Category: urban design

  • Capital Precinct

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    We’re pleased to note that Her Worship the Mayor Kerry Prendergast, and the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable John Key, have been getting together to launch “Our Extraordinary Democracy – The Capital City Initiative“. It seems that it is not often that architecture, design, and especially urban design get discussed at such high level –…

  • The Elephant in the Room

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    Phil Jones‘ talk on last Wednesday (9 Sept 09) presented the idea of shared spaces (also known as naked streets) in the context of the council’s proposal to convert lower Cuba St into a shared space.

  • Heading out east?

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    In conjunction with plans for the indoor sports stadium on Cobham Drive (not that this is mentioned in any of the council documents) Kilbirnie town is to become a bit more of a town.

  • Naked streets: the Dutch are doing it – why don’t we?

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    “Naked streets” or “Naked roads” – some even call them (more tamely) “Shared Spaces” – have apparently been around since the 1980s.   Credited to Hans Monderman, the Naked street idea is based on a psychological approach which supports designing roads to reflect the different cognitive skills needed in different transport situations.  Shared suburban spaces…