Expertise and capabilities
Surfers Paradise is vibrant yet noisy. While the atmosphere attracts fun-seekers, the cult of the internal combustion engine is unnecessarily dominant in an area so walkable and appealing for residents and visitors. Bring on the future with quieter, electric alternatives on the road and the river.
Pollution is stopping me from opening the windows of my airy apartment at the Gold Coast. But it’s not the kind that requires an air filter. It’s noise. The noise we humans make is incredible. It’s also contributing directly and indirectly to that other pollution which is mostly invisible — CO2. This 'Loud in the City’ series of Surfers Paradise 'Tall Stories' unravels the complex tangle of noise in this small city of tall buildings. By finding out what really can be done differently, perhaps we can find ways for residents of high density living everywhere to get fresh air and a better night’s sleep.
On eve of the ShapingSEQ 2023 Update, this article reprises a presentation I made 17 years ago, following the first Subtropical Cities Conference in Brisbane. The 2006 presentation proposed two scenarios to describe what SEQ would be like in 2050 depending on whether or not we took climate-based landscape and lifestyle as our cue in the policy environment. Hot and paved, or transformed and green.
We need to stop avoiding the problem and start envisaging what will matter to us when we are older to drive a paradigm shift in the way residential aged care is provided in Australia. This design-led workshop re-imagined aged cared design in the post-pandemic era.
In February 2020, 121 professionals explored longevity in the built environment, focusing on baby boomers' impact through a creative charrette. Outcomes were shared via videos and articles.
This scoping study for Sunshine Coast Council emphasizes climate-responsive design, highlighting the importance of 'living landscapes.' The upcoming guide will showcase building designs that integrate nature and adapt to seasonal climate changes for improved livability and sustainability.
Dr. Rosemary Kennedy founded Subtropical Cities Consultancy to focus on low-energy livable high-density design, providing expertise to urban planners and developers on subtropical architecture.
subtropicalcities.com 