US-style College Town Architecture Opposed Down Under

A proposed 11-story complex at Melbourne University is criticized for repeating the mistakes of inexpensively built U.S. private student housing.

1 minute read

June 12, 2003, 2:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"A contentious 11-storey complex opposite Melbourne University would offer a new kind of student housing for Melbourne similar to that in American college towns, a planning tribunal was told yesterday.... The City of Melbourne, the National Trust and the Carlton Residents Association, which are appealing against Planning Minister Mary Delahunty's approval of the complex, will argue that the buildings are of great bulk and poor design.""The City of Melbourne, the National Trust and the Carlton Residents Association, which are appealing against Planning Minister Mary Delahunty's approval of the complex, will argue that the buildings are of great bulk and poor design.""'It is a form not readily seen in Australian circumstances." But in the United States there were "whole (student) towns of 35,000 to 40,000 people' with similar housing," the developer said.

Thanks to Bob Karrow

Thursday, June 12, 2003 in The Age, Australia

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