That’s the Urban Plan
Source: Rosie Leishman.
As more people fill the planet, there’s a growing demand to make room for human beings to be able to thrive. This is why we need cities to save us.
Cities are rapidly expanding and evolving as society shifts towards urbanisation. As we crowd into urban spaces, we’re getting closer to one another, surrounding ourselves with people doing exciting things and consequently improving society. This is because in cities, people generally live lower-impact lifestyles, using fewer resources, less water, and less carbon.
However, this is only achieved when cities are meticulously planned to allow humans to flourish.
Urban growth can be a negative thing. It can lead to pollution, traffic gridlock, sprawl, and concrete jungles which can make conditions unhealthy and uninspiring.
But urban growth can be a positive thing. With tree-lined boulevards, efficient transport, people-friendly areas, thriving shops, venues, and housing within walking distance of the things needed to live a good life.
The difference is up to urban planners and designers.
Niko Elsen is an urban planner and designer for Eke Panuku, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland's urban regeneration agency.
“My day-to-day job is spent collaborating with 'urban professionals' like architects, engineers, politicians, community members, and our mana whenua partners, to create amazing public spaces and opportunities,” said Elsen.
Urban planners work with words – the law, regulations, and codes – in communicating how to shape and shift urban spaces.
Urban design is more creative. Designers act as urban architects to dream and visually articulate plans, to make city environments equitable, beautiful, performative, and sustainable.
Elsen entered the profession for cultural, social, and environmental sustainability.
“Sustainability can feel quite ‘doom and gloom’. It’s hard to see how things can get better.” However, Elsen was inspired by cities, and “got excited about the opportunities to change cities for the better.”
Source: Rosie Leishman.
Urbanism can solve some of the world’s biggest issues: housing affordability, population problems, climate solutions, even simply creating good lives by solving social and community matters.
Mana whenua plays a huge part in urban design, with good cities reflecting mana whenua aspirations, purākau, and holding a sense of identity in the built environment.
“You can create real messes if you don’t do cities right. So much of the pollution contributing to climate change comes from doing cities poorly,” said Elsen. “If you do them better, you can start to solve these things.”
Well-managed urban growth can be found in Copenhagen and Singapore, who have much smaller environmental impact than sprawled cities like Los Angeles or Perth.
Aotearoa seems to lose sight of the opportunities in urban spaces, always trailing behind cities overseas.
“People wrongly think it's because we don't have the population but that’s a misconception… it’s actually about the designs, decision-making, the politics, and quality urban planning,” Elsen explained.
“When cities are done well, they are arguably mankind's greatest invention.”
Ōtautahi’s city centre has revived and rebuilt itself post-earthquake, but only through extensive planning and lots of patience.
Urban designer Nicola Williams first moved to Ōtautahi after the earthquakes. Williams ended up falling in love with Christchurch and its people.
Williams believes that urban planning improves the well-being and livability of natural systems, for residents, and businesses, while strengthening how we adapt to climate change.
“Ōtautahi has embarked on this urbanisation process really well after the earthquakes, by balancing the top-down decisions with a grassroots approach to trialing temporary initiatives,” said Williams.
For the rebuild, Ngāi Tahu, Christchurch City Council, Ōtākaro Limited, and the Government collaborated on a new urban plan. Williams described the focus as creating accessible, sunlit streets, and improving access to the awa to encourage higher quality of life in the CBD.
However, the biggest challenge in the field is time.
Planning requires patience with the process – often a 20-to-30-year timeframe. “Sometimes it takes longer to plan and design something than to build it. The building is the easy bit,” laughed Elsen, who said plans he worked on more than five years ago have only just started construction.
Urban planning and sustainability are intrinsically related, with efficiently urban-designed spaces providing safe places for people to escape climate change.
“Not only does good city shaping improve ecosystem sustainability, but also lifestyle and economic sustainability,” said Williams.
Elsen agreed that “sustainable land use and planning measures help cities avoid and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the effects of climate change, and promote spatial equity.”
“The urban planning decisions made today will have a major impact on the carbon emissions, resilience, and quality of life of tomorrow.”
So what’s our urban plan?
According to Elsen, the future of Aotearoa cities is bright.
As a young nation, we have a deep capacity for change, opportunity, and improvement. The hope is to inspire the community to thrive: through beautiful tree-lined streets, affordable housing, high-frequency transport, and spaces to walk or cycle.
Williams, who works for Christchurch City Council, mentioned the Greater Christchurch Partnership, who developed Ōtautahi’s first spatial plan for growth over the next 20 years.
It includes a proposed Mass Rapid Transport system, where people can move quickly and reliably on transport. This initiative will help achieve aspirations for a functioning, sustainable city that’s safe, resilient, healthy, and enjoyable.
“The revitalisation of Christchurch’s city centre will only continue to grow in energy,” said Elsen. “This kind of urbanism is an unstoppable force.”