Urb

Urb’s Town Centre workshop overview in Prezi

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:56:32 +0100

Urb’s Town Centre workshop overview in Prezi

"Modern architecture and urbanism created the city of doing as opposed to the city of being, where..."

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:59:00 +0100

“Modern architecture and urbanism created the city of doing as opposed to the city of being,...

"If you plan cities for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic. If you plan for people and..."

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:23:00 +0100

“If you plan cities for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic. If you plan for people and...

Retail Planning Guidelines 2012; an opportunity for Urban...

Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:03 +0100

Retail Planning Guidelines 2012; an opportunity for Urban Centres, but only if Local Authorities change their game

The final Retail Planning Guidelines published on 1st May, present a much stronger focus on town centres. The National Policy Objectives in particular really place a fresh onus on the quality and location of development. However, it remains to seen if Objective 3 (the Asda/Walmart clause) could be used to go a different direction altogether (in the interest of competitiveness).

The Guidelines come down heavy on Retail Warehouse Parks, which are struggling anyway, and looking to broaden their occupier profiles to fill units.

The Guidelines (and Ministers) talk the talk on Vitality and Viability, but a lot of hard work needs to be done on this. There is a huge information-gap on town centres, on all the important measures referred to Annex 2.

Town centre health checks or indicators need to be removed entirely from the context of development proposals, as an open-source of information for town and city centres to be able to say – this is where we are – and here is an action plan for what we can do.

This requires a huge change in mind-set for Local Authorities and Business Associations/Chambers of commerce. It requires a proactive approach and leadership; not the kind where a County Manager comes up with a hobby-hourse initiative, but leadership across public and private sectors working in partnership.

The Design Guidelines attached to main document are irrelevant, and sum up a problem in mind-set… its all about the big new development, an architectural statement or the big man in town who is going to come to the rescue.

Its down to political will and leadership, and a culture that either wants to aspire or play to the lowest common denominator. Some cities and towns will follow the quality route, and many will continue to wowed by the prospect of the next big thing. The Guidelines highllight the potential of Town Centre partnership and BIDs as a proactive next step…

Full post at Life After Roundabouts blog

Ireland needs a pro-city planning strategy not more regional planning

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:23:29 +0100

Ireland needs a pro-city planning strategy not more regional planning

Mayor Sam Adams: A fresh take on building prosperous cities

Tue, 08 May 2012 18:50:02 +0100

Mayor Sam Adams: A fresh take on building prosperous cities: samadamspdxor: PORTLAND — I help lead...

Dublin Civic Trust launch their new report Thomas Street –...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:12:43 +0100

Dublin Civic Trust launch their new report Thomas Street – Improving the Public Face of an Historic City Centre Street tomorrow in the National College of Art and Design, with Lord Mayor of Dublin, Andrew Montague. I’m happy to have contributed the Implementation section to the study.

Mahon and Zoning - a new post at Life after Roundabouts

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:24:14 +0100

Mahon and Zoning - a new post at Life after Roundabouts

citybreaths: Today, Saskia Sassen spoke at PICNIC in Amsterdam....

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:59:37 +0100

citybreaths:

Today, Saskia Sassen spoke at PICNIC in Amsterdam. Check out the video of her great talk, and how she respects the inherent complexity and incompleteness of cities.

Sassen claims that “the city hacks technology”. In other words: you can’t just deploy technologies in order to make a city “smart”. Technology often doesn’t solve problems like it is expected to, because the specific technical capabilities of interactive technologies have to deliver their utilities through complex ecologies. These ecologies consist of users’ logics, which often diverge significantly from the engineers’ logics.

Related posts:
Smart cities should be open-source, says Saskia Sassen
Sassen & Sennett
MEGACITIES: exploring a sustainable future

‘Planning Law in the Recession’ RTPI Law lecture on...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:00:06 +0100

‘Planning Law in the Recession’ RTPI Law lecture on 18th April with Garrett Simons SC in the Venue, Dublin Civic Offices. Contact: irelandsouth@rtpi.org.uk

The Town Centre Workshop

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:03:27 +0000

Urb has developed The Town Centre Workshop; a day-long workshop primarily designed for local...

Mark Raymond, The Capacity of Design to effect Social Change /...

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:51:36 +0000

Mark Raymond, The Capacity of Design to effect Social Change / Victims of the City

Very interesting TEDx talk by Mark Raymond. Makes argument that typologies of building (glass towers, shopping malls etc) have been privileged over others (schools, parks, streets) which undermines capacity of city to accommodate Social Interaction. In contrast to Ed Glazer he argues that high rise places a premium on land values which pushes people out of city and polarizes society) (sourced from twitter @milwardoliverg)

INTBAU Ireland seminar in Queen’s University Belfast on...

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:38:13 +0000

INTBAU Ireland seminar in Queen’s University Belfast on Wednesday, 25th April. ‘Building Traditions in the Age of Uncertainty’. As a sub-title it could be ‘thinking of built heritage as a living thing, that is contemporary and relevant, from new uses for old building to the natural and indigenous materials we use’ (but thats not very snappy).

RTPI - Ireland Event - Assessment of Professional Competence...

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:46:45 +0000

RTPI - Ireland Event - Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and Overseas Opportunities ’ 28^th March at 5:15pm. This event will be of particular value to student and licentiate members. Attendees may attend either or both parts of the event. There is no charge for this event. Reserve your place please at aideen.murray@rtpi.org.uk

World Heritage site or bungalows......

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:54:00 +0000

see post at http://lifeafterroundabouts.blogspot.com/2012/03/world-heritage-site-or-bungalows.html

Project: Digital Realty Trust Planning Permission achieved

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:10:52 +0000

Digital Realty Trust has been granted planning permission by South Dublin County Council (1st March...

Sligo Chamber of Commerce – Referral – Sligo Retail Park, March 2012

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Sligo Chamber of Commerce is a strong supporter of Town Centre retail and investment, and has...

Richard Hamilton’s Paper Mechanisms for Supporting Investment...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:28:32 +0000

Richard Hamilton’s Paper Mechanisms for Supporting Investment and Renewal of Urban Cores. Regeneration or New Quality? (2011) has been included in Mironowicz, I & Ryser, J (Ed.) Urban Change The Prospect of Transformation An outcome of: European Urban Summer School, Wroclaw 2011, UN Habitat, AESOP, Wroclaw University of Technology

The book is an outcome of the 1st AESOP and UN Habitat European Urban Summer School (EUSS).

From the review:

EUSS2010, it is evident from the collected scholarly papers and the thoughtful and imaginative work of the young planners, is a milestone in the improvement of European planning thought and practice. Merging the past, present, and future within an overall sustainability framework conceived at multiple scales and across multiple functions, the work of the young planners at the site, district, and city level is a landmark of achievement.
- David C. Prosperi, Henry D. Epstein Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Florida Atlantic University, USA

The book is available in hard copy for 50€ (contact zamawianie.ksiazek (at) pwr.wroc.pl) or free for download using the following link.

Projects: Fáilte Ireland (Irish Tourist Board) November 2011...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:13:00 +0000

Projects: Fáilte Ireland (Irish Tourist Board) November 2011

Briefing Paper on implications of shared surfaces for destination/tourist town centres, its potential impact on the historic core, and its alignment with a broader picture of the management of the town centre (and as such the Tourist/Visitor product), visitor attractions and the day to day activities of the town centre.

Greater London Authority Draft Integrated Impact Assessment for Croydon OAPF

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Greater London Authority (GLA) appointed Richard Hamilton on contract to City Hall in London from...