Achieving urban vitality: skills & employment development in shrinking cities. The study will provide a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics of shrinking cities, its typology, and the trajectories of these cities in Australia, Europe, USA and Japan. The study questions traditional paradigms of growth and decline and demographic change.
At a policy and strategic level, the project will provide a review and assessment of policies, programs and regeneration strategies in areas in de ....Achieving urban vitality: skills & employment development in shrinking cities. The study will provide a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics of shrinking cities, its typology, and the trajectories of these cities in Australia, Europe, USA and Japan. The study questions traditional paradigms of growth and decline and demographic change.
At a policy and strategic level, the project will provide a review and assessment of policies, programs and regeneration strategies in areas in decline in Australia as well as a database of best practices in terms of skills and employment programs in shrinking cities as per the typology developed in the study. The study will provide an international environment for research students to participate in a highly innovative transnational debate.
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Understanding Sydney's changing role as a global city in the Australian urban and regional network. In recent decades Sydney has changed from being a capital city linked mainly to a hinterland of NSW towns and regions, to a global city with a 'blizzard' of linkages in new sectors involving cities and territories around Australia and across the globe. As yet we know little about this blizzard apart from what can be inferred from the global cities literature and from minimal evidence that is large ....Understanding Sydney's changing role as a global city in the Australian urban and regional network. In recent decades Sydney has changed from being a capital city linked mainly to a hinterland of NSW towns and regions, to a global city with a 'blizzard' of linkages in new sectors involving cities and territories around Australia and across the globe. As yet we know little about this blizzard apart from what can be inferred from the global cities literature and from minimal evidence that is largely selective and anecdotal. This Project will produce a detailed profile of Sydney's linkages - locally, nationally and internationally. Better data and analysis on Sydney's place in the global economy is a critical issue for government and corporate planning especially in and around the Sydney basin where growth pressures are intense.Read moreRead less
The production and contestation of airport territory. The restructuring of Australian airports has become a major issue of public interest in recent years, given their status as 'critical infrastructures' (a National Research Priority). The project places the Australian experience in comparative context. It will provide an informed contribution to a range of groups affected by airport restructuring, from private enterprise, through to Commonwealth, State and local councils, and community groups ....The production and contestation of airport territory. The restructuring of Australian airports has become a major issue of public interest in recent years, given their status as 'critical infrastructures' (a National Research Priority). The project places the Australian experience in comparative context. It will provide an informed contribution to a range of groups affected by airport restructuring, from private enterprise, through to Commonwealth, State and local councils, and community groups who seek to respond to the challenges of airport expansion. It will provide a strong empirical and theoretical framework that will further the understanding of the impact of airports on urban governance and theory worldwide.Read moreRead less
The Demand for Higher Density Housing in Sydney and Melbourne. The research will support the development of more socially sustainable approaches to the planning of higher density housing in Australian cities. The project will improve our understanding of the processes driving higher density urban change (and therefore the risks of such development), inform better land use outcomes, assist in reducing potential community conflict over development proposals, and enhance wider social sustainabilit ....The Demand for Higher Density Housing in Sydney and Melbourne. The research will support the development of more socially sustainable approaches to the planning of higher density housing in Australian cities. The project will improve our understanding of the processes driving higher density urban change (and therefore the risks of such development), inform better land use outcomes, assist in reducing potential community conflict over development proposals, and enhance wider social sustainability of urban areas, thereby strengthening the social fabric of Australian cities. The research will also add to academic debates surrounding the benefits (or non-benefits) of building higher density cities and on the structure of spatially segmented urban housing markets. Read moreRead less
The Drivers and Outcomes of Re-investment in Low Density Suburban Housing Markets. This project will make a major contribution to our knowledge of contemporary Australian urban change and will inform wider debates on the future of Australian cities. The project will explore the social and economic processed leading to reinvestment and renewal of older low density suburban housing and will offer insights into community-level attitudes to housing built to higher environmental standards. This proj ....The Drivers and Outcomes of Re-investment in Low Density Suburban Housing Markets. This project will make a major contribution to our knowledge of contemporary Australian urban change and will inform wider debates on the future of Australian cities. The project will explore the social and economic processed leading to reinvestment and renewal of older low density suburban housing and will offer insights into community-level attitudes to housing built to higher environmental standards. This project will inform local and metropolitan planning processes related to sustainable suburban renewal and support policies that reduce community concerns and uncertainty over change, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the social fabric of our cities.Read moreRead less
