Building Better Cities: A Journey Through Urban Design

Host: Jackie De Burca

Guest: Dr. Julian Bolleter, Co-Director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre

Below are a few of his books and you can check out Dr. Julian Bolleter on Amazon.

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Introduction:

• Jackie De Burca welcomes Dr. Julian Bolleter, an influential figure in landscape architecture and urban design.
• Julian shares his personal connection to the environment rooted in his childhood.

Main Themes:

• Urban Development Challenges: Julian discusses his research in Dubai on the city’s rapid construction, environmental impact, and labor practices.
• Climate Performance and Policy: Insight into Julian’s collaboration with state government to enhance climate performance and urban policy.
• Educational Contributions: Julian’s role in academia through teaching and writing, nurturing the next generation of urban designers.

Tune into Dr. Julian Bolleter

Research Highlights:

• New City Development and Urban Infill: Julian’s exploration into how new urban spaces are created and existing ones are optimised.
• Public Open Space Design: The significance of designing accessible and functional public spaces for communities.
• Critical Examination of Urban Growth: Analysis of historical and contemporary urban growth strategies in Australia through Julian’s publications.

Books Discussed:

• “The Ghost Cities of Australia”: A critique of past settlement strategies.
• “Scavenging the Suburbs”: Potential for densification and repurposing of underutilized urban spaces in Perth.
• “Take Me to the River”: The importance of the Swan River to Perth’s ecological and cultural landscape.

Environmental Concerns:

• Human impact on wetlands and river areas.
• Consequences of climate change like sea level rise and intense storms.
• Balancing urban densification with biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Innovative Proposals:

• Low-rise apartments near large parks as a sustainable development model.
• Investing tax revenue in park improvements and environmental initiatives.
• The concept of “solastalgia” and reclaiming urban land by nature.

Cultural Perspectives:

• Examining the relationship between Australians and their indigenous landscapes.
• Addressing cultural shifts in colonial and post-colonial contexts.

Urban and Suburban Synergy:

• Embracing the greenness of suburbia and the energy of urban life.
• Excitement for population decentralisation and the creation of new city developments.

Concerns and Advocacy:

• Warning against an overreliance on quantitative data in an AI-centric world.
• Advocating for housing affordability that includes all living costs.
• The necessity of considering individual needs in urban planning.

About Dr. Julian Bolleter

Dr Julian Bolleter is the co-director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre (AUDRC) at the University of Western Australia. His role at the AUDRC includes teaching a master’s program in urban design and conducting urban design related research and design projects.

Julian is an experienced landscape architect and urban designer and has worked in design offices in Australia, the USA, the UK and the Middle East. He has completed a PhD concerning Dubai’s urban development (which will be published by Routledge in 2018) and has commercially published six books.