The Hidden Urban Design Fixes that Change Everything

Urban design is failing our cities and the people living in them, and a Melbourne architectural practice can prove it. Because, after measuring hundreds of laneways, documenting countless pedestrian movements and analysing decades of urban development, NH Architecture believes it has cracked the code. The firm’s extensive research conducted over five years with RMIT University has revealed specific measurements and ratios that consistently appear in Melbourne’s most successful urban precincts. These findings offer developers a mathematical framework for creating vibrant, profitable spaces. “We wanted to understand what makes spaces work and what doesn’t,” NH Architecture principal Martin Heide tells The Urban Developer . “We kept coming back to the question of vibrancy and trying to unpack the physical properties that contribute to social activation.” The research challenges conventional wisdom about urban design. For instance, while many council guidelines mandate 70-80 per cent glazing for street-level shopfronts, the study found that 50 per cent glazing creates more engaging spaces. “It can be counterintuitive,” NH Architecture communications manager Amy Snoekstra tells The Urban Developer . “You sort of think transparency must be good, that the wider and more open it is at street level, it’s got to be more engaging. But we found it’s almost the opposite.” ▲ NH Architecture principal Martin Heide. The research identified specific measurements that create optimal conditions for urban vitality. Laneways 4m to 8m in width achieve the greatest density of activities. Beyond 14m, spaces become more like town squares, changing how people interact with them. Block sizes also play a crucial role. The study found that 70m by 70m blocks provide ideal subdivision measurements, allowing for multiple pedestrian connections that encourage movement through spaces. These principles have already proven successful in major developments. At Commercial Bay in Auckland, NH Architecture convinced developers to reduce a proposed 12m corridor to 6m based on their research. “They tested it with pedestrian modelling, and it still worked. We think it’s made a huge difference for that human-scale experience,” Heide says. The research also examined how people engage with spaces psychologically. The team discovered a “four-second rule” of engagement, measuring how visual stimuli affect pedestrian behaviour. This led to insights about the importance of varied surfaces and materials in creating engaging environments. Delete “We realised if you look at some of the old laneways … the percentage of glazing is less than 50 per cent,” Heide says. “Often in council guidelines, we get like 80 per cent activation and 70 per cent glazing requirement. We always push back against that.” The research found that newer developments with extensive glazing often struggle to create engaging environments. “You’re walking past fish bowls,” says Snoekstra, citing newer developments in Melbourne’s Southern Cross Lane precinct as examples of spaces that don’t work due to excessive glazing. This matches findings from successful heritage spaces, where the mix of solid surfaces and openings creates more engaging environments. Even contemporary successful spaces such as Bourke Street maintain around 50 per cent solid surfaces at ground level. The study also revealed the importance of negative space—or the areas between buildings. Using Rome’s Nolli Map as inspiration, the team focused on how these interstitial spaces form the connective tissue of successful urban environments. The Nolli Map, created by Italian architect Giambattista Nolli and published in 1748, offered a revolutionary way to view urban spaces by inverting traditional architectural mapping. “Instead of drawing buildings, it highlights in white the spaces between buildings that are publicly accessible,” Heide says. “The map reveals the true connective tissue of a city by highlighting these interstitial spaces—the laneways, arcades and thoroughfares that connect one place to another. “It draws the public spaces that are accessible … and is what we are interested in here. Any good designer knows the value of negative space. It forms the glue, the space that we experience as we pass through, and then good architecture sits within that.” Delete The research has relevance for developers working on new projects. At Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market precinct, NH Architecture is applying these principles to create a series of laneways connecting the CBD with the market. Safety considerations were also factored into the research. The team found that creating safe spaces requires more nuance than simply installing bright lighting. “Fluorescent lighting, even if really bright, doesn’t make people feel safe,” Snoekstra says. “The quality of light matters, as does maintenance and the presence of activity.” The research, published in Decoding Urban Metrics: Melbourne, provides clear guidelines for creating these successful spaces. The optimal ratios and measurements can be applied to new developments, while the psychological insights help ensure these spaces will attract and retain visitors and tenants. The study suggests that successful urban spaces aren’t accidental—they follow consistent, measurable patterns. ▲ Melbourne ’ s Centre Way is a prime example of a viable, active laneway, Snoekstra and Heide say. By understanding and applying these patterns, developers can create spaces that don’t just look good on paper but deliver the vibrant, profitable environments that cities need, Heide says. “The research is already influencing development decisions across Australasia, with developers using these principles to inform project designs,” he says As cities continue to evolve, this mathematical approach to urban design could help ensure new developments contribute positively to the urban fabric while delivering strong commercial outcomes. The firm has made its research open source, hoping to influence future development. “We’re making our design thinking open source because we want to start a conversation,” Snoekstra says. “Ultimately, the outcome we want is better, more vibrant urban spaces. “We fully expect the next generation of architects and developers to take these principles even further.” You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. Click here to learn more.

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