People first for Docklands

VicUrban is soon to release a report by Danish architects Gehl on making Docklands more “human”.

The “Places for People” report will guide future planning decisions and takes an approach of “people first.”

Outlining the concept to the Docklands Co-ordination Committee on March 24, VicUrban urban design director Jacquelyn Ross predicted Docklands would become a more diverse and interesting place.

Ms Ross said Gehl studies of the CBD in 1993 and again in 2004 laid the foundation for the success in making Melbourne more dynamic and people-focussed.

She said the Docklands study had found that 93 per cent of pedestrian journeys in Docklands encountered a red traffic signal, whereas the figure in Copenhagen was only 50 per cent.

She said 74 per cent of street level facades in Docklands were passive or inactive.

And, she said, getting people walking was good for business as pedestrians spent more in local business than people who passed in cars or public transport.