Rooff’s Post

Unfortunately it appears that this complex of structures is another case of massing gone awry - no form based zoning to speak of - no flow of open spaces connected to anything just bounded plaza volumes that don't serve any purpose other than - OK - there is some open space - that's a bonus but what a feng shui nightmare of a layout - no hierarchy - no focal points - no splines but maybe one in the very middle leading to no one knows - varigation of scale feels completely random to adjacent uses / environs - lost opportunity to create a mixed-use corridor with activities and services off the primary arterial ? Great rendering though - ;) - chop slash and dash masterplanning bones - beam me up Scottie - -

Coram Houses mission is to break cycles of injustice through creative affordable housing, equitable access to capital, and inclusive community. Our projects typically hit at least one of those 3 pillars, but every now and then there is a project that hits all 3. Sonja Likness reached out for an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) on her property to create housing and an additional income stream. At the same time, a neighbor of her’s was in the process losing their housing and having to find a new place to call home. The ADU could have solved the housing issue for the neighbor, but in hopes of equitably sharing the benefit we were able to put together a way for both the homeowner and the ADU resident to share in the upside and appreciation of the property—doing so while sharing the land and sharing themselves. Creative housing. Equitable capital. Inclusive community. I founded Coram partly to witness this sharing that is possible, but often goes against typical capitalistic sensibilities. Creating a more just society, upending cycles of dehumanizing exchange, and uniting our well-being to the well-being of others is not easy. It means taking a little less when you could take more, and doing so for the benefit of your community, your neighbor. We try our best for that to be on display in all our work. It’s all on display on this project. Many thanks to Southern Urbanism for highlighting this work. It’s small steps. Intimate backyard revolutions. Gentle density. And a hope that we see each other at the journey’s end.

Tallest, largest, biggest continue in the second half. Sydney to Host World's Tallest Timber Tower: Lendlease's 55-Storey Hybrid Building Planned at Pitt and Hunter Streets, Reaching 220 Metres High. https://lnkd.in/e4s97Nti These kinds of projects help you see the peak and what you should do. This book can teach you how. https://lnkd.in/eQhtEVM6

For this year’s final #BlackHistoryMonth community spotlight, KAI looks to the Arlington Grove Apartments project. Located in the City of St. Louis, this special project included the redevelopment of the William B. Ittner designed Arlington School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Established under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register of Historic Places, managed by the National Park Service, aims to facilitate public and private initiatives in identifying, assessing, and safeguarding America's historical and archaeological assets. KAI was chosen by the St. Louis Housing Authority to perform Design-Build services and transform the block into a $34 million, 162,000 square foot mixed-income and mixed-finance residential development that includes 112 units of apartments, townhouses, and semi-detached housing as well as a mixed-use building and renovated school. The 91 construction housing units included a heavy emphasis on sustainability that positively impacts both the residents and the community for years to come. The opportunity to help provide people in underserved areas with a meaningful place to live and a starting point for a better future is something on which we’ve built our legacy. Our mission of transforming communities is part of every project we take part in and is a mission we strive for with each step we take into the future. Read more about this historic and meaningful project in the link below. https://lnkd.in/g-m-VSSp #TransformingCommunities #CommunityImpact #AEC #Design #Engineering #CommunityInvestment #Construction #CommunityDesign #ResidentialDesign #EducationDesign

Taking cues from how WA is able to scale up workers from our north-west resources or infrastructure projects, here is an accelerator idea to deliver longer-term, permanent living options into Western Australia faster, cheaper, and more sustainably. By providing short-term housing solutions (say 10-15 years) as construction and key worker villages across the Perth metropolitan area, this will then increase the supply of long-term, permanent, and affordable housing, as it will allow for more trades to flow into the industry and therefore more permanent homes to be built. The villages could be provided on under-utilised crown land, or on land in areas such as around new Metronet train stations that currently don’t meet private development hurdle targets to develop now - allowing the land to be put to good use straight away, then sold off and developed by industry in the future when returns improve. This idea could work anywhere else across the country, as long migration opportunities for international key construction workers are also supported by the Federal Government. As a consequence, more workers/construction labor force in the WA market means more competitive pricing of projects, faster delivery of housing, and keeping construction costs down. Furthermore, this is a step closer to being able to move from the 16,000 dwellings currently being delivered annually to the required 25,000 to meet our Federal housing targets. Living in these homes is a short-term accommodation option that will accelerate the delivery of suitable permanent housing options for workers and their families to live in, as more homes are delivered into the WA market and our rental vacancy increases. Let's take advantage of under-utilized land and increase the supply of long-term, affordable housing options. Thank you to Kim Macdonald and The West Australian for the chat.

