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Answers are urgently needed from urban designers and planners about how we can better manage the built environment .
Test of time
Can urban design help cities adapt and survive ?
By Gabriela Quintana Vigiola and Heather MacDonald
In this age of climate change , cities are the ultimate test of our ability to adapt and survive . But with extreme weather events such as heatwaves , sun damage , heavy rainfall and cyclones on the rise , answers are urgently needed from urban designers and planners about how we can better manage the built environment , infrastructure , productivity and quality of life .
Cities produce wealth , generate jobs and create culturally rich lifestyles , while at the same time devouring land , destroying biodiversity , emanating heat and pumping out greenhouse gases that exacerbate the problem globally . These pros and cons spring from the same source , making it hard for policy makers to balance costs and benefits .
The problem is clear : how can we achieve the same economic benefits while doing better by both the natural environment and urban residents in creating more sustainable cities and buildings ?
Urban planners and designers are very important to this discussion , particularly those experts with postgraduate qualifications who have an integrated understanding of the social , environmental , legislative , economic and sustainability dynamics that drive the debate . These professionals are at the forefront of developing our urban environments and promoting better design and sustainable planning practices .
Our major cities are home to almost three-quarters of all Australians . Our population is predicted to reach between 28.3 and 29.3 million people by 2027 and 40 million by 2050 , so the pressure on our cities and towns will only increase .
The extreme impacts of the 2019-20 bushfires , this year ’ s floods in New South Wales and coastal erosion on Sydney ’ s northern beaches are sharp reminders that cities cannot ignore the natural environments that host our communities . If urban centres are to grow in a sustainable way , key decisions on how to respond and adapt to climate change need to be made now .
Many of Australia ’ s major cities are vulnerable today because of the very factors that made their locations attractive at the start . The city founders were looking for good anchorage , fresh drinking water and arable land within easy reach . Global warming threatens to turn these advantages upside down . Rising sea levels and more intense storms now mean coastal housing is exposed to erosion and storm surges . Greenfield development means farmland alongside rivers has been built over , turning predictable overflows into catastrophic floods while undermining local food security .
Suburbs are butting up against bushland , eroding native habitats and exposing residents to devastating bushfires . Rising risk is pushing up insurance premiums and triggering calls for buildings better designed to withstand higher temperatures . Radical policy changes may be needed both to redirect development and to retrofit buildings and infrastructure to mitigate such damage .
Single-purpose neighbourhoods where residents depend on cars for travel to work , shopping and entertainment increase the output of greenhouse gases . Higher density development reduces protective tree canopies , increasing the surface areas that are exposed to sunlight . The materials used in roads and buildings trap heat from both the sun and human sources . Conventional solutions , such as air-conditioning , simply consume more power and generate more external heat . But heatwaves in urban settings are a direct threat to the health of residents , particularly the old and the very young .
Population growth poses its own challenges , too . Increasing density has been the traditional response to population growth . But density needs to be done right . Some of the key principles that should be considered are access to nature , careful design regulation , mixed use neighbourhoods with lots of ways of getting around , and population concentrations proportionate to the level of infrastructure in place .
The challenges facing urban centres are multifaceted , and minimising risks will require an integrated approach to planning and design strategies . This integrated approach is a key element in the philosophy behind postgraduate studies in urban design and planning , which enable professionals to acquire substantive skills in designing neighbourhoods as well as regulating development to withstand floods , heat and other climate stresses . Graduates also develop vital process skills , including how to support local and state governments in collaborating with communities . ■
Gabriela Quintana Vigiola is an academic , consultant and course director of UTS ’ online Master of Urban Planning and Master of Urban Design . Professor Heather MacDonald is an academic in planning and Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Design , Architecture and Building at UTS .
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