Sebastien Darchen

Siouxsie Sioux in Edinburgh in 1980: a Goth pioneer she was a big influence on the tribe known as Goth in steamy Brisbane. Wikimedia Commons

It’s hot in here: the evolution of Goth subculture in sub‑tropical Brisbane

Lakes of kohl in danger of smudging in the humidity. Black clothes soaking up the sun. It took commitment to be a Goth in 80s Brisbane - here are some of the influences that shaped the scene.
Située sur la Loire, ancienne friche industrielle, l’île Beaulieu à Nantes fait l’objet d'un vaste projet de rénovation urbaine depuis le début des années 2000. Frank Perry/AFP

Sur l’île de Nantes, l’expérimentation urbaine peut‑elle se pérenniser ?

Victime de son succès, l’île de Nantes interroge la pérennité des projets de rénovation urbaine qui prétendent renforcer la valeur d’un lieu tout en le rendant accessible au plus grand nombre.
Australia’s sprawling cities present many challenges to sustainability, but planning innovations can help achieve at least half of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Nils Versemann/Shutterstock

Our cities fall short on sustainability, but planning innovations offer local solutions

Planning innovations around the world offer inspiration, but ultimately the innovations needed to make Australia’s sprawling cities more sustainable must be shaped by local conditions.
A car is set alight during the 2005 riots that prompted soul-searching in France about segregated and badly designed housing projects. A.J./Wikimedia

When neighbourhoods become dangerous, look to local strengths for a lifeline

Planning matters. The 2005 riots in France started in badly designed housing projects, while innovative planning helped Medellín, Colombia, shed its reputation as the most violent city in the world.
A 3D model of a development scenario in Brisbane’s West End produced using ESRI’s CityEngine program. Author supplied

How virtual 3D modelling and simulation can help us create better cities

3D urban modelling is a transformative technology for designing cities. But incorporating new technologies into planning practice has its challenges.
Movies from the “neo-noir” genre offer a darker and bleaker vision of the city, in stark contrast to the world of the TV sit-com. Tan Zi Han/Shutterstock

Movies and TV choose to tell us different stories about the cities of today

Movies often portray the city as a dystopia, particularly in the ‘neo-noir’ genre, which explores postmodern themes. TV shows and ads present an altogether sunnier picture of life in the city.
City policymakers are realising creative workers don’t have to be permanently clustered together if they can collaborate as needed. Steve Purkiss/flickr

Gaming trends show cities need to rethink how they tap into creative economy

Cities seeking to attract creative industries have relied heavily on the cluster concept. New research suggests a technology-driven transformation of how the sector works calls for a new approach.

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