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2Sydneyisgoingthroughanapartmentboomwithhousingapprovalsrunningataround70forapartments.Thisclearlyindicatesaconsumerswingtowardsthistypeofliving.Theapartmentlifestyleisaboutsharingameniesthroughsharedswimmingpoolssharedgymnasiumsandsharedparksandgardens.Apartmentsaregenerallylocatedinmoreurbanareasclosetopublictransportandwithcoeeshopsandrestaurantsnearby.SydneyandmostAustraliancieshavedevelopedavarietyofapartmenttypesfromverytalltowersincitylocaonsto20storeytowersintowncentresandmid-riseapartmentsasatransiontothetwostoreyresidenalcharacterthatdominatesmostAustraliancies.TheUrbanTaskforcehasadvocatedstronglyfortallertowersattransportnodessothatgooddensiescansupportpublictransport.ThisedionofUrbanIdeasisfocussedonthemid-riseapartmentbuildingthatwillbealilefurtherawayfromtherailwaystaon.MANYCOMMUNITIESPREFERMID-RISEBUILDINGSMostAustralianshavegrownupinlowrisesuburbanhousingandthehighrisetowerisanuncomfortablehousingtype.Themid-riseapartmentbuildingthatsitsbelowtheheightofthecanopyofgumtreeswithitsmorehorizontalformisabuildingtypethatincreasesdensitytohouseourgrowingfuturepopulaonbutisreasonablycompablewith2storeyhousing.EUROPEANCITIESHAVECHAMPIONEDTHEMID-RISEAPARTMENTCieslikeParisandBarcelonaarerenownedfortheirconsistentstreetedgescaleof6to8storeyhorizontalbuildings.Thesebuildingsweregenerallybuiltbeforethelibecamepopularandbeforesteelandconcreteenabledtallerstructurestobebuilt.Todaytouristsfromaroundtheworldenjoyvisingthesemid-risecies.UnfortunatelySydneyhasmissedtheopportunitytodevelopmid-risehousingtotheextentoftheEuropeanciesbuttherearesllareaswherethesebuildingshavebeenbuiltandtherearemanyotherareaswherenewversionscanbebuilt.MID-RISEAPARTMENTSCANREPLACETHETHREESTOREYWALK-UPSOFTHE1960sAND1970sInthe1960sand1970salargenumberofrelavelycheapthreestoreywalkupatswerebuiltacrossSydneythatarenowreachingtheiruse-bydate.WithachangetotheStrataActtomakeiteasiertoclosedownastratasystemtoallowrenewalnowproposedbytheNSWGovernmentthereisagrowingopportunitytorenewvastareasofsubstandardwalkuphousingwithnewmid-risequalityapartments.ThisissueofUrbanIdeasdemonstratesexamplesofhowthisrenewalcouldoccur.APARTMENTSUNDER25METRESTheBuildingCodeofAustraliahasverydierentstandardsforbuildingsover25metres.Abovethislevelsprinklersarerequiredandmorecomplexrerequirementsapply.Theseaddsignicantlytothecostsofbuildingssomanydeveloperskeeptheirbuildingsbelowthe25metrelevelwhichgenerallyequatestoa6to8storeyheight.THEMID-RISEAPARTMENTCOMPLYINGCODEISNEEDEDTheproposedplanningreformsthattheNSWGovernmentchampionedhadastrongfocusoncomplyingdevelopment.Theproposalwasthatcommuniesshouldbemainlyinvolvedintheearlystrategicplanningstagethatsetoverallcharacter.Anareacouldbezonedfor6or8storeysresidenalbuildingsatthestrategicplanningstagebutthenindividualdevelopmentapplicaonsthatcomplywithanapartmentcodewouldgetquickapprovalswithin30days.DESIGNIDEASFROMTOPARCHITECTSTheUrbanTaskforcehasinvolvedPeterSmithofSmithandTzannesArchitectstohelpputtogetheradracomplyingcode.Peterhasalotofexperienceinthisareaandwasinvolvedindevelopingthegovernmentshousingcode.WehavealsoaskedarchitectNickTurnertolookatapplyingourcodetotherenewalofolder1970walk-upatprecincts.Weshouldencouragethedevelopmentofmid-riseapartmentsthroughacomplyingcodeTheUrbanTaskforceiskeentohaveresponsestotheproposalsillustratedinthisissueofURBANIDEASandwewelcomecommentstoadminurbantaskforce.com.auChrisJohnsonAMChiefExecuveOcerUrbanTaskforceAustraliaCreditsCoverphotographofGardenApartmentsatVictoriaParkbyChrisJohnson30DAYAPPROVALSSAVING200DAYSOVERTHEPRESENTSYSTEMCurrentapprovalsforbuildingsbetween5mand20maverage232daysSeetable37oftheLocalDevelopmentMonitorReport201213issuedMarch2014NSWDepartmentofPlanning.WEPROPOSE