Designing "Community": The significance of place and urban design in public housing renewal Gordon Bijen B. Planning (Honours) Submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences and Psychology Western Sydney University 2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS When commencing doctoral research it becomes quickly apparent that while often a personal endeavour; the support and inputs of others are needed for success. I wish to acknowledge and thank those who have assisted, encouraged and supported me through undertaking this research project. Invariably this list is incomplete and I feel indebted to many more friends and colleagues than mentioned below. For Danielle, thank you for your ceaseless love and support. For keeping me on track and your encouragement over the course of my studies, and for wading in when I felt out of my depth. To my parents, thank you for your support through my studies and for teaching me to always question and investigate ‘why things are so’. To my primary supervisor, Dr. Awais Piracha for your guidance since the first days of candidature, for offering constructive criticism and morale boosting in equal parts, and reviewing drafts with enthusiasm (and often at short notice). Thank you for your tireless effort, I am truly appreciative To my panel supervisors, Associate Professor Michael Darcy and Dr Dallas Rogers. Thank you for offering useful and clarifying counsel and always pushing me out of my comfort zone. Fellow doctoral students and friends, Alex Baumann, Kelly Moylan and Elisha Barrett with whom I have shared this academic journey. I could not have wished for a better group of people to study with. Finally, to the research participants, who out of benevolence invited me into their lives and communities, for assisting me in my research. To the residents of Riverwood, North Gosford and Bonnyrigg, thank you for trusting me to tell your story. STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICATION The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………… Gordon Bijen December 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: “Designing Community”: the significance of place and urban design in public housing renewal............................................................................................................. 2 Context: public housing renewal in the global city .............................................................. 2 Research objective and questions ....................................................................................... 6 Thesis structure .................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2: Place three ways: Exploring the spatial turn ............................................... 11 Introduction to chapter ..................................................................................................... 11 Placing the study: Lefebvre’s urban critique ..................................................................... 12 Place as experience ............................................................................................................ 20 Place as discourse .............................................................................................................. 27 Place as form ...................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter summary .............................................................................................................. 40 CHAPTER 3: Designing Community ................................................................................ 41 “Designing” community ..................................................................................................... 41 Community ..................................................................................................................... 42 Commodifying community: Planner’s pursuit of urban utopia ......................................... 47 The origins of planning: Social reform, industrial cities, and urban ‘villages’ ................... 53 Homes for the people: Public housing design in postwar NSW ........................................ 61 Radburn: Suburban paradise (lost) ................................................................................ 62 Traditional Neighbourhood Design: Returning to the ‘new’ urbanism ......................... 68 The magic bullet: How New Urbanism is deployed in public housing renewal ................. 73 Public housing renewal as a social intervention ................................................................ 74 The economics of public housing renewal ......................................................................... 84 Chapter summary .............................................................................................................. 84 CHAPTER 4: Research Methodology .............................................................................. 86 Introduction to chapter ..................................................................................................... 86 Research objectives and approach .................................................................................... 86 Research design ................................................................................................................. 93 Interviews ....................................................................................................................... 94 Critical discourse analysis .............................................................................................. 95 i Time/space biographies ................................................................................................. 97 Photographic survey ...................................................................................................... 98 Field observations ........................................................................................................ 100 Mapping ....................................................................................................................... 102 Summary of research design............................................................................................ 102 Research process ............................................................................................................. 103 Interpretive analysis and reflective narrative .................................................................. 104 Ethical considerations ...................................................................................................... 105 Preconceptions and bias .................................................................................................. 106 Chapter summary ............................................................................................................ 107 CHAPTER 5: Riverwood ................................................................................................ 111 Introduction to chapter ................................................................................................... 111 Riverwood: Perceived ...................................................................................................... 112 Study area .................................................................................................................... 119 Summary of empirical activity undertaken ...................................................................... 123 Reconceiving Riverwood: The discursive re/construction of a neighbourhood .............. 126 We are Washington Park ................................................................................................. 129 Designing community ...................................................................................................... 134 Growing pains: The resident’s experience of a changing Riverwood .............................. 136 Neighbourhood change: New neighbours, new opportunities ....................................... 142 Chapter summary ............................................................................................................ 147 Findings addressing Research Question 1 ................................................................... 148 Findings addressing Research Question 2 ................................................................... 149 Findings addressing Research Question 3 ................................................................... 150 CHAPTER 6: North Gosford .......................................................................................... 152 Introduction to chapter ................................................................................................... 152 North Gosford: Perceived ................................................................................................ 153 Study area .................................................................................................................... 156 Summary of Empirical Activity Undertaken ..................................................................... 160 Building our business: Reconceiving a ‘problem estate’