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| A map of Melbourne Docklands |
Melbourne Docklands: Is a $12 billion dollar redevelopment of Melbourne's unused government-land waterfront and is principally managed by VicUrban (the Victorian Government's sustainable urban development agency).
VicUrban has five core objectives for the docklands development:
- To make it a place for everyone;
- To have a thriving water place;
- Having excellence in design;
- Being environmentally responsible; and
- Ensuring financial success.
Currently around its half-way point, it is expected that by its completion in 2020 there will be: 17,000 new residents, 40,000 new workers and 55,000 new visitors per day.
Furthermore, by 2020 the development is expected to have turned the area into a "successful, integrated community of residents, workers and visitors" and will double the size of Melbourne's CBD. This is due to the (on an international scale) large size of the development, which includes 200 hectares of land and water and 7 kilometres of waterfront.
"In 2020 Melbourne Dockland will be an integral part of a creative, well connected 21st century city. It will continue to be a key driver of Melbourne's economy and offer a unique urban waterfront which reflects Melbourne's elegance, diversity and culture" - Vision from: Docklands, The Second Decade.
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| Bristol Harbour |
Bristol Harbourside, United Kingdom: Is a much smaller development at 26 hectares in size and was completed in three phases between 1998 and 2010.
It was in response to a forlorn/ageing city center and the views of locals, that the Bristol City Council paved the way for extensive urban redevelopment in the 90's and later harbourside.
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| Bristol Harbourside |
Today, as the illustrations show, Bristol has come a long way since its infamous riots of the 80's. And, has a quality of life that is enviable to other British cities/towns.
With the results that both Melbourne and Bristol have experienced, all cities, not just Australian, could benefit from a real hard look at themselves, through their strengths to their flaws and have the courage not only to invoke change, but to think big.
These cases are similar but the significant points are that Bristol focused more on local people's quality of life. Melbourne focused on internatilnal competitiveness of the city to attract people.
ReplyDeleteHow do you think that we can redevelop the waterfront of Canberra;e.g. EastLake, after studying these two case studies?
I don't know much about Eastlake to be honest. But Lake Burley Griffin could use some densification just like how the Melbourne metropolitan has been situated along the Yarra River (think near St Kilda Road). The reason I say this is because whilst Lake Burley Griffin might look nice as it is, it's always empty (except for the Saturday morning rowing regatta), is mainly viewed by tourists/people who exercise and those who cross it's two bridges by car.
ReplyDeleteBring the city right up to it's edge, it will look even better and finally a decent number of people will be able to utilise it. Keep Chicago in mind, and you won't be disappointed.