Everyone’s an Architect
Nov 13Many of you use a similar phrase to describe the architectural uniqueness of Hobart. It went something like this: “I heard this is the best-preserved Georgian city in the world.”
We could not verify this, but Bath and a few other English cities do a rather smart job of being Georgian. We were not fact-checking, in these conversations. We were seeking your sources of pride, and you’re enormously proud of your heritage buildings.
There is an element of terrible luck in Hobart’s historic architecture. While other cities tore their beautiful old buildings down, in less enlightened periods of the 20th Century, Hobart often lacked the money to do the wrong thing. We nearly lost Salamanca. We nearly lost Battery Point.
You often talked about Tasmania having an “anti-development” reputation. You have an aversion to change. This is both true and not true. You don’t want change for the sake of change. You want change to preserve and enhance what makes this place special. No one seems to have any trouble with MONA building things. Why? You trust that MONA gets it.
You want investors to reimagine heritage spaces, while respecting them. You want to fill in above-ground parking lots with lovely buildings. You want density in the core of the city, so more people can live and walk and shop and work and eat without getting into a car. You just want it all to fit, to feel right, to feel like Hobart.
The rules should be clear, so we don’t have to fight over each new proposal. Some of the world’s most beautiful modern architecture came out of imaginative people being creative within limits. Even so, you don’t want the rules to be so difficult that they scare ideas away.
One idea that came out of our conversations was a “design committee,” a group of architects and designers who make non-binding recommendations to decision-makers.
November 14, 2017 at 3:46 pm
MannyI have heard this before too, about the one of a kind Georgian heritage of the city. I do feel we can answer the needs of density AND maintain what makes Hobart unique. However we ended up here, we ended up with something very special. This should not be so hard! It would be terrible to look back in 20 years and think, “If only we had…”
November 15, 2017 at 3:14 pm
JulieA city architect would be a start. An opportunity for someone who knows and cares and who we respect, to talk to others – not just other architects – and be able to articulate what people want
November 17, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Gregory MohrHobart doesn’t need a city Architect, it needs planning that does Not allow anymore car parks of any kind, it needs rules to remove on street parking, it needs light rail cycle paths, pedestrian friendly streets,it needs a council with No current business experience and staff with a background in public service, not The Public Service. Hobart needs to follow the Jan Gehl’s recommendations. Hobart council needs to collectivly remember that Hobart is where we live, Not A Brand. hobart needs only Citizens to own property, otherwise great wrongs will be done in the name of profit with no comeback
November 21, 2017 at 8:31 pm
leo foleyhobart is subject to the state planning laws, modified a little perhaps, for local circumstances. Gregory, you seem to have strong ideas. thats good. but you pretty much have your wishes granted. Every street renovation is considered for cycle paths; light rail is on the governments priority list; street parking, and through traffic, is giving way to pedestrianisation. Haven’ t you noticed?
As for the Council, these are the people who we, the people, elected. What other system are you advocating? No business experience, eh? some will disagree, but I’d like to hear your reasoning
November 21, 2017 at 10:16 pm
TedThe heading caught my eye because I was heard that we have twice the number of architects per head of population in Tasmania than on the mainland.
Having worked with architect students from UTAS on various planning projects I believe we have the ability to create a city plan that works. We have the experience and bright minds to develop a plan that considers how the city could work as a whole.
Trying to consider individual proposals without a city plan is difficult even for an experienced city architect or a design committee.
November 22, 2017 at 3:14 pm
CarrieI like the City Architect idea. We also need rules, particularly height limits and “sympathetic design” principles, to make sure new buildings don’t overshadow old (literally or metaphorically!) If such rules were made clear, architects would be encouraged to deliver the best 21st century Georgian city! Yes it’s possible – look at Mac 1&The Commons Hobart. But to deal with population density, we need public transport so we can get out of our cars. We need ferries, trains and Park&Ride bus services. They must be cheap to encourage everyone to use them. People want the cheapest, easiest way.
November 24, 2017 at 11:39 am
JanI have lived in many cities in Australia and overseas. All have vibrancy and some historical charm but generally in small pockets – most having been displaced by ad hoc development.
Our Treasurer is also the Minister for State Growth and the Minister for Planning & Local Government. There is a Department of State Growth but no Department of Planning and the Heritage Portfolio is held by the Premier. Further, the State Government has the ability to over-ride Council decisions if it is perceived in the State’s interest. This is a disjointed approach to creating places for people to live!
November 24, 2017 at 11:50 am
CarrieHear hear.
November 29, 2017 at 7:52 am
AnniWe need less ‘beds’ in Hobart city centre. Hotels may be lovely, but not hundreds of rooms in a Shard! Mona does have it right. Build outside city limits and they will come. The city is for Hobart’s citizens, so it does need parking. If you want less parking lots, to fill them with fabulous buildings, build park and ride lots first, outside the city. Close suburbs are packed with commuter cars all day already, so vans and the like need to double park near your house. But they have the right idea, using the bus.