MIIIX & MEEET_URBAN DESIGN THESIS 2022

Miiix & Meeet

- an alternative model for Melbourne’s growth area development

Yang Bai University of Melbourne Master of Urban Design thesis

Cities are designed by crisis

Modern cities are in part the direct result of past pandemics. In mid 19th-century, the newly industrialised centres in UK were sprawling with overcrowded, poorly ventilated housing which became the hotbed for infectious disease and social inequity. This poor housing condition inspried city planners to design the new settlement model called garden city.

The garden city movement and the suburban dream

Planners in the 19th century believe the garden city model create healther communities. It became a trend that middle classed workers move their family to the detached homes with accompanying gardens at the city fringe, and travelt to the city centre to make living. Nowadays, this great suburban dream still have a huge influnce in the way we grow our cities.

Victorian London streets with terraces, Gustave Doré, 1872.

Detail from a plan for a Garden City, Ebeneezer Howard.

Letchworth garden city poster

Housing at Letchworth garden city, Hertfordshire, England

People are younger in growth area suburbs

Based on the new 2021 census, comparing to Victoria, growth area LGAs have a higher proportion of people in the younger age groups (0 to 17 years) and the parents and homebuilder group (35 to 49 years). Less people are in the older age groups (60+ years).

43.5% of households were made up of couples with children

12.1% were one-parent families, compared with 30.9% and 10.2% in Victoria.

37.6% arrived in Australia within last 10 years.

41.8% of people spoke a language other than English

compared with 27.6% in Victoria in 2021. The top 3 languages are Punjabo, Arabic and Hindi.

Comparing to Victoria, there was a slightly lower proportion of high income people (those earning $2,000 per week or more) in growth area LGAs (8.3% comparing to 12.3% in Victoria).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2021

Advertisement of a new greenfield development in Melbourne, Orchard Green Estate, Melton South. Source: https://www.orchardgreen.com.au/

< $2,000 per week

Melbourne’s greenfield development

In metropolitan Melbourne, the population is projected to almost double by 2056 , from 4.7 million in 2016 to 9 million in 2056 (VIF 2019).

To accomondate this growth, new greenfield suburbs are planned and developed at the urban firinge. Most of the projected growth will happen in these new suburbs (VIF 2019).

These well marketed greenfield housing estates become many people’s new suburban dream.

Punjabi Arabic Hindi

My utopia, your dystopia

What are people satisfied about?

“The people here are much more friendly. It’s more like a county life style.”

“We choose to live here for two reasons: family and affordability.”

– female resident of Wyndham

“Schools are probably the main thing, since I have a high school child and a primary school child.”

– female resident of Melton

“For my family expecially for my kids, there is a big park here.”

– male resident of Casey

Source: Living ‘liveable’: lived experience of life on the urban fringe, RMIT

What are people dissatisfied about?

“For grocery shopping, I have to travel a bit of distance.”

– male resident of Wyndham

“My average day, take my hubby to work...It nomally takes me 2 hours to drive. He dosen’t drive... but there is no public transport to take my husband to work.”

– female resident of Wyndham

“Increasing time for people to commute means less time for family, friends and for community

For people who are stressed, that stress is increasing.”

– male resident of Wittlesea

20% of households owning one car only, while 79% had two or more cars

“Some of the infrastrucutre hasn’t really kept up pace...We still have single lane traffic. Even getting into the next suburb can take 45 minutes to travel 7 km. ”

– female resident of Casey

In a study, 68% of residents hoped to move away from the neighbourhood in the future. (Larissa et al, 2018).

Source: Living ‘liveable’: lived experience of life on the urban fringe, RMIT

What are people dissatisfied about?

“Apart from the park, there is nothing there. All is there In terms of facilities are fast food and restaurant... my parents feel very isolated...

– male resident of Casey

“...growing up in another country and the different culture, [community] is normal... coming here [Australia]…you distance yourself from pretty much everyone...”

