What do the 'DIY urbanism' movement and homelessness have in common? Whether it's a temporary studio, a pop-up shop, a sleeping bag in a doorway or a tarpaulin under a bridge, all are informal responses to the scarcity of space for everyone's needs and ambitions. But while DIY urbanism is hailed as a creative, revitalising force, the homeless are still marginalised in many cities.
We argue for a sense of global ambition for Australia's regional cities and outer suburban centres, and that the issues that confront smaller cities be brought out of the shadows of the megacity.
A national urban policy must set the strategy for the national urban system--the balancing of small, medium and large cities--and offer a 'global city' future for Australia's regional cities and outer suburban centres.
The cities of the twenty-first century are too big for the old hub-and-spokes models; cities like Los Angeles, London and Sydney should be planned as tapestries, with ruthless disregard for the traditional dominance of our city centres.
An unusually raw press release from the Barangaroo Delivery Authority's media team raises questions about the Authority's internal organisation.
So, whilst DIY urbanists and the primary homeless are responding to scarcity in very different orders, they share a reliance on marginal urban space.
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The Global Urbanist is an online magazine reviewing urban affairs and urban development issues in cities throughout the developed and developing world.
Its readers are drawn from the urban policy and international development sectors, and include urban planners, officers in local, national or international government agencies, civil society leaders, and researchers.
