Rob Adams: Challenging the status quo on urban planning

On our latest podcast, our managing editor, Tina Perinotto, spoke with urban planner Rob Adams.

Rob became Australia’s urban planning poster child when he launched an audacious goal to transform Melbourne’s CBD as director of planning at the City of Melbourne.

In those days, the city was suffering from a prolonged recession. The city streets were abandoned, especially at night and on the weekends. People had not yet discovered that CBDs could be vibrant and active.

So Rob started a program called Postcode three thousand.

Part of the transformation involved refurbishing office buildings into apartments. 

As a result, the city’s population blossomed. Suddenly, living in the CBD was cool, not a sad, windy endurance test when the city workers departed for their homes.

But that’s not all Rob is well known for. He’s recently launched a plan about concentrating development along the city’s transport routes, designed to leave the rest of suburban sites alone. This helps to “calm” residents so that they aren’t so fearful of development.

Host: Tina Perinotto
Produced by: The Fifth Estate
The Fifth Estate website: www.thefifthestate.com.au
Sign up to the newsletter: https://thefifthestate.com.au/subscribe
Support The Fifth Estate: thefifthestate.com.au/support-us
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-fifth-estate
Twitter: @FifthEstateAU
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefifthestateAu