Urban Design Centre a first for Australia

25/05/05
Western Australia is now home to Australia's new centre of excellence in urban design.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan made the announcement today at the opening of the new Urban Design Centre of Western Australia.
"The creation of the Urban Design Centre of Western Australia is a recognition that the quality of our built landscape is crucial to creating healthy and successful towns and cities, " Ms MacTiernan said.
"Well-designed quality civic spaces help strengthen a sense of community and so must be an important focus for government.
"The centre will bring together academic and professional resources to deliver excellence to the design of our State's urban places and also help increase the understanding of how the built environment shapes our community.
"This is the first centre of its type anywhere in Australia and reinforces our ongoing commitment to strong strategic planning in this State."
The Urban Design Centre of Western Australia is a joint venture between Curtin University, the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the State Government.
The centre will be funded in its first four years by the Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) contributing $200,000 per year and Curtin University and UWA each contributing $50,000 per year.
A key aim of the Urban Design Centre will be to provide innovative solutions to design and development issues associated with important public projects, and to test new processes and techniques for improving design quality.
"The centre is an outstanding example of what can be achieved with the cooperation and combined resources of Western Australia's two design schools, " Ms MacTiernan said.
"The independent staff of qualified urban designers will work together with government agencies and community interest groups to advocate for better quality in urban design and construction."
The centre will also provide professional design and research services, urban design education and public programs, all with the aim of promoting a richer, more inclusive dialogue about design and planning issues.
The Urban Design Centre will be guided by a seven-member board, chaired by Mrs Janet Holmes a Court.
There will also be operational input from an advisory committee of 27 members, drawn from a wide range of urban design and planning disciplines.
The centre will be directed by Professor Ruth Durack.
Professor Ruth Durack is a graduate of the Architecture School at UWA and holds Masters degrees in architecture, planning and urban design from the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania.
Professor Durack has 20 years' international experience as an urban design consultant, government planner and part time academic.
The seven-member board comprises: Janet Holmes a Court (chair), Hon. Fred Chaney, Greg Martin (DPI), Diana Warnock, Adrian Fini, Barney Glover, and Doug McEachern.
Minister's office: 9213 6400