The Federal Government has published the country’s first urban design protocol. Aimed at improving the design of public spaces and city buildings, the plain-English protocol provides a checklist for decision makers and professionals involved in the area of public space design.

 

The Creating Places for People – an urban design protocol for Australian cities protocol was launched at the fifth annual State of the Australian Cities conference.

 

The document, along with the complementary website, is designed to help produce the attractive, high-quality sustainable places in which people will want to live, work and relax.

 

The protocol sets out the common sense principles which underpin good urban design and provides advice for avoiding the planning mistakes often create neighbourhoods characterised by high crime rates, poor health outcomes, social isolation, joblessness, poor housing and a lack of basic services.

 

A full copy of the document can be downloaded from: www.urbandesign.gov.au.