factors making Australia a great place to live. It was however, notable that safety &amp; security was valued more highly in NSW/ACT than in all other states bar SA/NT. </span></p>
<p><span>People and acceptance of diversity (by gender, race and religion) also resonated higher in NSW/ACT than in any other state (21 percent), but it was also notable that a love of sport (8 percent) played a much smaller role relative to the national average. </span></p>
<p><span>For all other factors, residents of NSW/ACT were broadly in line with the average Australian. </span></p>
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<p><span>Victoria </span></p>
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<p><span>General lifestyle &amp; friendliness (35 percent), quality healthcare (33 percent) and safety &amp; security (31 percent) were the most commonly identified factors in Victoria. Victorians valued healthcare equal highest with WA among the states, but safety &amp; security contributed equal least along with WA. </span></p>
<p><span>Victorians led the country in terms of access to quality education (17 percent), their love of sport (14 percent), entertainment options such as restaurants and cinemas (9 percent) and for transport and other public infrastructure (6 percent). </span></p>
<p><span>Victorians were however notably below the Australian average when it came to a clean environment and natural wonders (19 percent), climate (17 percent) and social welfare system (15 percent). </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
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<p><span>Queensland </span></p>
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<p><span>Safety &amp; security (33 percent), general lifestyle &amp; friendliness (32 percent) and access to quality healthcare (32 percent) were the main factors making Australia a great place to live according to Queenslanders - albeit contributing less than average except for healthcare. </span></p>
<p><span>Queenslanders (28 percent) rated climate notably higher than in most other states. They also valued access to open spaces, beaches &amp; parks (26 percent) and a strong and stable economy (20 percent) slightly more than the average Australian. </span></p>
<p><span>It was however notable that employment and job prospects (1 percent) contributed less in Queensland than for the average Australian, as did transport &amp; other public infrastructure (1 percent). </span></p>
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<p><span>South Australia / Northern Territory </span></p>
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<p><span>Safety &amp; security (43 percent) was valued higher in SA/NT than in any other state. General lifestyle &amp; friendliness (33 percent), access to open spaces, parks &amp; beaches (26 percent) and climate (24 percent) were the next biggest drawcards. </span></p>
<p><span>Housing and housing affordability (7 percent) was valued higher than all other states - likely due to lower median house prices. Love of sport (14 percent) was also a much bigger draw card in SA/NT. </span></p>
<p><span>In contrast, healthcare (22 percent) and a clean environment &amp; unique natural wonders (19 percent) contributed much less than it did for the average Australian. Not surprisingly given the economic challenges facing SA, a strong &amp; stable economy (15 percent) also contributed less. </span></p>
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<p><span>Western Australia </span></p>
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<p><span>West Australians placed the highest emphasis on general lifestyle &amp; friendliness (36 percent), access to quality healthcare (33 percent) and safety &amp; security as key factors making Australia a great place to life, albeit safety&amp; security rated equal lowest of all states. </span></p>
<p><span>West Australians did however value access to open spaces, beaches &amp; parks (30 percent) and climate (24 percent) highest in the country. Social welfare (21 percent) was also valued somewhat more. </span></p>
<p><span>In contrast, people &amp; acceptance of diversity (14 percent), love of sport (7 percent) and entertainment options (e.g. restaurants, dining out) contributed less to their notion of what makes Australia a great place to than any other state. </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
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<p><span>Tasmania </span></p>
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<p><span>Significantly more Tasmanians valued general lifestyle &amp; friendliness (54 percent) higher than Australians living in any other state. </span></p>
<p><span>Notably more Tasmanians also highlighted safety &amp; security (42 percent), clean environment &amp; natural wonders (40 percent), social welfare system (24 percent) and (perhaps somewhat surprisingly given the under-performance of the local economy) a strong &amp; stable economy (24 percent) higher than in any other state. </span></p>
<p><span>In contrast, access to quality healthcare (18 percent), climate (14 percent), access to open spaces, beaches &amp; parks (14 percent) and education (9 percent) contributed much less than in any other state. </span></p>
<p>For more information, <a href="https://www.nab.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p>
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