Evaluating the urban design and community life in public housing in Australia

Abstract

Public housing is an essential component of urban life. For those unable to access the private housing market, it provides vital shelter. Constructed during the later decades of last century, housing estates comprise the majority of public dwellings in New South Wales. Social and economic change has left many of these estates as ‘homes of last resort’ struggling to meet the needs of tenants. During the 1990s the NSW Department of Housing embarked upon the Neighbourhood Improvement Program (NIP), a strategy for renewing the most disadvantaged of housing estates. This renewal was targeted at the urban fabric of the estates, and sought to improve the quality of life experienced by tenants. This research explores the claims that urban design can be used to alter the quality of community life experienced by residents, a notion often incorporated into the planning stages of residential development. As the basis for analysis, this research draws upon the case study of the public housing estate at Riverwood in Sydney's south west, which was subject to NIP improvements. Archival research, community surveys and consultation with stakeholders provided insight into the realities of neighbourhood renewal through physical intervention and its effectiveness. Findings are presented with stakeholder motivations and outcomes analysed. Finally, recommendations are made as practical and achievable mechanisms to retrofit existing estates and improve the experienced quality of life.