What sort of city do we want?
Postcode 3000 has delivered a dynamic, diverse, textured and engaging inner city. It revived what had become an atrophied centre, rebuilding, repopulating and re-energising Melbourne s urban heart. Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, human-scale development, quality streetscapes and activated public spaces have earned our metropolis the moniker of the world s most liveable city for several years running.
But, what of the next 20 years? Is the legacy of this success eroding the benefits gained?
For the inner city to flourish, building regulations were relaxed, and in the current bullish environment, development pushes towers ever skyward. Lofty heights and reduced setbacks create windswept urban canyons, and building-service amenities diminish the street experience that supports vibrant, civic street life.
Has our regulatory framework failed to keep pace with development and our desire to retain the character of our beloved city? This exhibition questions the dynamic being played out between the street and the sky.
Curated by Rob Adams
Prof Rob Adams AM is Director of City Design and Projects at the City of Melbourne where he has led urban design strategy and delivered more than 150 award-winning projects and programs since 1983. He co-edited the recently published Urban Choreography, Central Melbourne 1985 - (MUP, 2018) and was the curator of the 2014 City Gallery exhibition Postcode 3000, a city transformed?.
