8 steps to effective urban design

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The best urban outcomes start with a clear idea about purpose, a personality for the place if you will. Knowing what it is you are seeking to become brings order and clarity to design thinking and creates a clear framework around which investment can be prioritised and staged.

James Tuma View Profile

The ability for a city to positively evolve relies solely on the effectiveness of the plan behind it. If that plan is unclear or disjointed the urbanization will follow suit. If established correctly all parties involved in shaping a city can consolidate easier and efficiently achieve one clear vision.

“The best urban outcomes start with a clear idea about purpose, a personality for the place if you will. Knowing what it is you are seeking to become brings order and clarity to design thinking and creates a clear framework around which investment can be prioritised and staged,” says Tuma. 

Singapore’s singular vision of ‘city in a garden’ is a clear example of clear purpose and key positioning. An example of urban design managed particularly successfully due mostly to the Singaporean style of governance. The implementation of this action plan has had a direct effect on the design, character and delivery of every part of the city.

Gardens by the Bay features ‘supertrees’ that loom up to 50m tall, providing shade in the daytime and an illuminated spectacle at night. Source: Gardens by the Bay.

In order to convert Singapore from a ‘garden city’ to a ‘city in a garden’ the government proposed the following urban strategies;

• Establish world-class gardens
• Rejuvenate urban parks and enliven streetscapes
• Optimise urban spaces for greenery and recreation
• Enrich biodiversity in urban environment
• Enhance competencies of the landscape and horticultural industry
• Engage and inspire communities to co-create a greener Singapore

With the key elements towards success being;

• Good Governance
• Good Planning/ Vision
• Innovation
• Whole Of Government – Strong Leadership, Effective Implementation, Pragmatism
• Co-Creation (Gov With People)

By 2030 the Singapore Government hope to achieve through this plan of action;

• 85% of Singaporeans will live within 10-15 minutes’ walk of a park
• 8 in 10 homes within a 10 minute walk of a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
• 900ha of reservoirs and 100km of waterways opened up
• Park Connectors extend from 200km to 360km
• Improve recycling rate from 59% (2011)  to 70%
• Reduce total domestic water consumption from 153 litres (current) to 140 litres per capita per day
• Increase greenery in high-rise buildings to 50ha
• 70% of journeys to be made by public transport

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...having [a list of points of differentiation] is essential in creating high performance urban design and places that mean something to someone.

James Tuma View Profile

By creating a strong sense of place it increases the likelihood of positive interaction and engagement. Precincts and places being considered as part of a wider ecosystem of destinations and being distinctive is critical to long term attractiveness and short term performance.

“This may mean a strong local food theme like the Grounds of Alexandria or an arts DNA like the art series hotel chain. Other opportunities include the integration or wellness, environmental, sport, local crafts or culture – the list of points of differentiation is endless but having one is essential in creating high performance urban design and places that mean something to someone.”

By staying true to showing its heritage and maintaining its character, the RNA precinct in Brisbane is being allowed to evolve yet still remain meaningful. This will determine its long term success as a precinct because it’s primary function is events and attractiveness to the community is pivotal.

A key strategy in achieving this is the master-plan upgrading around a long existing and celebrated event. Instead of relocating the annual Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) and completely repurposing the area, the precinct is being built up to improve a current function that has strong ties to the community. To relocate the Ekka would have removed historic meaning from the precinct.

RNA precinct artistic impression. Source: Shane Thompson Architects

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These things really do matter – they are the moments that instantly go global through social media, they are things that make a child’s day memorable rather than mundane and – for young cities like Australian cities, they are moments that make the idea of intensification and change worthwhile.

Connecting our cities to younger generations is strong way of ensuring they grow to appreciate the cities worth.

“All too often the serious business making great development becomes, serious – and, unintentionally creates outcomes that are a little joyless. Many developers around the world are turning their attention to opportunities for young people in urban places, urban play enjoyments, addressing perceived ‘nature deficit disorders’ and funding large scale (and fun) interactive public art installations. These things really do matter – they are the moments that instantly go global through social media, they are things that make a child’s day memorable rather than mundane and – for young cities like Australian cities, they are moments that make the idea of intensification and change worthwhile.”

At the heart of a relatively serious precinct filled with major institutions and icons is the Darling Harbour water and play park. It’s an engaging and fun experience that creates moments for children in a precinct that they’ll later come to appreciate for different reasons.