Following World War Two, land use and transport policy and practice in most major Australian cities was modelled on the US experience. As such, these cities have become characterised by urban sprawl (indicated by segregated zoning and low development densities) and car dependence. In Perth, Western Australia, these characteristics are particularly evident despite, or perhaps because, the city has a strong regional planning system unlike most American cities. Car dependence and sprawl are in turn linked to dependence on fossil fuels for transport energy. Increasingly, too, links are being found between conventional planning outcomes and public health. For example, research has linked car dependence with a variety of health conditions including respiratory illness, overweight and obesity. Moreover, research is increasingly linking sprawl and car dependence with social justice issues because people on limited income and with decreased mobility struggle to undertake their life’s work. In response to these concerns the Western Australian planning system introduced Liveable Neighbourhoods, a new design code, which was meant to reduce car dependence and sprawl. This code has its roots in New Urbanism and appears to have been taken up more rapidly in Perth than elsewhere. No large-scale evaluation of New Urbanism has previously been conducted anywhere. This thesis reports on an extensive literature review, travel survey (n=211), perceptual study (n=992) and environmental study, which together sought to evaluate whether the Liveable Neighbourhoods (LN) design code is contributing to a sustainable transport agenda. In total, 46 neighbourhoods (11 LNs and 35 CNs) were compared. The research found that despite residents of Liveable Neighbourhoods driving less and walking more than residents of conventional neighbourhoods (CNs) (a switch of 9% with some associated health advantages), there was little else to indicate that LN is achieving its goals as transport VKT and fuel use was identical due to regional transport requirements diminishing any local walkability advantages. There was strong supportive evidence that LNs were not significantly different to CNs. For example, there were few differences in perception of opportunity for more sustainable travel and residents of CNs actually had better access, on average, to key destinations, including shops (i.e. the average distance to key destinations was 2.2 kilometres compared with 2.5 kilometres in LNs). Also, residential lot densities were well below what were intended by LN and in both LNs and CNs the time for public transport to get people to work was over 90 minutes compared with around 30 minutes by car. The results reveal that there must be significant revisions to the LN code and how it is applied, because there is no evidence that new neighbourhoods are improving regional transport sustainability. In particular, residential densities and land use mix appear to be too low to encourage community self-sufficiency, indicated by few neighbourhoods being anchored by key destinations. These matters are not mandated in the LN guidelines making them powerless to bring significant change. More generally, the thesis questions the extent to which New Urbanism can promote a sustainable transport agenda wherever it is applied unless it mandates real changes in land use and transit not just local walkability.

The planning concept "15-minute city" has in recent years become a popular model, after which, for example, Mayor Anne Hidalgo plans and builds Paris. The model advocates a set time limit (15 minutes) during which the inhabitants of the city and the neighbourhood must be able to reach their daily nodes and needs by walking or cycling. Despite the name 15-minute city, the focus is not on zealously keeping this limit, but on the fact that all residents are being able to live locally in their neighbourhood. In the 15- minute city, car-use is greatly reduced, and the preferred means of transport are walking and cycling. However, the concept, which according to its author Carlos Moreno will generate better health and a more sustainable city, has been heavily criticized for contributing to gentrification and making unreasonable demands on the built environment. Similar concepts are implemented all over the world, for example in Munich, where this master's thesis has its point of departure. The purpose of the investigation is to be able to contribute to an ongoing debate about 15-minute cities and integrated neighbourhoods. More specifically, the purpose of this study is threefold: (1) identify strengths and weaknesses of the concept, (2) identify challenges that implementation of the concept may encounter in Munich and (3) identify challenges that implementation of the concept may encounter in three areas of varying character in Munich. Two of the areas already exist, one central and one peripheral, and the third area is being built according to the principles of an integrated local neighbourhood. The investigation has been carried out through a case study and the empirical material has been analysed through qualitative content analysis. Theories on what constitutes safe and lively streets and neighbourhoods as well as on how to construct long-lasting public spaces have been used as the theoretical framework. The results show that strengths with the concept include inherent resilience, an acceleration of the shift to sustainable transport, and that the concept appeals to a broad mass. Risks include a reduced desire to build in a recession, an imbalance in the distribution of resources and the concept per se being vaguely defined. The results also show that the high housing prices in Munich may make it more difficult for an implementation of the 15-minute city and that the built environment and public transport are deficient, which makes the implementation of the 15-minute city costly. Finally, the results show that the nature of the different areas generates different challenges. For example, the results indicate that the central area's biggest challenge is lacking infrastructure and political will, while the more peripheral area will be struggling to attract “urban amenities” and the area under construction is facing extensive difficulties in coordinating actors.

