City design 101

Rule 1 in the city developers’ handbook is: Fight every compliance cost increase because they will make your building more uneconomic than it already is and you won’t get anything back for it.

These handbook rules are international. Learning in advance from others’ mistakes (such as leaky buildings arising from the use of new technology) and voluntarily designing buildings which enhance the urban landscape, on the other hand, are optional. Options which should rightly be sneered at, of course.

On my trawls through the internet this week, I discovered a couple of websites which promoted green rooftops and the masterplanning of open spaces.

And another billboard argument

Along at the town hall this week and last week, I listened to debate about the merits (well, no, this argument usually starts with the demerits) of enhancing buildings with billboards. In Auckland, billboards are anathema. They’re reviled by leftist politicians because they openly represent the overpowering face of capitalism, but capitalist-favouring politicians can also loathe them for getting in your face and hiding the beauty of the city’s buildings. Such as that beauty is.

Billboards have to fit certain dimensions and in some case there has to be a relationship between a billboard and the occupancy of the building to which it’s attached. Unless, of course, it’s attached to a council parking building, in which case those kinds of rules go out the window.

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