The Urban Design
Centre of Western
Australia (UDC)
and the Curtin
University Sustainability
Policy Institute
(CUSP) are offering
an intensive one-week
unit in Urban
Design for Sustainability.
This unit will
provide an opportunity
for students and
professionals
in the planning
field and other
interested parties
to develop an
understanding
of the core concepts
involved in urban
design. Then it
will also allow
enrolled students
to apply urban
design concepts
in a practical
field work project
to accompany the
formal week-long
lecture and discussion
sessions.
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Speakers will include Munira Mackay and Malcolm Mackay as urban design practitioners,
Jan Scheurer and
Peter Newman from
USP, representatives
from the Department
for Planning and
Infrastructure
involved in developing
and implementing
Western Australia's
new urban design
code, Practitioners
in water-sensitive
design and landscaping,
as well as representatives
from local Councils
and Redevelopment
Authorities in
metropolitan Perth.
Three field trips
to innovative
projects in urban
design and place
making will provide
some hands-on
experience of
the principles
discussed in the
classroom sessions.
Why Urban Design for Sustainability?
Design has become recognised as very important in influencing the function
and quality of
cities. What makes
some places work
and why do others
function poorly?
This unit will
explore responsive
places that are
enriched through
maximising choice.
Based on a seminal
urban design book
Responsive
Environments:
A Manual for Designers,
the unit will
explain the urban
des
ign
qualities
that provide
for choice at
many levels:
- Where
people can
go - the quality
of permeability;
- The
range of uses
available
to people
- the quality
of variety;
- How
easily people
can understand
a place -
the quality
of legibility;
- The
flexibility
of a place
for a variety
of purposes
- the quality
of robustness;
- The
appearance
and enjoyment
of places
- the qualities
of visual
appropriateness
and richness;
- How
comfortable
and familiar
is the place
- the quality
of personalisation.
We want to make places better, but what is meant
by better? and
better for whom?
The production
of the built
environmentis
undertaken in
parallel with
political and
social institutions.
The social environment
shapes design
responses, and
in turn, design
responses affect
choices and
shape the social
environment.
The unit will
particularly
consider the
retreating public
realm and how
to develop real
communities.
Why
is urban design
important to
sustainability?
Traditional
urban design
contributes
to robust urban
places that
promote travel
choice and provide
for responsive
places where
people can live,
work and play.
The design basis
for Western
Australia's
urban development
code, Liveable
Neighbourhoods,
will be explained
and examples
of innovative
new urbanist
developments
in Perth will
be visited.
Who should attend?
The unit will be of particular interest to:
- Officers
in Local and
State Government
departments
dealing with
various aspects
of Perth's
urban and
regional planning
andtransport
development;
- Employees
of planning
and transportconsultingfirms;
- Developers
and real estate
professionals;
- Members
ofcommunity
groups campaigning
for better
urban environments;
- Interstate
and overseas
planners and
transport
professionals.
When and where will it run?
The unit will be held from Monday - Thursday, 21
- 24 April 2008
from 9.30AM
to 5.30PM at
the Urban Design
Centre (UDC),
Albert Facey
House (opposite
Perth Central
station). Participants
are requested
to arrive early
on the first
day to allow
for administrative
matters.
How much does it cost?
There
are two enrolment
options:
(1) The first
is to enrol
in the unit
on an 'audit'
basis which
does not require
that you complete
the assessment
items. This
option costs
$1,100 (including
GST). Day enrolments
are also available
for $275 (including
GST) per day.
(2) The second
is to enrol
to have the
unit accredited
on a "Not for
Degree" basis.
This means that
if you choose
to study at
any of the participating
universities
(Curtin, UWA
or Murdoch)
at a later time,
then the unit
can be accredited
to your academic
record. This
option costs
$1,540 (including
GST) for post-graduate
students. These
fees cover your
full attendance
over the week,
including field
trips, a study
guide, a course
reader and a
practical field
work project
manual. Attendance
of two special
sessions before
and after the
intensive week
is also included.
Assessment
For those enrolling to have the unit accredited
to an academic
record there
will be three
pieces ofassessment,
mostly due towards
the end of semester.
One will be
a group exercise
based on fieldwork,
plus an essay
on policy and
design proposals.
A poster presentation
of work in progress
will be held
at the end of
the intensive
week, and another
one in mid-May.
The basis of
the assessment
will be a comparative
urban design
exercise based
on two activity
centres with
different characteristics
in Perth, requiring
some fieldwork
to consider
the qualities
that contribute
to responsive
places.
Recognition
The unit is formally recognised by the Planning Institute
of Australia
(WA Division)
for the purpose
of Continuing
Professional
Development
(CPD) for PIA
members. CPD
points are credited
at the rate
of 1 point per
net hour of
CPD activity.
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