City design vision unveiled

Urban design has a bad name in Auckland City but Mayor Dick Hubbard says that is about to change with ugly buildings banished, new minimum apartment sizes and the protection of thousands of character homes.

Mr Hubbard yesterday said a new Ministry for the Environment report, The Value of Urban Design, vindicated the work of the council to get on the front foot and make Auckland the most liveable city in the country.

"Urban design is not just a beauty contest. Looks are only a small part. Key elements include where we place our buildings, how they connect with public transport, how they can be pedestrian friendly and how we create public space that encourages community interaction," Mr Hubbard said.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs, who comes from Wellington, said people lived in the capital because it was a good place to live with a good layout and other attractive features.

"Poor old Auckland has a problem. You are either going to grow and fill all the green space or learn to live together happily and more densely, and that requires intelligent design," she said.

Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee, who has called for an overhaul of the region's controversial growth strategy because it focused too much of cramming people within current boundaries, said it was time to give more emphasis to "quality development and aesthetic coherence in urban design".

The politicians were speaking at the launch of the report in Auckland. It was prepared by the ministry with support from the Auckland Regional Council and Wellington City Council as part of The Year of the Built Environment.

An important element of good urban design was how streets, railways, walking and cycling routes, services and infrastructure connected, the report said.

It was "abundantly clear" good connections reduced car use, encouraged more walking, cycling and physical activity and had a spin-off for retailers from higher pedestrian traffic. Well-connected, well-lit and visible streets reduced crime. Low walls allowing views in and out of properties and "active edges" facing the street had been found to reduce the risk of burglary.

The report also said there was widespread agreement that good urban design responded to heritage buildings and local character. A survey this year found that 76 per cent of people said living in character zones was a deciding factor when they bought their homes.

On the controversial issue of intensification, the report said higher-density buildings could provide cost savings in land, infrastructure and energy but the flip side was congestion, noise and pollution.

"Successful intensification and higher density in cities requires good design that also meets other needs. For instance, adequate open space and pedestrian-friendly streets."

Design basics

Good urban design can:

* Encourage people to exercise.
* Lower crime.
* Attract residents, skilled workers and tourists.
* Be profitable for developers.
* Reduce vehicle emissions.
* Increase land and property values.

Poor urban design can:

* Lower quality of life.
* Limit job opportunities.
* Generate costs to the economy.