Helping plan for hotter cities

As Australian cities heat up, local governments and planning practices will increasingly have to address rising temperatures and urban heat island effects. A new tool, incorporating scientific models, case studies and broad guidelines, has been released to help.

The global problem of thirsty cities

500 million people already experience water shortages around the world but better governance and smart water management could lead to collaboration rather than competition and manage our dwindling supplies more efficiently.

Floating cities – fact or fantasy?

The concept of floating cities has long fascinated engineers and speculative authors, but will fantasy turn into reality to combat the ravages of sea level rises caused by climate change?

How big data can help city residents

Analysing big data can tell us how a big city ticks and help individual citizens – as well as public planners and tech corporations – get the jobs, housing and services they need.

Will Sydney’s “3 x 30 minute cities” become a reality?

When a city gets to a certain size, it starts to make sense to have multiple centres of activity, and three are planned for Sydney. So what needs to be done to bring the city closer to this goal?

Reshaping Sydney by design

Over the past two decades,, Sydney has quietly adopted a mandatory competitive design process for the projects that have transformed the city skyline.

Finding hope in the ashes of Notre Dame

The destruction of the ‘heart and soul’ of Paris is also an opportunity to rebuild and restore responsibility for the culture we create.

Rebuilding Notre Dame

A wonderful icon has been largely destroyed by fire. However, we should not despair. Notre Dame will rise from the ashes, as other great buildings have before.

“Helmet churn” hampers e-scooter adoption

Every day, e-scooters and helmets are put out together, but some people ride without helmets and at the end of each day helmets are missing. So what can be done to ensure safe riding behaviour?

A new national urban management plan for resilient cities

Researchers from The University of Queensland have helped to develop a four-point plan to create more sustainable, liveable, prosperous and resilient cities.

A reset in housing policy is long overdue

The problems with housing systems in Australia and similar countries run deep. Solutions depend on a fundamental rethink of our approach to housing and its central place in our lives and the economy.

Water, water, not everywhere

Safe and clean access to water and sanitation is still not a right afforded to everyone, even in Australia, but tapping into a new way of thinking about water could benefit everyone.