– resident of Selandra Rise

“...the low usage of the local park made it unattractive to us......I’d love to maybe go and hang out at like the community centre. But whenever I walk past it’s so sterile…It doesn’t have that warm sort of community feel....”

– resident of Selandra Rise

“...not feel comfortable going to organised events because I am not confident speaking English... prefer parks as a place for incidental interactions that might lead to friendship...”

– resident of Selandra Rise

Source: Living ‘liveable’: lived experience of life on the urban fringe, RMIT

...it was a nice suprise to see the sailing boat...

...I enjoy going for a walk through different path everytime...

...now I know how a pelican looks like... ...this sculpture looks interesting...

What do people enjoy in their local public space?

The mass produced suburbs

The system behind this model

Healthy communities Climate change

Population growth

Economic growth

Policy makers & Planning authorities

policy to meet community‘s expectation

define intensity of growth provide guidance for development

limited planning tools to ensure quality outcome

expectation on suburban life

Earn profits

Better life

define the extent of growth

development that meet minimum requirement rigid and arbitrary zoning system

limited tools to understand community needs lack of participation in neighbourhood design restrict innovation and mix to happen prefer location with easy car access

replicable development model

Growth area development

Real estate developers

Earn profits

rely on anchor tenants (i.e.supermarkets) to make profits

car based retail model

few other business or service other than the anchor tenant

forced car ownership limited opportunities for local businesses

inequality in retail choice

Existing & future residents enforce planning controls sell dreams to people

Large retailers

Earn profits

key drivers

key roles & actions

centralised management and ownership limitations

New challenges

- Changes in how we work

- Population growth

- Increasing cultural diversity

- Climate change - etc

An alternative model?

Place = meaning people social stories memories connection occupation nature

“...density, complexity, diversity and dissonance give life...”

“...people absorb, participate, adapt to changes, ‘live into’ the place, attach to the place...”

- Sennett, R, 2017. The open city.

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Cranbourne E ast Pre cinc t The testing ground - Cranbourne east

Cranbourne E ast Pre cinc t

Cranbourne E ast Pre cinc t

Retail centre Community centre

Park and playground

Sports field

Retail centre Community centre

Wetland nature reserve

Park and playground

Sports field

Wetland nature reserve

Space typology analysis

Typology

Elements

Vibe Study area

- Lawn

- Play ground

Parks and playgrounds

Sports fields

Retail centres

Community centres

- Small sports facilities

- Community garden - Dog unleash area

- Large sports fields

- Car park

- Cafe & restaurant

- Benches - Car park

- Sitting areas - Workshop rooms - Kids play area - Car park

Wetland and nature reserve

- Walking trail - Car park

Space use analysis

Pedestrian mapping % arrive by car

Pedestrian volume in a day

Pedestrian volume in a week Program

Community garden working bees (once a month)

- Football Club

- Cricket Association Clubs

- Workshops

12:40-12:45pm in a week day

Population analysis

Australia

Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4) Primary and Secondary schoolers (5 to 17)

Young workforce and Tertiary education and independence (18 to 34)

Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49)

Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59)

Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69)

Elderly aged (85 and over)

India

Philippines Afghanistan

Other Sri Lanka New Zealand

Country of birth

The proposal

Miiix & Meeet

- an alternative model for Melbourne’s growth area development

wow!

- Virtual and mixed reality experiences

- Experience in public spaces

Programmed open spaces with mixed form and functions that allow conflicts and adaptation.

- Experience on streets

Streets that create diverse experiences for people when passing through different territories.

- Nature experiences

Design response to and preserve existing nature features on site, create nature experiences and awareness of nature.

