Expert voices on Urban Design in Australia.

Australian Urban is a biannual Urban Design podcast hosted by Josh Blashki. Each episode features a guest urbanist or designer who brings a deep understanding of an Australian project, precinct or place.

Episode 1 –

Docklands, Melbourne

Professor Kim Dovey

This episode's guest is Kim Dovey, a Professor of Architecture and Urban Design and Director of the Informal Urbanism Research Hub: InfUr– at the University of Melbourne. His research on social issues in architecture and urban design has included investigations of urban place identity, creative clusters, transit-oriented urban design and the morphology of informal settlements. Books include 'Framing Places: Mediating Power in Built Form' (1999/2008),  'Fluid City' (2005), 'Becoming Places' (2010) and Urban Design Thinking (2016).

Published by Routledge in 2005, Fluid City offers an in-depth examination of the redevelopment of Melbourne's urban waterfront, placing it within the global context of urban waterfront transformations.

We delve into the fascinating evolution of Melbourne's Docklands - from its origins as a swamp, through its use as a major shipping dock, to its current status as a ‘soulless’ urban waterfront precinct, dominated by strong winds, tall towers, ‘cul-de-sacs’, and the absence of vibrant urban life.

 

Episode 2 –

King’s Cross, Sydney

Dr Elizabeth Farrelly

This episode's guest is Elizabeth Farelly. Dr Farrelly has spent over 30 years as one of Sydney’s leading public intellectuals and as the Sydney Morning Herald’s principal columnist on urbanisation, planning and governance issues. She is trained in architecture and philosophy and holds a PhD in Urbanism from the University of Sydney.

"Killing Sydney: The Fight for a City's Soul" was published in March 2021 by Picador Australia, It explores the challenges facing Sydney due to overdevelopment and the privatization of public spaces.

In this episode on Kings Cross, we delve into the fascinating evolution of Sydney's iconic neighbourhood—from a bohemian enclave, through its transformation into a bustling nightlife district, to its current status as a gentrified area marked by rising rents, luxury apartments, and the erosion of its once-vibrant street life.