Urban Broadcast Collective

In this experimental episode of This Must Be The Place Elizabeth pilots a computer program named Digital Death Trip, or alternatively Trove Town Tragedy, coded by Elizabeth’s sister Sarah. The program selects a random location in Victoria, then a random ‘tragedy’ from that location using the National Library of Australia’s Trove archive of digitized newspapers, and the Trove API. The olden days articles retrieved are mostly from between the 1860s and 1950s. The program uses ‘Speak’ to read out articles in a robot voice. It’s art meets historical geography meets Perfect Match robot. Death Trip is a reference to 1973 book Wisconsin Death Trip, a collection by Michael Lesy of photographs and news articles from two small superficially comfortable Wisconsin towns in the late 19th century. By picking darker articles – suicides, epidemics, bankruptcies, murders, tramp armies – the effect was “constantly repeated themes”, with fragments illustrating each another and the disruptions of their times. Elizabeth wondered if something broadly similar could be done with Australia’s Trove. Trove’s API allows you to use a key to search and use results automatically, to create your own application (one example is the Trove Penguin Bot). Much of Trove is open and crowd-sourced - anyone can search, or correct machine-read text, or create lists. While it doesn’t yet have specific location data, experiments like this bring more of a spatial dimension. What the Death Trip code does is randomly select a place name in Victoria, combine this with the key word “tragedy”, search Trove, shortlist and read out headlines, and compile a case file on a random article. Depending what comes back, the idea is to investigate the selected town tragedy. This could be an excuse to go on trips to visit Victorian towns, perhaps some with swimming pools. While the code could search for any kind of event or word, this project is specifically interested in the word ‘tragedy’. Tragedy was a common news headline partly because covering Coroner’s courts and police beats was a convention of the emerging popular newspaper industry of the 19th century. The articles the bot retrieves are not just any tragedies, but those tied to a place, usually with ‘the’ definite article. Nearly every Australian town seemed to have had incidents headlined The [insert Town Name] Tragedy. These included forces of nature – drowning and fires, and what we might now call negligence involving workplace machinery. Car accidents, as we now know them, were at first ‘tragedies’. And violence: it covered suicides, murders, and murder-suicides particularly in the context of the home. Naming things ‘The’ town tragedy seemed to suggest such things couldn’t and haven’t happened in that place, and that if they did they would leave a lasting impact. One thing the experiment shows is these things have happened, usually more than once, and they are forgotten, and happen again. Tragedy seemed then, as now, to mean the line between things we want to try to understand or control, and those we do not. Some of these change, and some don’t (notably, some of the language of domestic murder suicides). As part of this project, Elizabeth has so far corrected and tagged about 1,100 tragedies. Words like farm, ‘pea-rifle’, and ‘quarrel’ have new connotations. In this test, Elizabeth and Sarah run through the concept, then the mechanics and mishaps of running the code, and see which towns and tragedies the bot picks. As it turns out, those selected are from 2 irrigation towns in Victoria: The Tatura Tragedy 1905; and The Quantong Tragedy 1894. As a follow up, Elizabeth will use the results to find out more about the incidents and their contexts in time and place. Trove Town tragedy list: trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result…trovetowntragedy Github project: github.com/SarahTaylorProject/trove_experiment

