Tune into ABC Far North Drive today at 3pm to hear more from Dr Taha Chaiechi and I about our research on the relationships between city temperatures and urban economics. Read more…
This article was originally published on 28th June on JCU’s Brighter website.
As climate change continues to wreak its path through tropical communities, architects and urban planners are combatting the potentially disastrous effects with innovative design solutions.
Dr. Silvia Tavares “designs cities with an eye on the climate”. A leading urban designer and senior lecturer at James Cook University, Dr. Tavares has a passion for creating places that foster connection and wellbeing, while being sustainable for the future. Read more…
“Every community has excuses for why changing the way they use their streets is impossible, impractical, or just insane. I learned firsthand that there is no end to the reasons for inaction. But inaction is inexcusable. As our cities grow, leaders and the people they serve cannot accept dysfunctional streets; they must fight to change them. The fight for these changes—well, that’s just part of the job.”
Last week I taught for the first time the Urban Design Studio at James Cook University. It was a very intense but enjoyable week with classes from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Read more…
Silvia Tavares, James Cook University and Taha Chaiechi, James Cook University
Urban design undoubtedly influences the urban economy. A simple thing like designing an area to make it more walkable can boost local business profits. This can also increase real estate value, create more and better jobs and generate stronger local economies.
Street temperatures also determine their walkability. With climate change bringing longer and more frequent heatwaves, street temperatures will become even higher than at present. This will reduce walkability and, in turn, local business profitability. Read more…
One of the subjects I teach at James Cook University is Design Communication. At the end of this year’s block mode a student asked me if we could have a group to carry on sketching, and so the JCU Sketchers Group was created. We have been meeting every fortnight, on Thursdays 3-4pm. Read more…
In April this year Karine Dupré and I published an article entitled Planning and designing multi-services green infrastructure: The case of Cairns in the Indian magazine My Liveable City. Read more…
I am extremely honoured to have been nominated by James Cook University to attend the Science at the Shine Dome hosted by the Australian Academy of Sciences. Read more…
“In general, the urban community has become lost in strategic planning, masterplanning, zoning and landscaping… Read more…
The Bauhaus is completing 100 years this April and there is plenty around in celebration of this amazing School which influenced so much the arts, architecture, design, urbanism and so many other professions. Read more…
The International Conference “Architecture in tropical environments: constructing the landscape. Between practice and research” has an open call for abstracts until 30th April.
A couple of weeks ago I presented a seminar entitled The city and the wild: Design meets ecosystems.
The recoding is now available here.
Karine Dupré, Griffith University; Jane Coulon, École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Montpellier, and Silvia Tavares, James Cook University
What does it take to be a happy and healthy city? In any city, myriad factors go into the mix – and of course we are not dealing with just one kind of city. But, due to the world history of colonisation, models are still too often European-centric. In particular, we need to adjust how we think about cities in the tropics. Read more…
This Wednesday I will present a seminar on the relationships between cities and natural ecosystems, and how they can coexist. Join us in the Cairns Institute if you are in Cairns. Read more…
