THE DESIGN AGENDA (an approach to the sequence of house design issues)

Making connections

Grids facilitate connections. They do not have to be

orthogonal and rigid and can take on many forms and

shapes. The key is that grids provide permeable

movement networks

Making connections

Permeable or connected movement networks (streets,

paths and public spaces) provide choices for pedestrian

routes. Maximizing choice encourages people to walk or

cycle

Making connections

Providing green areas and corridors

important elements in place-

making: they enhance the legibility of a place and

increase the variety of users in a place

Providing green areas and corridors

an be for biotic

support and public amenity – these can be part of

the public or private realm, and some can be

specifically for biotic support only

Providing green areas and corridors

Treating the street as a place

With permeable movement networks and the

focus on choice and pedestrian activity, it is

important to minimize car dominance and make

streets into safe and attractive places to be

Laying out the built form

Permeable movement networks are not effective

and safe unless they are complemented by a

building form that defines the routes and spaces

Laying out the built form

By orientating “active” fronts to streets and

public spaces, and inactive “backs” to the

private realm, activity is encouraged in the streets

and public spaces, and security and privacy is

maintained in “back” spaces or courts

Absorbing diversity

The flexibility of the perimeter block form can absorb

different residential building types from apartment

buildings to terraced houses, as well as other uses

Absorbing diversity

Perimeter blocks also facilitate the integration of

different housing tenures, without having to create

completely separate buildings, which then often have

problems with the use and management of the

spaces between the buildings. With a terraced and

perimeter block form, buildings can still have

separate accesses from the street, each with their

own entrance

Absorbing diversity

The flexibility of the terrace form and the perimeter

block also encourages a variety of architectural

treatments and a range of expressions

Absorbing Diversity: Different building types a

efining public and private space

Built form should mediate between public and private

space

•This gives residents the opportunity to choose between

activity and privacy

Creating a relationship between buildings and spaces

Buildings can affect the quality of public spaces in two

ways: the way the uses interface with the space; and

how volume and mass frames or encloses the space.

These are all important considerations for the legibility

of streets and spaces

Creating a relationship between buildings and spaces

Building fronts should always face the public

realm, whether it is a street, public walkway,

park or square

Arranging the building mass

often a factor of required

densities for housing projects. High density

need not be negative, and if the building mass

is sensitively and appropriately arranged, the

places created can be very positive

Optimizing solar potential and good aspect

Sensitive orientation of buildings are more energy

efficient through passive solar gain, daylight, photovoltaic

modules and solar panels

Managing and integrating parking

Ideally, with parking in the streets, pedestrian safety

should not be compromised relying on good layout and

street landscaping and still keeping good activity in the

street

Managing and integrating parking

Decking over parking between buildings inside a block

can be a very positive move – parking requirements are

met, the cars do not dominate, and an amenity space for

the residents can be created on the deck. It is important to

maintain activity on the ground floor of the building

especially when it faces the public realm

Providing frequent and convenient access

Entrances to buildings should be from the street (public

realm) and as frequent as possible with buildings narrow

and closer together in a terrace form

Mixing uses/recycling/building in flexibility

key dimension of

sustainable high density urban housing, providing

facilities and amenities for residents and a varied and

active public neighbourhood

Providing spaces around the home

orm important interfaces

between inside and outside, private and public space.

These interface spaces can also be used as private

screens

Meeting the ground – thresholds and interface

Interfaces between the buildings and spaces

control the privacy of homes and safety in the

spaces beside. Where the buildings are high

enough

Meeting the ground – thresholds and interface

Where buildings are only two or three storeys

high (usually houses) and the streets are not of

the narrow mews type, other mechanisms must

be used to protect privacy, while enhancing

surveillance of the street.