In this episode of This Must Be The Place Elizabeth speaks with RMIT’s Associate Professor Anitra Nelson about a new book, “Housing for De-Growth: Principles, Models, Challenges and Opportunities”, and a slightly less new (but still 2018) book, “Small is Necessary: Shared Living on a Shared Planet”. ‘Degrowth’ — a type of ‘postgrowth’ — is a political, practical and cultural movement for down-scaling material and energy throughputs. Housing for Degrowth, co-edited by Anitra with Francois Schneider, includes an international collection of critical case studies, many written by activist scholars, of practical experiments – ‘demonstrations’ – in approaches to housing. While diverse in their contexts, they tend to share principles such as an emphasis on housing justice, security, and basic rights. Degrowth projects also emphasise moving forward with the best available technologies, rather than austerity/moving backwards, or ‘decoupling’ that emphasises technological solutions. They also prioritise re-use and reduction in materials and energy, and designing for future re-use. The case studies explore benefits but also unexpected trade-offs - for example, the chapter on tiny house living reflects critically on the colonial and homesteading narratives of tiny homes. Without closing down discussions of larger system change, Housing for Degrowth is about grassroots groups and experiences: with the logic that “the only way we can actually get people on board is if they feel confident that they’re not going to be losing their safety and security and those things they really care about”. Small is Necessary is not explicitly about degrowth, but speaks to case studies consistent with degrowth principles. It examines examples and ideas for housing based on sharing and collaboration: including cohousing, land-sharing, and ecovillages. In it Anitra speaks about the move to smaller housing and to co-living in terms of what it can offer diverse groups, including older people: more security, affordability, amenities, support from neighbours. The episode notes parallels with the utopian thinking, and ideas of quality over quantity, of William Morris in “Notes from Nowhere” (1890). For example, huge increases in housing size often go alongside reduced rights to public space. The episode also covers challenges of prevailing housing systems; the difficult role of rights-speak in social movements; tensions between environmental and social movements; and planning regulations. For example Anitra suggests planners should enable and allow simple and smaller buildings as long as they are safe and secure. However, most policy frameworks directly discourage these kinds of housing. Each of the cases in “Housing for Degrowth” reflects on difficulties met with permit processes. These highlight basic dilemmas in policy: standards based on fears of overcrowded families, while serving a purpose and having historical grounding, are not necessarily consistent with current issues in housing systems. Anitra talks about what is drawing people in to models like co-housing. One driver is the housing market: the experience of higher housing and energy costs, and of housing insecurity. In Europe, shrinking areas and cities are another driver – Anitra was recently part of a workshop at the EU Parliament, where policy-makers unexpectedly open to hearing about alternatives to growth models commented, “honestly, we feel like we have exhausted mainstream possibilities”. Anitra has lived in co-housing for several decades. Housing for Degrowth is available through the Routledge Environmental Humanities Series. Small is Necessary is available through Pluto Press and also open access.

Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Geographer David Bissell about his recently released book 'Transit Life - How Commuting is changing our Cities'. David is Associate Professor at the School of Geography, Melbourne University. UPDATE - apologies from Liz, this has now been replaced with the correct file (David not Brett!)

In the wake of London’s catastrophic Grenfell Towers fire, and of local incidents including a balcony fire at Melbourne Dockland’s LaCrosse Tower, governments are increasingly acting to limit the use of Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) cladding. Also referred to as flammable or combustible cladding, use of these materials – especially in buildings over 3 levels – is now presumed non-compliant with building and construction codes in Victoria. In its 2017 report the Victorian Cladding Taskforce found the widespread use of combustible cladding to have been enabled by a poor culture of industry compliance; issues with supply and marketing of materials; and multiple regulatory systems failures. In this episode of This Must Be the Place Elizabeth speaks with Sahil Bhasin, National General Manager of Roscon – a building consultant group specialising in expert reports – about his perspective on the causes and costs of the combustible cladding problem (AKA ‘fiasco’). Sahil provided advice to the Senate Committee for Building Defects, and to the Victorian Cladding Taskforce. Here Sahil explains what combustible cladding is, why and where there is so much of it (look, low cost, easy to install, etc.), applicable standards, enforcement and data gaps, and who is paying for the scramble to rectify. He also offers a glimpse into the black hole of governance decisions behind it. The episode considers the effects of decades of cumulative legislative changes including to insurance, building surveyors, and building authority jurisdictions, combined with a construction boom. Compounding difficulties of ongoing compliance, Australia faces the legacy of thousands of buildings already swathed in combustible materials. In Victoria tens of thousands of buildings, and hundreds of thousands of people, are in the midst of auditing and rectification set to last several years. Owners Corporations are grappling with estimates as high as $40,00 to $60,000 per apartment and millions of dollars per building, and an uncertain process within which properties are in limbo. A theme is governments passing the costs of fixing cladding onto apartment owners. For example courts ruled that, as a result of legislative changes, the Victorian Building Authority cannot order directions to builders to fix non-compliant buildings after owners move in. Combined with audits and with changes exempting builders from home warranty insurance for buildings over three levels, homebuyers particularly in high-rise buildings have few consumer protections. With major builders going into administration, there are also often few legal recourses. To Sahil, “the government’s got itself to blame and the consumers are the ones paying the price”. Sahil argues recently announced loan schemes are not only unfair, but are political spin and too complex to work in practice. Sahil says cladding is a bigger problem in Victoria than figures often cited. And that new construction continues to use cladding, even in the same municipalities currently issuing hundreds of notices to owners: “the message isn’t getting to the core, which is the builders”. Also included are perspectives on: lack of warranty insurance; misleading language of suppliers, media and the politics of risk, devaluation, commercial buildings, differences between Australia and UK, the role of fire engineers, resourcing issues including essential services audits, fixes (avoided), and the power and influence of the building industry. With an aggregate bill of billions of dollars, the fallout from cladding is unfolding through industries, property markets, and legal systems. As well as immediate practical challenges, the cladding story raises broader questions around the nature of risk and liability in our buildings and cities, and the frameworks that govern them. Disclosures: Elizabeth owns and lives in an apartment in an impacted building. Sahil’s company consults for buildings with cladding.

