COMMUNITY SPACE IN THE 200 MILE CITY
What urban form would the future 200 mile city take?

Paul Murray Harding
June 2004

Would it be linear or nodal, orthogonal or organic in layout? What population densities would it support? What would the building typology consist of? Funky warehouse style apartments supporting an alfresco dining style or a sub-urban sprawl that allows all Australian families to own their individual dream home?

More importantly, what types of spaces will be provided to facilitate the encounters and interactions that make up public and community life?

In order to form healthy, positive and vibrant communities, it seems essential that urban designers identify the needs and requirements of all members of our society and to cater for these diverse needs.

What role will landscape architects have in determining the form and nature of the public spaces in the 200 mile city?

As landscape architects design open spaces, public spaces, civic spaces, and living spaces, they should play a critical role in determining the urban form of the 200 mile city.

The above spaces make up the public domain, the transitional spaces between the private home and the wider community. This is where much of public life occurs, in active and passive encounters between a variety of individuals, families and community groups in meeting places that include commercial, transitional and recreational spaces.

What types of spaces need to be provided to facilitate these encounters and interactions that make up public and community life? Can these community spaces be designed or should they be allowed to simply evolve?

From public to private space, city to home, how do meeting places such as parks and market places contribute to the public domain?

Is it possible to design for the creation of meaningful public spaces in urban & sub-urban environments if we agree that, “the investing of a public space with civic significance requires far more than artful design. History, public memory and political legitimation come into play.”

How does one define the ‘genius loci’ of new urban/ sub-urban developments?

On the Adelaide coastline at Glenelg, the new Holdfast Shores marina and high rise apartment complex stands where a carpark used to be, obliterating the sea view from the end of Anzac Highway. Standing in the queue at the Oyster Bar, in the new Marina, one does not have the same ambience as having a few beers with friends in the old carpark, overlooking the sea on a warm summers evening. In fact, that sort of behaviour would probably now be seen as anti social and might even get you arrested!