Yan Liu – The Conversation

Brisbane’s West End. Photo: Rachel Gallagher

June 30, 2023

Houses and high‑rises (and nothing in between): why land zoning hasn’t been effective for improving urban density

Rachel Gallagher, The University of Queensland and Yan Liu, The University of Queensland

Simply rezoning land for higher density is not enough to achieve the planning goal of transforming low-density and car-centric neighbourhoods into mixed-use and walkable neighbourhoods.

Shops, offices, gyms and apartments dominate Brisbane’s ‘mixed use’ zone. Rachel Gallagher

September 27, 2022

How we accidentally planned the desertion of our cities

Rachel Gallagher, The University of Queensland; Thomas Sigler, The University of Queensland, and Yan Liu, The University of Queensland

The zoning policies that planners introduced to create vibrant and resilient mixed-use neighbourhoods have had the opposite effect, as services and residential developments crowd out light industry.

They’re a long way from the traditional inner-city ‘Chinatowns’, but the suburbs are where you’ll find 21st-century China-born migrants settling. Jandrie Lombard/Shutterstock

November 5, 2018

Where are Chinese migrants choosing to settle in Australia? Look to the suburbs

Thomas Sigler, The University of Queensland; Jonathan Corcoran, The University of Queensland; Siqin (Sisi) Wang, The University of Queensland, and Yan Liu, The University of Queensland

China-born migrants in Australia’s capital cities are becoming more suburban, but there are differences in settlement patterns between the biggest cities and smaller cities.

Very wet weather is likely to persuade many regular cyclists and walkers to travel instead by car if they can. This is Bondi Junction after a storm hit Sydney. David Moir/AAP

April 8, 2018

Too wet? Too cold? Too hot? This is how weather affects the trips we make

Jonathan Corcoran, The University of Queensland; Dorina Pojani, The University of Queensland; Francisco Rowe, University of Liverpool; Jiangping Zhou, University of Hong Kong; Jiwon Kim, The University of Queensland; Ming Wei, The University of Queensland; Sui Tao, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Thomas Sigler, The University of Queensland, and Yan Liu, The University of Queensland

The relationship between weather and our travel choices is complicated. We can’t change the weather, but, with many other factors in play, good policy and design can reduce its impacts.

A 3D model of a development scenario in Brisbane’s West End produced using ESRI’s CityEngine program. Author supplied

January 29, 2018

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

Yan Liu, The University of Queensland; Derlie Mateo-Babiano, The University of Melbourne, and Sebastien Darchen, The University of Queensland

3D urban modelling is a transformative technology for designing cities. But incorporating new technologies into planning practice has its challenges.

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