In this episode of This Must Be The Place Elizabeth speaks with Michael O’Neill, one of the volunteer organisers of the group “Yarra Pools”. Yarra Pools are a community-led proposal to reintroduce recreational swimming to the lower reaches of the Yarra. While swimming in the upper Yarra – Laughing Waters, Pound Bend, Warburton – is popular, swimming in the lower urban reaches is now not only rare but technically illegal (due to boating regulations). Not that, as is noted, many people are being held back by the letter of the law. Swimming in the urban reaches of the Yarra dropped off steeply about 50 years ago, mostly in the wake of environmental movement. Through the 1970s Melbournians became more aware of the scale and implications of pollution, and much less inclined to gleefully drench themselves in the Yarra’s soup of raw sewage, industrial goobers, tyres, and frightening compounds. Things like the traditional 3-mile swim to Princess Bridge became the equivalent of incredulously remembering how your Dad used to smoke in his office. The environmental movement has since achieved huge gains in cleaning up the Yarra. Yet awareness has made people more wary of urban waterways. Michael characterises the cleanup of the Yarra as being about halfway there. The biggest remaining challenge is stormwater – AKA diffuse source pollution. Part of the idea for the urban pool proposal is about using swimmability as a benchmark – making the Yarra clean enough to swim in would represent a tangible and relatable measure of liveability. It would tie together the many cumulative efforts of environmental improvements including green roofs, tree canopy strategies, environmental allocations, and water sensitive urban design. Inspired by similar proposals and examples worldwide – Thames Baths, Plus Pool New York, Helsinki, Brisbane - Yarra Pools is developing and testing the idea of a river pool on the Yarra River. They see it as a swimming spot but more generally as a social and meeting space. The chosen site is Enterprise Park opposite the Casino – perhaps best known for recent controversies about Melbourne’s homeless population. Michael discusses the history of the site including its status as an Indigenous meeting space and as site of first contact. He discusses the involvement of indigenous groups and indigenous design principles in developing the Yarra Pools project, and the history of swimming at the spot - “it’s not new what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to bring something back”. The pool idea is one example of how becoming aware of what has been lost can be a way of reimagining a future. Also discussed is the “big journey to go on with regulators”. In olden-days Australia, people traditionally swam in rivers – pre-Olympic pools were areas of town rivers. Municipal chlorinated pools emerged alongside these spots as a sort of formalized offshoot, then outstripped them for reasons of pollution, public health, and local and national pride. Now, pubic pools are themselves under threat and river pools rarely contemplated. Both face the challenges of financialisation and risk mentalities. With pools seen as financial liabilities and as risks, this fuels a cycle of restrictions and cutbacks, undermining the benefits of spaces. Michael points out that this mentality has not (yet) been applied to parks. Yarra Pools’ vision is to create a space more akin to open space, with a cost model that keeps general access cost as low as possible, and facilitates community involvement. Yarra Pools see themselves as positive disruptors – if it doesn’t happen now, someone will take up the idea eventually. Michael points to the success of Eastern Beach in Geelong – a pre-Olympic swimming spot restored using proto-crowd funding. Yarra Pools are on a timeline from 2016-2023. See their website to fill in a survey and see other updates. p.s. apologies, the sound quality drops substantially about 10 minutes due to a Dictaphone mishap. yarrapools.com/

