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Summer in Sydney #3
A few photos to add to the Sydney photo album - the crowd, the camera, the snake & the view!
Fostering Vibrancy and Connecting our Neighbourhoods
In Australia, a new policy implemented at a local level could be viewed as the latest iteration of cultural planning. This policy, known as a Social Activations Program, is responding to local culture without the long standing confusion of ‘what is culture?’ Its focus...
Summer in Sydney #2
Some great city shots collected over the past few weeks - the harbour, the hall, the arcade! by Oskar at Riley Street Studios. by City of Sydney. by JOC.
Summer in Sydney #1
Just a few photos taken last night at Opera Bar - the boat, the house, the bridge!
Step into Christmas…and Sydney’s best popup shops!
A great retail experience has just hit Sydney in time for Christmas. Over the past week, Sydney has attracted The Cool House, designed by the Cool Hunter, and The Minimalist, which outside the festive season, is an online store based in Surry Hills. Both popups have...
JOC on Facebook!
Top 5 place making trends in Australia!
I was recently asked to be a guest contributor on Rethink Urban, a great website and consultancy, improving cities through creative placemaking and citizen engagement. The article focusses on the top 5 place making trends in Australia right now and mentions laneways,...
The Best Urban Apps Trending Now!
Some great apps to help you navigate through the concrete jungle - #1 - A developers dream Investing in property or just buying a home? Blockbrief is a must have for anyone interested in real estate, urban planning or property. If you see a house, but don’t know its...
Refurbish with Style & Change the World
Since the dot.com boom of the 1990s, start-ups have experienced a wave of success. What’s most exciting is the renewed interest in social start-ups and their potential in promoting various forms of collaborative consumption, community building and economic enterprise....
Sustainable Design – Is It Possible?
Our planning system is great for objectifying sustainability but how do we make it practical? The Living Building Challenge, an initiative of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), has the answer – start with the micro and build with ambition. I recently...
Thanks to everyone who helped with chair bombing at Green Square! The chairs look great and I can't wait to start bombing the Food Trucks, Pop Up Ping Pong and local cafes!
Greening Detroit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B36rrj1zc0
The Urban Canvas
As humans we love being around others - sharing ideas and experiencing the everyday rhythm of the city. Festivals tap into this need and provide the platform for connection between people and place. Sydney’s annual Art & About festival explores ways in which we...
Yarn Bombing in Sydney!
This has to be the best photo of the week! The 'bombers' - Cloth Fabric a local business nearby - have definitely had some fun here. Thanks to @sydneyflaneur for capturing this act of tactical urbanism in Darlinghurst, Sydney. What are your thoughts?
Own an esky? Why not turn it into a community bookshare?
If you’re ever in Sydney, a must see neighbourhood is the inner city village of Chippendale. The area is known for it’s cohesive social network, active community, vibrant street art culture and sustainable verge farming. It’s a unique place wedged between Central Park, Sydney’s newest urban renewal project, and Australia’s oldest University, Sydney University. It also houses one of Sydney’s smallest small bars, Freda’s, where the locals are family and visitors are close friends. The wine isn’t too bad either.
The newest addition to Chippendale’s community resume is the Murtle Street bookshare. Made from a recycled esky, the bookshare also reinforces the sustainable identity of the neighbourhood and values of the local people. It’s a great idea and one of my favourite initatives happening in Sydney right now.
Popup Container Mall
In recent times, the re-use of shipping containers has quickly becoming the norm. Check out the full story on Christchurch’s popup shopping mall!
Sydney PARK(ing) Day
In 2011 over 900 parking spaces were converted to parks for just one day - PARK(ing) Day. It was started by Rebar, a design firm in San Francisco, who wanted to experiement with their surroundings. Since this time it's gone on to become an international hit. As much...
Social Media & Planning
With the continued growth of social media, new ways of engaging have been adopted by urban professionals. We are increasingly seeing the benefits of engaging with a larger, younger and more mobile cohort that would, in most cases, appear largely absent from the...
The Youth Food Movement
Where is your food from? How far has it travelled? How healthy is it? In 2011, the guys at the Youth Food Movement were motivated to explore these concept and established a community that was, and continues to be, focused on smart food choices that support a healthy...
Collaborative Consumption – the way of the future?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efiNVXR4zAE A great video on something we are re-learning to do! This idea will change the world.