A programmed network of social spaces that create layers of experience and encounters.

life

Spaces

Streets

Multisensory experience when moving through spaces

Nature

Environmental functions in everyday life wow!

place of worship

workshop spaces market spaces

co-working spaces retail shops playgrounds

education facilities

craft spaces food production space gym health facilities sports fields out door walking and cycling trails Social functions in everyday

theaters

CO2 emission

sensory experience when driving sensory experience when walking sight touch smell hearing taste

- density - form - elevation - people - public furnitures and amenities - vegetation - water - vegetations - restaurants - animals - water - people - fruits - restaurants

Virtual

place based Community metaverse wow!

rain water gardens

out door walking and cycling trails storm water storage ponds

wetlands

grey water treatment ponds green wall and green roof regenerative landscape design urban farm

urban forest parks trees and srubs

biodiversity energy sustainability

meet future neighbours before movie in

participate in space design and programing

real time space usage data

online social forum

organise events information share

Participate

wow! weather alert announcements

comments on future needs

rating and feedbacks

report maintanance needs data collection for policy making or research

Mix and meet in Spaces

Space network

Design strategies

Typology 2: Neighbourhood pavilions

Typology 1: Large open spaces

single form and function

mixed function mixed form

mixed form and function mixed form and function with flexibility

flexibility in form and function

Space typology 1: Large open spaces

Rock climing

Roof top bike park/ cafe

Community centre

Sports fields

Sports fields Sports fields

Elevated trail

Pop-up market space Amphitheater Stairs

Community space Playground

Vertical neighbourhood agriculture fields

Multifunctional open space 4 Market space

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Space typology 2: Neighbourhood

pavilions

Residents in near by blocks decide the form and function of their shared pavilion together

Compare to larger open spaces, neighbourhood pavilions are more targeted to the specific needs of local residents

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Mirror maze/beauty salon

Dance hall

Growing platforms

Batting cage/playground

Neighbourhood child care

Community kitchen

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Community garage

Temple/yoga studio

Bird watching tower/music hall

board game bar/playground

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Can I sell my homemade cakes here?

but it is a nice way to meet my neighbours:)

Co-founded coffee machine?

I hope we can have a cherry tree here. A neighbourhood gym please!

Mix and meet on Streets

Design strategies

Existing road layout

Pedestrain streets / Neighbourhood common areas

- space between private properties as common areas for pedestrian movements

Micromobility streets

- desinated paths to encourage use of alternative transport modes

Shared mobility streets

- minimise car access to large open spaces - minimise impact of car movement to other tranport modes

0-5 km/h

priority 20-30 km/h

5-10 km/h

0-5 km/h

10-20 km/h

10-20 km/h priority priority

5-10 km/h 5-10 km/h

0-5 km/h

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Mixed functions and activities along micromobility streets

- minimised car movement enable greater mix and flexibility along these streets - the diverse activities along streets encourages people to take these routes and experience the space

Road bicycle racing is on today. Let’s go have a look!

Mountain bike trail

Community garden trail

Art and play trail

Running trail

Fruit tree trail Creek side trail

WAYS TO BE SOCIAL URBAN DESIGN THESIS

Mountain bike trail

wow!

Design strategies can be applied to other grrowth area suburbs.

References:

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Badland, H. and Pearce, J., 2019. Liveable for whom? Prospects of urban liveability to address health inequities. Social science & medicine, 232, pp.94-105.

Larissa Nicholls, Kath Phelan & Cecily Maller ,2018. ‘A Fantasy to Get Employment Around the Area’: Long Commutes and Resident Health in an Outer Urban Master- Planned Estate, Urban Policy and Research, 36:1, 48-62, DOI: 10.1080/08111146.2017.1308859

Maller, C. and Nicholls, L., 2016. Planning and designing healthy new communities: Selandra Rise Research highlights. VicHealth.

Maki, F., 2012. Nurturing dreams: collected essays on architecture and the city. MIT Press.

Nicholls, L., Maller, C., and Phelan, K., 2016. Planning for community: understanding diversity in resident experiencesand expectations of social connections in a new urban fringe housing estate, Australia. Community, work & family, 1–19. Available from: http:// www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13668803.2016.1186609

Sennett, R., 2017. The open city. In In The Post-Urban World (pp. 97-106). Routledge. Sennett, R. and Sendra, P., 2022. Designing disorder: Experiments and disruptions in the city. Verso Books.