Investigating the complex dimensions of urban living and planning
We research the design, characteristics and processes of urbanism (living in cities) and the policy and planning solutions proposed to create better cities.
Profound global demographic and economic shifts – particularly international flows of people and capital – are reshaping the urban system. These shifts impose new burdens on the ageing urban infrastructure of 20th Century cities, such as Sydney, which have struggled to accommodate population growth and change. Economically successful global cities that attract high income earners for their unique amenity and accessibility, face particular challenges as housing prices rise, displacing younger knowledge and keyworker groups.
While many global cities including New York and London, regard affordability as a critical component of urban infrastructure, in Sydney, affordable housing has struggled to gain policy traction. Wider questions about the capacity for the existing housing stock – particularly larger homes in outer suburban locations – to accommodate population growth and change – remain unanswered.
The Urban Housing Lab@Sydney was initially funded through the Henry Halloran Trust’s research incubator scheme. Led by Professor Nicole Gurran (urban policy and housing) and Dr Somwrita Sarkar (complex networks, computational models), research fostered within the Incubator connects to wider scholarship on urban governance, planning, infrastructure, the housing market and big-data analytics, while distilling key implications for policy and practice.
Recent News
- Submission to DPIE re Housing Diversity SEPP September 10, 2020 - Urban Housing Lab researchers Dr Laurence Troy, Dr Catherine Gilbert, Dr Caitlin Buckle, Professor Nicole Gurran and Professor Peter Phibbs recently made a submission to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in regards to the proposed Housing Diversity SEPP, with submissions closing Sep 9, 2020. Diversity SEPP SubmissionDownload Continue Reading
- Outcomes of the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP – research findings and discussion September 1, 2020 - With a new Housing Diversity SEPP on the table, members of the Urban Housing Lab will be sharing recent research on outcomes of the current Affordable Rental Housing SEPP and discussing implications in light of the proposed changes. Dr Laurence Troy will present research on boarding house development outcomes of the ARHSEPP published in a series of recent studies. Dr Catherine… Continue Reading
- Two AHURI COVID-19 Projects Underway May 28, 2020 - Congratulations to Urban Housing Lab members Caitlin Buckle, Professor Nicole Gurran, Dr Catherine Gilbert and Henry Halloran Trust Director Professor Peter Phibbs, who are involved with two new AHURI COVID-19 research projects. Caitlin Buckle leads the project 'Marginal housing during COVID-19' with Nicole Gurran and Peter Phibbs and in collaboration with Associate Professor Tess Lea from the Faculty of Arts… Continue Reading
- ARC Linkage Success May 28, 2020 - Congratulations to Dr Sophia Maalsen and Dr Dallas Rogers for a successful ARC Linkage grant application, collaborating with Dr Desiree Fields and Tenants NSW, Tenants QLD and Tenants VIC! The project aims to show how digital technologies are transforming the private rental sector in Australia. This project should provide significant benefits for Australian renters and tenancy advocacy partners who represent… Continue Reading
- Share houses strain under pressure of social distancing regulations April 9, 2020 - Dr Sophia Maalsen was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week for her views on the difficulties faced in share housing under current isolation and social distancing regulations. Read the full article here. Continue Reading
- For pandemic control, housing is the best medicine April 9, 2020 - In a co-authored piece for the Croakey, our Chair of Urbanism, Professor Nicole Gurran, discussed the challenges those in overcrowded and unstable housing situations face following COVID-19 isolation advice. Access the full article here. Continue Reading
- Homelessness and overcrowding expose us all to coronavirus. Here’s what we can do to stop the spread March 24, 2020 - Professor Nicole Gurran and Professor Peter Phibbs offer solutions to ease overcrowding and house homeless populations during the coronavirus pandemic in a co-authored piece for The Conversation. Access the full article here. Continue Reading
- Why housing evictions must be suspended to defend us against coronavirus March 23, 2020 - Dr Sophia Maalsen and Dr Dallas Rogers argue for a government-imposed eviction moratorium in a co-authored piece for The Conversation. Access the full article here. Continue Reading
- Short term rentals and the housing market – critical housing research March 3, 2020 - Attention researchers! Contributions to a special issue of Critical Housing Analysis on Short term rentals and the housing market are currently invited, by guest editors Nicole Gurran (University of Sydney) and Declan Redmond (University College Dublin). Critical Housing Analysis publishes short papers that undergo quick double blind peer review by two members of the editorial Board. Contributions of up to… Continue Reading
- Predicting neighbourhood change using big data and machine learning: Implications for theory, methods, and practice – University of Sydney Symposium, 10-11 August 2020 January 31, 2020 - Despite decades of research on neighborhood change, there has been little corresponding methodological development: studies still tend to either rely primarily on demographic data aggregated at the neighborhood level (which masks complex and micro-scale causal dynamics), or on in-depth case studies (which present challenges for generalization). Advances in data science, particularly if informed by critical urban theory, offer the potential… Continue Reading