New urbanists in Australia and New Zealand plan first congress

Metropolitan areas in Australia and New Zealand facethe same challenges as their counterparts in North America: growing dependence on automobiles, sprawling and anonymous suburbs, and environmental degradation. But, as in the US, the New Urbanism is coming to the forefront in the debate about growth. The Liveable Neighborhoods Design Code is changing development patterns in Western Australia, and about 20 new urbanist communities are under construction or in advanced stages of planning across the two countries. Now a group of practi-tioners have announced their intention to hold the first official congress to “further the understanding, influence, and practice of New Urbanism.” The gathering is scheduled for April 26-29 in Melbourne, Australia. Organizers plan for the congress to fall into two parts. The first two days will give attendees an overview of how new urbanist principles can meet the challenges of urban areas and will feature examples from leading projects in the two countries. International keynote speakers have been invited, and organizers hope that practitioners from the US will make the trek to share their expertise. The second half of the congress will consist of in-depth workshops on topics such as regulatory and financing barriers, building mixed-use town centers, achieving neighborhood corner stores, rear lanes, and many other vital details. The sessions will also feature detailed presentations and critiques of individual projects. Contact Wendy Morris or Chip Kaufman at Ecologically Sustainable Design for more information: chip@netspace.net.au or international fax 61-3-9481-0585.