I have always wondered what planning systems were in place for the Pacific Islands. The lecture today was very interesting... it is staggering that there are only 3 planners in all of Fiji! Planning must be an increadibly stressful task for those planners and a difficult job to deliver quality urban planning. I wonder how Fiji is coping with the tourism industry and the conflict with the native ownership of the islands where resorts are established. This would be interesting to explore more...
I thought that Kai's lecture on Chinese planning was thoroughly interesting and has sparked a bit of an interest in travelling through China to see what it's all about on the ground. The concept of the Danweis was particularly interesting... a sustainable form of development which NZ should perhaps be thinking of on a smaller scale. The Danweis related to my first assignment on gated communities which discussed the social segregation that gated communities cause in developing countries. I wonder if this would be the case in China? Something to ponder....
Visit the World Bank website http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfcxY6fMDwU for short films on some of the pressing planning issues related and shared by the world.
The planning students are looking forward to getting together in a couple of weeks time. They are aiming to present their ideas for the first of their articles for th NZPI quarterly.
my students are looking forward to meeting you all in a couple of weeks and getting your input on our projects. Strange how we all inhabit the same building but rarely speak or cross paths!
This blog is open to students on the course and to those interested in urban sustainability. It provides a forum to swap information as well as views and comments about how different countries are approaching urban sustainability.