Studio B + C

Living Locally; Neighbourhoods (can) Survive and Thrive in the Pandemic

Marjan Hajjari and Nano Langenheim

Studio Description

Neighbourhoods are playing a crucial role in shaping the lives of individuals, health and wellbeing of the communities and liveability of the cities. The principle of living locally —20-minute neighbourhoods in Plan Melbourne seeks to deliver more inclusive, vibrant and healthy places which highlights the importance of neighbourhoods as local political and economic entities. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live in and interact within their neighbourhoods. The adaptation of the places and their response to the crisis, however, is considerably influenced by the socio-economic, political and physical structure of the cities in general and the neighbourhoods in particular. This studio will explore the concept of living locally in three established neighbourhoods in Metropolitan Melbourne with divergent physical, social and economic context. Senior staff from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and other agencies will work with the students to explore the questions of vibrant, well-connected neighbourhoods, with consideration of diversity, affordability in urban strategies that respond to COVID 19 in various urban contexts across Melbourne.

Studio Outcomes

In this studio, students will be tasked to implement the 20 minutes neighbourhood concept, in physically and socially contrasting case studies. Through research and urban analysis techniques, the students will examine and compare the concept of “living locally” in different urban fabric. This enables students to identify the priority elements and design responses in each urban setting which can maximise the delivery of 20-minute neighbourhood objectives. Students will be asked to develop a series of urban design initiatives to support the social, health, economic and environmental outcomes for communities in each of the case studies.

Studio Leaders

Dr. Marjan Hajjari is an urban designer with a diverse background in practice and academia. Marjan has received her PhD on ‘impact of physical and social structure of urban public spaces on people’s perception’ at University of Melbourne. She also holds Master on urban design and Master on architecture both from University of Tehan, Iran. Marjan has held senior positions in several strategic planning projects overseas and in Australia, including the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal and Monash National Employment & Innovative Cluster. She has taught a number of urban design subjects at University of Melbourne in the last six years. Marjan is passionate about employing a multidisciplinary approach in planning and designing inclusive public spaces and places.

This studio will be co-taught between Urban Design Studio B, ABPL90273,
and Urban Design Studio C, ABPL90389, in Semester 2, 2020.

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