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Alexander Urbanism
Promoting development in Adelaide's 'Frame'
In the 2000's, Adelaide City Council adopted ambitious worker and resident population targets for the area within the Park Lands. It recognised that these targets would only be achieved if the low-density mixed-use areas immediately east and west of the central city - the so-called 'frame' - were redeveloped.
Nathan Alexander won the job of understanding the development potential of these areas and how to encourage development activity. He led the study team, which included strategic planning, urban design and property finance expertise. The work included interviews, workshops, complex spreadsheets, and expert judgment on development potential. The team found that the population targets could be met with focused action by the Council.
Some more projects
Hanging Rock
Alexander Urbanism undertook a pro-bono project to map the changes over time of Hanging Rock and the associated public recreation reserve. Hanging Rock is well known as a unique place with great cultural significance. The ten maps illustrate different periods, from the Rock's birth six million years ago until the present. This involved historical research to determine former vegetation and land uses, and the locations and construction dates of former facilities.
Flinders Street Station redevelopment
Flinders Street Station is the hub of the Melbourne metropolitan passenger rail network. With the associated yards, the site is 5.9 hectares in the heart of the city, bounded by the Yarra River and Federation Square.
Working with the Victorian Department of Transport, Nathan Alexander led a working party to prepare background information, passenger forecasts and development strategy options for this strategic site. The working group found that patronage was forecast to more than double by 2021, and the station needed alterations to deal with the increased patronage and to improve levels of passenger service. Due to unknowns related to long-term station capacity and demand, a definitive strategy was not possible.
The group examined ideas to augment passenger capacity, including remodelling of the eastern concourse, installing new escalators, extending the eastern concourse, building a new central or western concourse, and extending platforms to accommodate nine-car trains.
The group found that, except for the Administration Building, almost the entire site could be redeveloped, subject to heritage considerations. The group also found that only by rebuilding the station could the quality of the passenger experience rise to the level of the experience at Southern Cross Station.
Promoting development in Adelaide's 'Frame'
In the 2000's, Adelaide City Council adopted ambitious worker and resident population targets for the area within the Park Lands. It recognised that these targets would only be achieved if the low-density mixed-use areas immediately east and west of the central city - the so-called 'frame' - were redeveloped.
Nathan Alexander won the job of understanding the development potential of these areas and how to encourage development activity. He led the study team, which included strategic planning, urban design and property finance expertise. The work included interviews, workshops, complex spreadsheets, and expert judgment on development potential. The team found that the population targets could be met with focused action by the Council.
Victorian Urban Villages Project
This $1m research project applied the concept of 'urban villages' to Melbourne to determine the capacity for existing centres to take the predicted population growth of the metropolis within the existing built-up area over a twenty year period.
Potential urban villages were defined as sites within the existing urban area with a public transport stop and the potential for residences and workplaces within 400m. The almost one thousand sites identified covered only 27% of the urban area. Detailed redevelopment proposals were prepared for eight case study sites.
Six development scenarios were considered. At its best, development of 800 sites to the maximum potential would accommodate 76% of the predicted dwelling increase, require the metro area to expand by only 1%, and reduce energy use and emissions by over 14%.
Nathan Alexander led the research team, oversaw eight consultant teams, and was the prime author of the published planning report and summary report.
"Urban regeneration in South Australia"
While a director of Planning SA, Nathan Alexander oversaw the preparation of a comprehensive examination of best practice urban regeneration, the wider effects of urban regeneration projects, interstate and overseas case studies, factors underlying successful urban regeneration, and recommendations for policy changes.