The design of urban waterfronts: A critique of two Australian 'Southbanks'

This paper critically examines the urban design of inner-city riverfront cultural and leisure precincts, both called 'Southbank', In two major Australian cities, Melbourne and Brisbane. It evaluates simple functional planning matters such as use, scale and connectivity, as well as examining how these are entangled in more complex organisational, behavioural and representational outcomes, through observation of the broad scope of leisure activities which occur in the two settings. The paper examines four key dimensions of leisure experience on urban riverfront) - escaping the everyday, mixing with strangers, consuming spectacle and exploring new forms of bodily activity, Particular attention is given to the tensions between attempts at careful management of activities and imagery in these leisure zones, and the messy diversity of everyday life which actually takes place in and around them