I de seneste år har forskning og udvikling på levende byer udviklet sig på grund af kompleksitet og mangfoldighed af levekårsstandarder. Cities all over the world are growing day by day. Developed countries are trying hard to reach a level where the liveable conditions can be achieved and they are managing this ongoing challenge with a certain standard. Liveable condition means ensuring every aspect of living elements. Fast growing countries like Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Pakistan etc are developing but unfortunately they can not be considered as the desired liveable condition until now. In this paper, the author will focus on the liveable conditions of one fast growing city of developing countries, which is the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. Det er et af de byområder som står over for mange udfordringer, langt fra at nå til et niveau hvor mennesker kan leve i en levebar situasjon. Det vil bli gjort ved at analysere aktuelle udfordringer og muligheder. På den annen side vil forfatteren også diskutere om ledelses- og samordningsutfordringer mellom multilevelplanmyndigheter. Omdat relatie tussen verschillende autoriteiten noodzakelijk is om te bereiken de wens levende toestand van een stad. Dette vil blive gjort ved at forske i eksisterende planlægningsmodeller, som er foreslået af disse myndigheder. Forfatteren vil diskutere sit eget forslag til nogle af disse problemer, som kan bruges til at nå det ønskede niveau af levende tilstand. The author will also discuss the management and co-ordination challenges between multilevel planning authorities. Omdat relatie tussen verschillende autoriteiten noodzakelijk is om te bereiken de wens levende toestand van een stad. Dette vil blive gjort ved at forske i eksisterende planlægningsmodeller, som er foreslået af disse myndigheder. Forfatteren vil diskutere sit eget forslag til nogle af disse problemer, som kan bruges til at nå det ønskede niveau af levende tilstand. The author will also discuss the management and co-ordination challenges between multilevel planning authorities. Omdat relatie tussen verschillende autoriteiten noodzakelijk is om te bereiken de wens levende toestand van een stad. Dette vil blive gjort ved at forske i eksisterende planlægningsmodeller, som er foreslået af disse myndigheder. Forfatteren vil diskutere sit eget forslag til nogle af disse problemer, som kan bruges til at nå det ønskede niveau af levende tilstand.

Urban space has transformed as a result of changing dynamics in 21th century. It has started to be considered as a consumer-focused by physical interventions. At this point, the concept of liveability has become significant since it approaches urban space in a holistic approach. This thesis discusses livability of urban square as it is one of the best places where liveability of urban space can be examined. In this study, Orhangazi Urban Square is chosen as a case study area. The aim of this study is to reveal &bdquo / what makes an urban square liveable

Public spaces have through history formed an important function as meeting places for people living in the city. According to some critics, the prevailing planning ideals during the era of the Modernism neglected these functions, thus creating neighbourhoods characterised by low interaction among the citizens. Present urban planning is once again appreciating the value of creating vibrant and liveable neighbourhoods with a human scale in mind. Given the high development pressure in Sweden and around the world has however entailed great challenges for the urban planning practise, which in some cases seems to fail in supplying the most essential settings for creating the liveable city. The aim of this study is to explore how public spaces can contribute to the creation of liveable cities, looking at a specific case study of the neighbourhood Eriksberg in Uppsala. This study stands on an assumption of the existence of a connection between physical design and human behaviour and explores how the environment affects our behaviour. Eriksberg is currently undergoing a regeneration and densification process. Carrying out a literature study, a survey, interviews and observations have resulted in the identification of a number of liveability factors. The liveable city is created through participation, collaboration and integration. Furthermore, an urbane and liveable city can be described with words such as diversity, density, a high concentration of people, an open physical structure and features of a variety of different functions and activities. Eriksberg is currently an area with weak connections and poor urban qualities, although strongly characterized by its proximity to the nature. The results from this study highlight the importance of taking advantage of existing values in order to create a liveable city. The nature appeared to be a valued living factor in the case of Eriksberg, highly appreciated by the residents in the area. By implementing a development approach for Eriksberg focusing on a higher accessibility, a greater range of primary functions and different activities, a neighbourhood that is perceived as more liveable than in the current situation can be created. / De offentliga rummen har i alla tider utgjort en viktig funktion som mötesplatser för stadens invånare. Planeringsidealen som rådde under modernismen anses bland en del kritiker ha försummat dessa funktioner med följder i skapandet av stadsdelar med låg interaktion bland dess invånare. Dagens stadsplaneringsideal eftersträvar att skapa levande stadsdelar som är stadsmässiga och utgår från den mänskliga skalan. Det höga exploateringstrycket i Sverige och världen över har emellertid medfört stora utmaningar för stadsplaneringen som inte alltid lyckas skapa den levande staden. Syftet med denna studie är att utifrån en fallstudie undersöka hur de offentliga rummen kan bidra till att skapa städer som är mer levande. Studien utgår från att det finns ett samband mellan den fysiska designen och människans beteenden och undersöker närmare hur omgivningen påverkar vårt beteende. Eriksberg är en stadsdel i Uppsala som för tillfället genomgår en förnyelse- och förtätningsprocess. Genom en litteraturstudie, enkätundersökning, intervjuer och observationer har olika levandefaktorer kunnat identifieras. Enligt litteraturen skapas den levande staden genom deltagande, samarbete och integration. En stadsmässig och livfull stad bygger på mångfald, täthet, en hög befolkningskoncentration, en öppen fysisk struktur och inslag av många olika funktioner och aktiviteter. Eriksberg utgörs i dagsläget av ett svagt sammankopplat område med få stadskvaliteter, men som är starkt präglat av närheten till naturen. Resultaten från denna studie belyser vikten av att ta vara på befintliga värden för att skapa en levande stad, i fallet Eriksberg utgör naturen en värdefull levandefaktor som stadsdelens invånare värderar högt. Genom att utveckla Eriksberg till en stadsdel med högre tillgänglighet, med ett större utbud av primära funktioner och olika aktiviteter kan en stadsdel som upplevs som mer levande än idag skapas. / Social life & Urban Form