Urban Design Guidelines for Victoria
Urban Design Guidelines for Victoria
General principles for the arrangement of streets, paths, blocks and lots, public open spaces, activity centres, public transport nodes and corridors and residential neighbourhoods.
Urban structure comprises the overall topography and land division pattern of an urban area. It is the pattern and scale of blocks, lots and public spaces, and the arrangement and scale of the movement network's streets, roads and paths. Whether at the scale of a city, town, neighbourhood, precinct or large development site, it is the interrelationship between all of the elements of urban structure, rather than their individual characteristics, that together make a place. Urban structure includes the location and types of activity centres, public transport nodes and corridors, public spaces, community facilities, and urban infrastructure.
The basic unit of a city's urban structure is a block. Bounded by streets, blocks contain lots or parcels of land that provide space for buildings and other land uses. While street and block patterns generally remain stable over time, lot patterns and land use can change. Lots may be subdivided or amalgamated for different types of buildings and land uses.
The urban structure determines how serviceable and flexible an urban area will be, and how well it will integrate with its surroundings. The urban structure contributes to both the function and feel of an area and creates a sense of place. A well-functioning urban structure has connected neighbourhoods, where activity centres are within a convenient walking distance. Urban structure design can enhance personal safety and property security by allowing for informal surveillance opportunities and a choice of routes.
The layout of blocks and lots can support or limit flexibility, diversity and opportunity in a city or neighbourhood, and influence the types of buildings and land uses that can be accommodated. Large blocks might permit a wider variety of development options, but can pose a barrier to movement, while smaller blocks allow greater ease and choice of movement around a neighbourhood.
These urban structure principles apply to the design of activity centres, large development sites, higher density residential precincts, and the public realm. The urban structure principles should be used in conjunction with accepted civil design standards for motor vehicle movement, and water management.
Permeability refers to the extent to which the urban structure permits, or restricts, the movement of people or vehicles through an area, and the capacity of the area network to carry people or vehicles.
The legibility of an area refers to the ease with which a person is able to find their way around and navigate through the area.
The layout of areas that are the focus for enterprise and social interaction, incorporating services and facilities, shopping, employment and residences.
Activity centres, although of different sizes and types, are a focus for enterprise and social interaction, incorporating community facilities and services, shopping, employment and residences. Activity centres are the focus of public transport nodes where services converge. Activity centres include metropolitan centres, regional cities and town centres in rural areas.
An activity centre generally has an intense central core with smaller street blocks and a higher density of streets and lots. The structure of activity centres should allow for more intensive development, street frontage exposure for display, safe public spaces and pedestrian access to facilities.
Activity centres provide residents, visitors and workers with easy access to a range of services and facilities as well as opportunities for establishing businesses, or simply being sociable and meeting others. By providing a variety of lot sizes and shapes in a connected movement network, an activity centre can accommodate a wide variety and scale of uses and buildings and respond to the changing needs of residents, businesses and visitors.
Some specialised and single-focus activity centres may have extended periods of inactivity with poor safety out-of-hours. Activity centres with a diverse mix of activities and uses adds to their vibrancy and economic viability as well as improving perceptions of safety and reducing opportunities for crime.
Typical barriers or edges to an activity centre are railway or motorway corridors, a water body or a natural feature.
As an activity centre evolves and changes, its structure may need review to provide new connections, changes in land use patterns or the re-allocation of public space for different activities. Structure planning can assist in managing this change.
The layout of large parcels of land within cities and towns that have become available for development and their integration into the existing urban area.
Large parcels of land within cities and towns sometimes become available for development and new uses. Often in prime locations, these sites can be publicly owned (such as railway corridors, surplus government land or dockyards) or they can be former commercial, industrial or institutional sites that are no longer needed for their original purpose. They may be located in activity centres or are accessible to transport connections, services and jobs.
Large development sites need to integrate with the existing urban structure of a city or neighbourhood. This often involves creating new residential or commercial areas and movement networks, as well as infrastructure, public spaces and community facilities.
Large development sites that become available contribute to the growth and evolution of cities and towns. The way a parcel of redeveloped land is connected to the surrounding area and divided into blocks, lots and streets will influence the area's accessibility and potential future use patterns.
Large development sites can provide an opportunity to repair and enhance the existing urban infrastructure in the area, and there may be too few dwellings to sustain local business activity, insufficient public space or recreation opportunities. The development of the site may also enable new connections to be made between adjacent established areas.
Element 1.1 Urban structure principles
The layout of an area's blocks, lots, streets and public spaces to accommodate people living in apartments or residential mixed-use buildings. The precinct often will have larger lot sizes and be within or near an activity centre or a large development site.
A higher density residential precinct generally has larger lot sizes that are able to accommodate apartment and mixed-use developments. The precinct may be in or adjacent to an activity centre or within a large development site.
The streets and blocks in a higher density residential precinct provide for a high level of connectivity within and through the precinct. They also provide for an appropriate level of active street frontage and commercial uses at street level.
With a larger population in a defined area it is crucial that the structure of a higher density residential precinct provides a high level of amenity in public spaces, access to facilities and services, protection of privacy and personal safety.
Element 1.1 Urban structure principles
Element 1.2 Activities area structure
Element 1.3 Large development site structure
Element 1.5 Public realm structure
Element 2.2 Pedestrian priority streets
Element 3.2 Street spaces and plazas
Element 3.4 Communal open space
The layout and detail design of the public and street spaces that comprise the public realm.
The public realm comprises spaces and places that are open and freely accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic or social conditions. These spaces can include streets, laneways and roads, parks, public plazas, waterways and foreshores.
Public realm structure delivers the location of and connection to destinations and activities. It includes layout and detailed design to support the function and amenity of streets, public spaces, public transport access and the interface between the public realm and private property. While the overall urban structure may be enduring, the purpose and detailed arrangement of public spaces may change over time.
The public realm provides a space for people to be free to access, to move about and to enjoy recreation. It enables people to carry out their daily business, to engage in activities or meet with others or simply to be. The public realm must be attractive, inclusive and safe to be in. An inhabited and well maintained public realm feels safe and encourages people to use spaces.
Element 1.1 Urban structure principles
Element 1.2 Activity centre structure
Element 1.3 Large development site structure
Element 1.4 Higher density residential precinct structure
Public spaces provide opportunities for active and informal recreation. The location and context of public spaces within the urban structure is critical to a space’s success. Public space that has poor access, or is located away from the community it serves, will not be well used.
The size and dimensions of a public space affect its possible uses and safety in terms of informal surveillance from the surrounding area.<br/><br/> Large public spaces can feel uninhabited and lonely, even overwhelming and threatening. Conversely, a small space may feel comfortable for quiet uses but not be a functional size for some active uses.
Interfaces occur between different land uses, or a new and an existing neighbourhood.
The public realm has many stakeholders and is managed by a number of agencies, each with different responsibilities and interests. This adds to the complexity of developing and managing a successful place.
Guidelines
© State Government
of Victoria 2016