In this special episode from the Planning Institute of Australia national congress, UBC co-founder and National Award Winner for Planning Excellence, Tony Matthews (@drtonymatthews), chats with fellow award winner, Thomas Gardiner, Young Planner of the Year. Thomas, a graduate of the Griffith University planning program, reflects on his success on the national stage, life in regional Australia and how it accelerated his career. He talks about the exciting projects he’s currently spearheading and offers practical advice to young and aspiring planners. https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/news/2018/05/11/griffith-urban-planning-experts-notch-up-more-prestigious-awards/

Podcasts from Perth: A UBC Special Edition from the Planning Institute of Australia National Congress 2018. In this special episode from the 2018 Planning Institute of Australia national congress, UBC co-founders Paul Maginn (@planographer) and Tony Matthews (@drtonymatthews) were fortunate to sit down and chat with Peter Tinley, Minister for Housing, Veterans Issues and Youth and member for Willagee in Perth’s southern suburbs in the Western Australian parliament. Peter Tinley entered WA state politics in 2009 as a member of the Australian Labor Party. Prior to his polticial career, Peter spent 25 years in the army, 17 of which were spent in the Special Air Service Regiment. In 2017, Peter became Minister for Housing, Veterans Issues and Youth. Paul and Tony talk with Peter about thoughtful density, urban renewal and his aspirations towards improving housing quality, affordability and access in Western Australia. https://www.premier.wa.gov.au/Ministers/peter-tinley/Pages/default.aspx

Podcasts from Perth: A UBC Special Edition from the Planning Institute of Australia National Congress 2018. In this special episode from the Planning Institute of Australia national congress, UBC co-founder Tony Matthews (@drtonymatthews) chats with Chris O’Connor, an Australian planner who took his career to the USA, where he now runs a successful planning consultancy. Chris discusses his experiences of working in planning in America, including his time working in both San Francisco and Austin, Texas. He talks of a radically different professional and cultural context, starting out overseas with no connections and the embracing the entrepreneurial backbone of American life. Chris and Tony chat at length about inequality in San Francisco and why there are more dogs in that city than children. linkedin.com/in/chris--oconnor

Podcasts from Perth: A UBC Special Edition from the Planning Institute of Australia National Congress 2018. In this special episode from the Planning Institute of Australia national congress, UBC co-founders Paul Maginn (@planographer) and Tony Matthews (@drtonymatthews) chat with keynote speaker Stephanus Cecil Barnard. Having seen grinding poverty, ineffective government and a lack basic services in rural Africa, Cecil decided to pursue a career as a planner to make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people. His career took him to regional Australia, via seven African countries. He recently became deeply interested in the implications of artificial intellegence for planning. In this interview, Cecil shares his thoughts with Paul and Tony on the future of planning and the impacts that AI, machine learning and big data will have on the profession and its ability to deliver quality developments and effect social good. https://twitter.com/kalahariozzie

Podcasts from Perth: A UBC Special Edition from the Planning Institute of Australia National Congress 2018. As the share of Australia’s ageing population increases this points to an increasing number of people with dementia. Dementia is the greatest cause of disability amongst Australian senior citizens. In this special episode from the Planning Institute of Australia national congress, UBC co-founders Paul Maginn (@planographer) and Tony Matthews (@drtonymatthews) chat with Jason Burton, Head of Dementia Practice and Innovation at Alzheimer’s WA. A dementia specialist for 30 years Jason highlights the need for planners, designers and architects to be mindful of the prevalence of dementia and the spatial perception challenges within our cities for those with this health condition.