PENDING… Urban Amnesia (UA) Project: refers to the phenomenon where cities and their inhabitants forget or neglect the cultural, architectural, and historical elements of their urban environments. This can happen due to rapid urban development, modernization, or the erasure of older structures and traditions to make way for new infrastructure. The term highlights the disconnection between a city’s past and its present, leading to a loss of collective memory about the significance of certain places, neighborhoods, or landmarks. Urban amnesia can manifest in the disappearance of historical buildings, the loss of communal spaces, or the diminishing recognition of a city's original character and heritage. The phenomenon is often criticized because it can strip a city of its identity, disrupt community ties, and contribute to a homogenized urban landscape that lacks depth and historical continuity. Revitalizing interest in a city's past through preservation, adaptive reuse, and cultural programming can help combat urban amnesia by reconnecting people to their history and heritage.

Join the Lambda Alpha International George Washington Chapter (LAIGW) for a presentation on "Transportation's Role in Placemaking: How does it improve developments and communities?".

Since Stephenson's original City Planning Scheme and its subsequent revisions, key documents like the Urban Design Framework (2009) and The Perth City Snapshot (2016) have shifted the focus toward resilience, ecology, and sustainability, aiming to reshape Perth as both a destination and a liveable city. Further initiatives, including the City of Perth Sustainability Strategy and the Perth City Deal, highlight this ongoing effort. This important event seeks to explore how the Ten Principles of good design might further inform strategic planning and provide a clear, actionable vision for addressing Perth's urban challenges and aspirations. https://lnkd.in/gP8wMX_n #planning #urbandesign #designwa #tenprinciples #citypolicy #capitalcity #perth #perthplanning #perthurbandesign #perthfuture #perthurbanresearchlab #curtin #dbe

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 | Culturally Conscious Architecture The cataclysmic eruption of the Soufriere volcano destroyed Montserrat’s capital town of Plymouth and its surrounding areas in 1995. Today, a desolate landscape prevails in the wake of pyroclastic flows, blanketed by a dense layer of ash with partially embedded remnants of the buildings and infrastructure ravished by this tumultuous life-changing event. Despite the devastating loss experienced by its people, there is optimism, will and opportunity to rebuild and restore a viable, self-sustaining population and attendant public services supported by proper planning of public buildings and civic spaces. The new parliament building is one such facility which can aid in the island’s rehabilitation. #bryanbullenarchitects #caribbeanarchitecture #caribbeanthoughtleaders #contemporaryarchitect #grenadianarchitect #caribbeanarchitect #tropicalarchitecture #biophillicdesign #sustainablearchitecture

As Chair and Co-chair of several Local Government Design Review Panels and an Urban Designer, I am amazed at how often poor design follows poor planning. I am also inspired by how the Local Government's commitment to design across planning and development policy can rapidly lift design standards and outcomes. So, how far should the Capital City go to champion great design? As I dragged myself through a half marathon yesterday, looking at the City from South Perth as it sat on a mirror of water, the skyline looked like a collection of glass boxes distinguished only by their tone of grey. Few were spoilt by the relics of antiquated, liveable urbanism, such as balconies and terraces, and none more than dabbled in integrating the biophilia that sat at their feet. Fortunately, living skylines do not make cities; it is streetscapes and interstitial spaces. In that regard, Perth is evolving quickly; look at the images in the 1992 City Spaces and City Life Study (Prof Jan Gehl et al. [including myself] for Perth City Council and the State of WA) and note the wins and losses over the last 30 years. We have to ask, where will we be in another 30 years? I am looking forward to this important conversation on this Wednesday night. It seems timely and critical not only for the panel but also because, right now, Francesco Maria Mancini and a handful of others are animating a conversation that could reshape the City’s future.