What’s new

News

Introducing new Centre for Urban Research Director Professor Libby Porter

11 January 2024

With the start of the new year, we are welcoming a new Director to the Centre for Urban Research, Professor Libby Porter.

News

Understanding Victoria’s Housing Statement

21 September 2023

On September 20, the Victorian Government released its Housing Statement, outlining a number of large and small changes across the housing sector. From changes to planning laws, to the demolition of public housing towers across Melbourne some of the plans will have significant real-world impacts, but they may not all be beneficial. To better understand […]

Blog

Shaping Pacific Urban Futures

12 September 2023

CUR researchers have contributed to sessions on the climate action day at the 6th Pacific Urban Forum, held at the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat Conference Centre in Suva, Fiji (5–7 September). The event was attended by 300 delegates from across the region. The Pacific Urban Forum (PUF) is the premier event for urban practitioners, thinkers, […]

Blog

Five models to de-risking the building industry in Australia – here’s what we can learn from around the world

09 August 2023

The multitude of challenges facing the construction industry in Australia seems to keep accumulating. Supply chain shortages, labour shortages, price increases, insurance and financial difficulties, mental health issues, and gaps in skills and training have variously exacerbated during, or as a result of, the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges not only impact workers within the industry and the ability […]

News

Cooking (and heating) without gas: what are the impacts of shifting to all-electric homes?

01 August 2023

Gas connections for all new housing and sub-divisions will be banned in Victoria from January 1 next year, leading to greener, healthier homes.

Study a Masters by Research (Project) with the team from RMIT

Join us to shape urban environments and impact lives as a professional urban and environmental planner, manager or policy maker, and drive positive changes through applied sustainable development practices.

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Our Research

Past Projects

Democratic Urban Development in the Digital Age (DEMUDIG)

2019–2021

This international research project is examining citizens’ use of the Internet and social media to participate in urban development processes, and city governments’ efforts to engage and respond to citizens through these channels.

Current Projects

Optimising apartment design policy to equitably enhance mental health

2018 (ongoing)

This study will generate evidence on the key health enhancing design requirements that should be entrenched in the new Design WA Apartment Design Guidelines.

Past Projects

Innovative responses to urban transportation: current practice in Australian cities

2019–2020

This project investigates drivers and processes of change within Australian metropolitan transport systems to identify future options and directions for policy development.

Past Projects

Benchmarking, monitoring, modelling and valuing the healthy liveable city

2019–2022

Along with our Department of Health and South Australia Health partners, this project builds on our national liveability indicator work to improve understandings of the relationship between built environments, daily activities and travel choices.

Past Projects

Emergency volunteering 2030: Adapting the sector

2017–2020

This co-designed project is a collaboration with the University of Western Australia and key emergency management organisations for the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre.

Current Projects

Representing Multicultural Australia in National and State Libraries

2018 (ongoing)

The project aims to investigate the representation of histories and cultures of migrants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in the National Library and select state library collections.

Past Projects

Early delivery of equitable and healthy transport options in new suburbs

2018–2021

The project will produce evidence and tools to assist both the public and private sectors provide transport options to residents of Melbourne’s new suburbs as soon as they move in.

Past Projects

Onsets not offsets for real biodiversity gains

2020–2022

This project will make conceptual and methodological advancements required to develop a working approach for onsets. Case studies in urban development and agriculture will highlight how the approach work s in practice.

Meet an expert

News

Meet the women helping to improve how we live in cities and with nature

05 March 2020

As our cities evolve, so too should our approach to building and planning our urban habitats. Here, six RMIT urban researchers share how their work is shaping how we live in our cities and with nature.

News

Meet Jodie Boyd: Expert in cultural history and policy

24 February 2020

What role do libraries have in the 21st century in shaping our national narrative? Dr Jodie Boyd explains how libraries are vital to preserving our story as a multicultural society.

News

Meet Tamzin Rollason: Expert in sustainable fashion

03 September 2019

Sustainable apparel is in vogue but is it the answer to fashion’s environmental footprint? Researcher Tamzin Rollason delves deeper into the eco-style trend.

News

Meet Mittul Vahanvati: Expert in housing and community resilience

23 May 2019

The homes we live in, and the homes we’re building, are not what we need in a changing climate. Dr Mittul Vahanvati explains what this means and what we need to change to support climate resilience in Australia.