Resources

The practice of urban design is interdisciplinary. This resource page provides more information about urban design in Australia and Internationally.

More links can also be found on the planning related links page.

Australian

Planning Institute Australia (PIA)
PIA is the Australian planning professional organisation that seeks the general advancement of regional and town planning and to promote the artistic and scientific development of regions, cities and towns.

Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA)
AILA is a peak national association representing landscape architects and the integrity and standing of the profession.

Property Council of Australia
The Property Council of Australia is a peak industry association representing the interests of the property community, principally those who use land or invest in the built environment to generate economic returns.

Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA)
The Royal Australian Institute of Architects is a peak national association representing architects and the integrity and standing of the profession.

Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA)
The UDIA (Victoria) is an independent association of private enterprise organisations directly involved in the production, financing and marketing of all facets of property development.

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
The MAV is the peak representative and lobbying body for Victoria's 78 local councils. This link provides access to the websites of Victoria's 78 local councils.

Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)
AHURI is a national research organisation committed to analysing and understanding housing and related urban outcomes throughout Australia.

Australian Conservation Foundation
A non-government, non-profit environment organisation dedicated to the environment and the long-term reform, for accountable and ecologically sound management of our cities, industries and our natural heritage.

Urban Design Forum
Urban Design Forum is a non-profit organisation formed to encourage better design of our cities and towns and to provide a forum where ideas and comment about urban design can be expressed.

Australian Institute of Urban Studies
The AIUS is an independent not-for-profit organisation concerned with all aspects of urban affairs..

International Cities, Town Centres and Communities Society (ICTCC)
ICTCC aims to facilitate world best practices in the planning, development and management of cities, towns and communities and particularly the planning, development and management of public spaces and infrastructure

Victorian Eco Innovation Lab
The Eco Lab is an ACSIS project which aims to open up the eco-innovation space, by developing seductive and realisable new concepts
for sustainable products, services, built environments and lifestyles.

Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Society
(ACSIS) is a joint initiative of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Engineering, with the Faculties of Medicine Dentistry & Health, Architecture, Building & Planning and Bio21 as additional partners.

Butter Paper
Butter Paper is and Australian and New Zealand architecture and design resource.

Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIA)
The EIA is a professional body established to facilitate interaction among environmental professionals, promote environmental knowledge and awareness, and advance ethical and competent environmental practice.

International

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
CABE is the United Kingdom government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space.

This Place Is
This Place Is is a forum for information on people places.

Project for Public Spaces (PPS)
PPS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and sustaining public places that build communities.

UNESCO Urban Design and Education Program
The Urban Design and Education Program is a special project for research and promotion of world-leading ideas in urban design and sustainable development, as well as for education and training in this area.

Building for Life
Building For Life is committed to the quality of new housing development. It is an initiative which promotes design excellence and celebrates best practice in the house building industry.

New Zealand Urban Design Protocol
The Protocol is a voluntary commitment to specific urban design initiatives by signatory organisations, which include central and local government, the property sector, design professionals, professional institutes and other groups within New Zealand.

The Global Urban Research Unit (GURU)
GURU takes an interdisciplinary and global perspective based on understandings and experiences derived from its members’ varying academic disciplines and their experiences in different parts of the Globe.

United Nations Human Settlement Programme
The program promotes a range of initiatives that foster socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the aim of providing adequate shelter for everyone.

Urban Age
Initiated by the Cities Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Deutsche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Society, Urban Age is structured around international and multidisciplinary events and research supporting the creation of a new urban agenda for global cities.

Urban Design Group
The organisation aims to help build collaborations between the people with the power to make things happen within our urban environments.

Manual for Streets
The Manual for Streets gives guidance to a range of practitioners on effective street design.

Walk21
Walk21 exists to champion the development of healthy sustainable and efficient communities where people choose to walk.