Reflecting on the changes in urban planning since he co-founded RobertsDay in 1993, Mike Day highlights several key shifts.

“Australia’s rapid house price and population growth over the last three decades has transformed urban landscapes, and resulted in reduced household sizes which, in turn, have influenced housing preferences, leading to an apartment boom and more compact housing forms to maintain housing affordability. The planning and urban development industry has once again embraced transit based mixed-use, walkable urbanism that prioritises community living and fosters social interaction.

“The rise and growth of the sharing economy, with services such as Uber, have fundamentally transformed transport as a service and how we navigate urban spaces. Additionally, the integration of technology has shifted our understanding of transportation, with the emergence of micro-mobility options such as eBikes.”

Looking ahead, Hatch envisions a future where urban planning will focus on various critical aspects. “Urban regeneration will be a top priority, with a concerted effort to revitalise existing urban zones, promote sustainable development, and lay the foundations for transit-based, mixed-use, walkable urban settings within the growth areas of our capital and regional cities to create more vibrant and eco-friendly cities. Social value and urban prosperity will also take centre stage, with an emphasis on enhancing long-term sustainable social well-being and inclusivity, ensuring that cities provide broader societal benefits for residents.”

Transit-oriented communities will become more common, with neighbourhoods developed around efficient public transportation, reducing dependence on personal vehicles, thereby easing congestion, and improving overall quality of life.

Day says: “Infrastructure forms the physical and functional backbone of any city. Too often, public transit is planned, designed, and operated primarily as a system for moving people. Hatch’s urban solutions team has multifaceted experience and expertise in optimising the social, economic and place-related value of transit investments to create liveable, walkable, mixed-use transit-oriented communities."

He says: “Cities will also find innovative ways to repurpose underutilised or obsolete urban assets, turning them into sustainable and functional spaces to reduce waste and environmental impact."

“Suburban areas will undergo significant transformation, becoming more sustainable, walkable, and integrated with urban centres, ensuring they contribute to a greener, more interconnected urban landscape. This forward-looking perspective reflects a commitment to creating urban environments that are adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable in the decades to come.”

Hatch will honour the legacy of RobertsDay’s 30 years of industry excellence in early 2024 with an event for clients and other stakeholders, featuring keynote speaker NY-based Professor June Williamson, one of the world’s foremost urbanists, and built form experts and authors. June is best known for her ideas on the retrofitting of American suburbia into a denser, more efficient urban pattern.

Image: “Cities will also find innovative ways to repurpose underutilised or obsolete urban assets, turning them into sustainable and functional spaces to reduce waste and environmental impact." / https://www.stantec.com/en/ideas/service/landscape-architecture

Branko Miletic

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