Surely the 30-minute city makes sense for primary school trips?

Surely the 30-minute city makes sense for primary school trips?

Does this historic building require more “breathing space”?

Critics say a proposed new residential tower to be built next door to Brisbane’s historic former Customs House will endanger the heritage values of the old building

Does this historic building require more “breathing space”?

How safe is cycling on roads in Australian cities?

Cycling on roads in large cities like Melbourne is much more likely to get you killed than driving, but the risk is still extremely low and the individual and social benefits are high

How safe is cycling on roads in Australian cities?

Has Turnbull’s cities rhetoric radicalised the Liberal Premiers?

Comments by Australia’s conservative Premiers indicate the PM isn’t alone in his embrace of new urbanist philosophy. It seems traditional political understandings might need to be revised

Has Turnbull’s cities rhetoric radicalised the Liberal Premiers?

Does diversity mean everywhere has to be the same?

More diversity seems to be a “no-brainer” to most urban policy-makers and it’s mostly a very good thing, but insisting on it at every scale misunderstands what cities are about

Does diversity mean everywhere has to be the same?

Is 20% two and three bedroom apartments in this new development diverse enough?

Requiring new developments to have more 2 & 3 bedroom apartments in order to attract families with children is questionable – it’s likely to impact affordability; it’s unnecessary; and it probably won’t work anyway

Is 20% two and three bedroom apartments in this new development diverse enough?

Are Sydney’s “empty homes” the result of perverse tax incentives?

It’s not certain Sydney even has a serious “empty homes” problem much less one driven by perverse tax incentives. There are simpler and more plausible explanations for the great bulk of unoccupied dwellings

Are Sydney’s “empty homes” the result of perverse tax incentives?

Easter reading – all the topics discussed by The Urbanist last month

Including doing something about cars, safety and cycling, Skyrail, dogbox apartments, improving the media, Minister for Cities, value capture, National Infrastructure Plan, value of open space, RMIT’s Design Hub

Easter reading – all the topics discussed by The Urbanist last month

How much time do we really spend getting to work?

The duration of the average work-related trip in Melbourne is consistent with other large world cities in developed countries but the average doesn’t show there’s considerable variation by mode

How much time do we really spend getting to work?

Will Sydney and Melbourne implode as they get bigger and bigger?

The idea of Sydney and Melbourne doubling in population to eight million by the 2050s conjures images of total traffic gridlock and super long commutes. Fortunately, it’s not likely

Will Sydney and Melbourne implode as they get bigger and bigger?

Who’s had enough of Fairfax clickbait?

Fairfax readers don’t like clickbait and some are cancelling their digital subscriptions. Their choice but I’m keeping mine because digital media like The Age and SMH still provide a valuable service

Who’s had enough of Fairfax clickbait?

Is the Grand Prix worth dropping $60 million a year on?

The benefits from this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park won’t be remotely commensurate with the circa $60 million subsidy it demands from Victorians

Is the Grand Prix worth dropping $60 million a year on?

Is Turnbull’s “30-minute city” all spin (or a useful idea)?

Politicians don’t like to be too specific because it invites criticism and accountability, so both the Government and the Opposition are spinning the aspirational idea of “the 30-minute city”

Is Turnbull’s “30-minute city” all spin (or a useful idea)?

Why are we still taking East Coast High Speed Rail seriously?

East Coast High Speed Rail is the boondoggle that just won’t go away. Yet gunzels, rent-seekers and progressives stand side-by-side in support of squandering $100 Billion of public money

Why are we still taking East Coast High Speed Rail seriously?

Are bingles an inconvenience for cyclists or deadly serious?

What’s a mere bingle for a motorist is usually a painful injury for a cyclist and often much worse. Policy needs to recognise that for cyclists bingles aren’t a minor annoyance; they can be deadly

Are bingles an inconvenience for cyclists or deadly serious?

Is Eddie McGuire’s proposed “Victoria Stadium” what Melbourne needs?

Collingwood football club Chair Eddie McGuire has a grand proposal for a new stadium he says provides “an opportunity to reshape and remodel Melbourne for the next 50 to 100 years”

Is Eddie McGuire’s proposed “Victoria Stadium” what Melbourne needs?

How much do inner city residents love their cars?

Even in the dense, congested and walkable inner city suburbs of Australian cities, car ownership rates – and consequently the demand for parking – are remarkably high

How much do inner city residents love their cars?

Melbourne fantasy rail map 2047

It seems everyone loves a ‘fantasy’ map of how the rail network in their city might look in a parallel universe of more money. This is a vision of what Melbourne could look like in 2047

Melbourne fantasy rail map 2047

Melbourne Metro: what do you get for $10 Billion?

The Business Case for Melbourne Metro was finally released publicly last month. It confirms the need and the solution. Now the Commonwealth needs to come to the party with funding

Melbourne Metro: what do you get for $10 Billion?

Is New York’s spectacular new train station worth the cost?

The visually arresting World Trade Center Transportation Hub designed by Santiago Calatrava opened in New York last week to a chorus of naysayers worried mostly about the $4 Billion it cost to build

Is New York’s spectacular new train station worth the cost?