The role of investor landlords in restructuring Australia's major cities. With their property acquisition activity reaching record levels, investor landlords are now key players in Australia's housing market. This has sparked vigorous public debate on the contribution of this activity to a 'housing price bubble' and the crowding out of first home buyers. Given new research indicating private rental provision growing fastest in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, another effect may be to exace ....The role of investor landlords in restructuring Australia's major cities. With their property acquisition activity reaching record levels, investor landlords are now key players in Australia's housing market. This has sparked vigorous public debate on the contribution of this activity to a 'housing price bubble' and the crowding out of first home buyers. Given new research indicating private rental provision growing fastest in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, another effect may be to exacerbate the socio-spatial polarisation of our major cities. This project will therefore investigate the drivers and consequences of growing private rental investment in Australia's major cities, especially in disadvantaged areas. Project findings are expected to inform national housing, planning and urban policy.Read moreRead less
Designing Global Sydney: The negotiation of public and private interests. This project links planning policy, urban design and planning history. It assesses the contribution of design-led policy to reconciling private ambitions for economic growth with aspirations for quality public outcomes in the planning approval processes for major commercial development in the Sydney Central Business District (CBD). Concentrating on the past decade, it aims to examine the changing economic structure of the ....Designing Global Sydney: The negotiation of public and private interests. This project links planning policy, urban design and planning history. It assesses the contribution of design-led policy to reconciling private ambitions for economic growth with aspirations for quality public outcomes in the planning approval processes for major commercial development in the Sydney Central Business District (CBD). Concentrating on the past decade, it aims to examine the changing economic structure of the CBD, linking the changing form of the city to evolving design policies. It seeks to recover the experiences of participants in the development approval process and communicate instructive stories of the complex intersection between market forces and design regimens.Read moreRead less
Rediscovering historical contributions in environmental planning: Australia's Town Planning Associations. This study will provide an alternative history of Australian urban planning that will document at a national level how non-government organisations contributed positively and creatively to the evolution of modern environmental planning from the 20th century. It will support the strengthening of Australia's social and economic fabric by discovering through original historical research how pre ....Rediscovering historical contributions in environmental planning: Australia's Town Planning Associations. This study will provide an alternative history of Australian urban planning that will document at a national level how non-government organisations contributed positively and creatively to the evolution of modern environmental planning from the 20th century. It will support the strengthening of Australia's social and economic fabric by discovering through original historical research how previous generations have productively and creatively contributed to decisions affecting general environmental well-being. It will contribute an historical perspective to current debates on the need for more collaborative planning.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary Dynamics and the Transformation of Rural Australia. Understanding the ways in which Australia's rural heartland has been transformed is critical to constructing competitive regions. This project aims to pioneer the application and development of evolutionary economic geography and staples theory to an investigation of the transformation of south-east and south-western Australia, covering the long boom of the post-war period, through the restructuring 'crisis' of the 1980s and 1990s, ....Evolutionary Dynamics and the Transformation of Rural Australia. Understanding the ways in which Australia's rural heartland has been transformed is critical to constructing competitive regions. This project aims to pioneer the application and development of evolutionary economic geography and staples theory to an investigation of the transformation of south-east and south-western Australia, covering the long boom of the post-war period, through the restructuring 'crisis' of the 1980s and 1990s, to a multifunctional countryside. The explanatory power of the local modelling 'tools' that this project is expected to develop moves beyond the 'one size fits all' suite of policy prescriptions, with the specific potential to inform rural and regional policy and practice.Read moreRead less
Life-cycle cost and emission analyses of green-building implementation. In Australia, the annual average temperature has increased 0.9 degrees Celsius since 1910. Residential and commercial building sectors produce about 23 per cent of the national greenhouse-gas emissions. This project critically evaluates the cost effectiveness and greenhouse-gas emissions of green-building implementation in Australia. This will examine methods to lower cost and greenhouse-gas emissions from green-building imp ....Life-cycle cost and emission analyses of green-building implementation. In Australia, the annual average temperature has increased 0.9 degrees Celsius since 1910. Residential and commercial building sectors produce about 23 per cent of the national greenhouse-gas emissions. This project critically evaluates the cost effectiveness and greenhouse-gas emissions of green-building implementation in Australia. This will examine methods to lower cost and greenhouse-gas emissions from green-building implementation. A new high-tech scoring model is expected to be developed to identify cost-effective and low-greenhouse-gas-emissions methods to achieve specific green-star status for the Australian building and construction industries.Read moreRead less