The Kelvin Grove Urban Village, situated on the edge of Brisbane’s Central Business District, is a practical visionary project exploring better Australian city-making by demonstrating best practice in sustainable, mixed-use urban development.

Established by a partnership involving the Queensland Government, through the Department of Housing, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), this innovative, master-planned Village aims to deliver “a diverse city fringe community, linking learning with enterprise, creative industry with community….creating a new part of Brisbane that offers unique living solutions”.

Every facet of the Village has been planned to balance the environmental, social and economic issues for long-term sustainability through its:

• concept and strategic location;
• master plan and neighbourhood design;
• infrastructure;
• building design and construction; and
• ongoing management.

A bus shelter at the Kelvin Grove Urban Village has solar panels to generate electricity for the Village.

The neighbourhood design promotes walking, cycling and public transport and reduces the reliance on cars. Its landscaping allows rainwater to percolate through parking areas to replenish the underground water table, and prevents erosion from stormwater. New trees planted along the streets and in the parks keep the area green and complement the stands of existing native trees.

The design guidelines for new developments within the Village demand high standards of environmental sustainability, incorporating measures to reduce energy use and water consumption. These include cross ventilation to suit the climate, energy-efficient appliances, solar power, rainwater tanks and other methods to conserve water, manage waste and encourage recycling. Even the bus shelters include solar panels to generate electricity for the Village and surrounding area.

The multi-award-winning Village aims to demonstrate:

• greater urban physical sustainability through public transport, recycling of materials, energy and water-conscious infrastructure, climatically-appropriate buildings and ‘ownership’ by residents;

• a more socially sustainable and just community which will be inclusive of a wide range of household types, tenures, incomes and ages; provide supporting commercial and community services; involve safety-conscious urban design; and promote social interaction and lifelong learning through synergies with QUT;
  
• a healthy urban place by encouraging walking and cycling, requiring healthy building materials and designs, delivering a visually legible neighbourhood and creating an active community;

• an economically creative place through the central involvement of the university and partners in the life of the neighbourhood; and

• a place that celebrates good design, cultural and built heritage, resident diversity, social interaction and the responsibilities and possibilities of the future.

Rainwater tanks in a residential complex at the Kelvin Grove Urban Village provide adequate rainwater catchment for residents.

The Kelvin Grove Urban Village has been master-planned to provide for a mix of housing, university, shopping, community facilities and public parks.

Underpinning its master-planning and urban design were ideas such as

• the traditional main street;
• a diversity of uses;
• a highly permeable and connected neighbourhood grid;
• a lively public realm; and
• a wide variety of architectural and landscaping expressions.

By linking learning with enterprise and creative industry with community, the Village offers unique living solutions. People can easily walk from home to work, have a coffee at the local bakery, or walk to the city or university for an afternoon or evening lecture. It is a place where people of all ages and stages in life can live, shop, dine, go to the theatre or gym, and where young entrepreneurs can work next door to leading researchers. The diverse facilities and mix of tradition and innovation haave created a safe, convenient and attractive neighbourhood.

Since its commencement in 2002, the following outcomes have been realised:

• all infrastructure is in place;

• the QUT Creative Industries Precinct, which includes La Boite theatre, has been operating as a teaching, research, industry and performance complex since January 2004;

• QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, which employs around 325 staff, was completed in 2006;

• the Village Centre opened in late 2006 and contains a Supa IGA full-line supermarket, chemist, organic food concept store, restaurants, butcher, newsagent, bottleshop, dessert bar, bakery and fast food outlets. There are also 213 residential apartments located above the retail complex;

• four separate affordable housing complexes have been developed and are now being managed by the Brisbane Housing Company to supply 155 units of accommodation within the Village;

• a residential complex, containing seven luxury three-bedroom townhouses close to the Village Centre, is complete;

• construction is well underway on a 456-bed managed student accommodation facility which will open for the 2008 academic year;

• QUT’s centre for Health and Physical Activity is under construction and will include the Australian Red Cross Blood Services, sports courts, a pool, gymnasium and commercial facilities. The complex will be completed in early 2008;

• the Department of Education, Training and the Art’s Queensland Academy for Creative Industries, which will house 450 students and 50 staff, is due for completion in early 2008;

• many other developments are under construction with more in the final planning stages and some lots for sale; and

• monthly community meetings for residents, workers and visitors to the Village focus on developments, activities and events that are occurring in the Village.

With over 60% of the Kelvin Grove Urban Village complete, under construction or in the planning stage, the Village is meeting its original aims of demonstrating:

• high quality urban design;
• sustainable architecture and planning;
• safe, walkable, transport-served neighbourhood design;
• university integration in the community;
• social mix through a wide range of housing types, tenures and prices;
• public-private partnerships; and
• value adding to subsidise low income housing.

The project has received national and state awards from a number of professional and industry organisations for its master-planning, urban design, environmental planning and project implementation.

Further information about the Kelvin Grove Urban Village can be found at www.kgurbanvillage.com.au.