International Examples: Lessons for Australia

This week examples of planning in France, Germany and Cambodia were explored and ideas that Australia could benefit from were identified.

Paris, France

Paris, the city of love and lights, was remodelled between 1853 and 1870 by Georges-Eugène Haussmann under the orders of Napoleon III. The main aim was to 'modernise' the city, and allow it to cope with the growing pressures created following the industrial revolution. It has been described as being "the great work of breaking through the old city, of opening it to light and air, and of making it fit to sustain the army of merchants and manufacturers which makes Paris to-day the center of a commerce as wide as civilization itself."  The key feature of the plans was, of course, the impressive boulevards that Paris is now famous for. Although Haussmann's design had a much wider impact, giving inspiration to the City Beautiful Movement that remains visible in cities like Chicago and Canberra.



Lessons for Australia:

• Emphasis on history and consistent character of areas to create sense of place
• Innovative, environmentally friendly public transport

Lessons Australia Shouldn't learn:

• Development on the Right Bank displays unflattering architectural styles and does not connect with the surroundings

 

Schwerin, Germany

With a population of just 100 000 people, Schwerin is Germany's smallest state capital. Despite having a population roughly one third the size of Canberra, Schwerin has a surprisingly large public transport system, consisting of 4 tram lines and 16 bus lines. Although this seems like an ideal situation, it would be interesting to find out how viable the current situation is and how it is funded. Perhaps Schwerin holds the secret of a successful transport system that Australian cities could learn from.....

Phnom-Penh, Cambodia

Phnom-Penh is the Capital of Cambodia, and has a population of 1 million people. Being located in SE Asia the impact of the wet season must be considered when undertaking planning decisions. After watching videos of traffic at intersections, it is clear that congestion is a major issue in Phnom-Penh. Tuk tuks are a popular mode of transport, leading to large numbers of vehicless on the road, as they only carry a limited number of passengers. The sheer volume of people on the roads leads to noise pollution from horns, impacting the quality of surrounding streets and buildings. Pedestrian safety was another issue identified. If the budget allowed, I think the introduction of buses and bus lanes would help reduce some of the congestion and noise pollution by allowing a large number of people to be transported at once.  

Phnom-Penh Traffic
Source: Oudam.com 2011