When does a town become yours

"The measure of a city is more about everyday wonders" - International Herald Tribune

What makes a town unique, liveable and yours? This week, I learned that it is not all about the futuristic, shiny, mass-produced modernist Le Corbusier style buildings. It's more about the quirks of a city, whether it is a large piece of public art, a small plaza in Manuka that sells specialist coffee or an enjoyable small ice skating rink that's only around a short period of the year. These places are the quirks of my liveable town.

Canberra's July ice skating rink, reminiscent of a northern hemisphere winter city.

This week’s text reading was 'How to make a town'. And, as the title suggests, it's all about the main elements (or variables) of a town. It started off by talking about whether the use of greenfield for new towns is justifiable and makes an argument that urban infill should be prioritised (for economically efficient and environmentally sound reasons). It then focuses on mixed use development, connectivity, making the most of a site, making transit work, the streets, the buildings, parking and the inevitable question of style.

Whilst all of the guidelines for making a town seem rational, I get the feeling that it's still conditional when comparing the desires of the developer (the person funding development).