Iris Levin

Chinese migrants in Melbourne and their house choices

Abstract Meanings behind the choice of the migrant house are explored through an examination of 12 houses of migrants who emigrated from mainland China to Melbourne during the 1990s and 2000s. A qualitative investigation shows that there are three interconnected meanings behind the choice of houses in Melbourne: a desire to counter past experiences of housing in China, a desire to improve future opportunities through housing, and the wish to blend into Australian society. While much of the literature claims that migrant housing represents the ethnic character of their owners through architectural features, these Chinese houses do not resemble past houses in China in any physical way. The location of the house in a ‘good’ suburb was the most important factor when choosing the house. The house should be located near good educational, transport and shopping services before the built form becomes important. Chinese migrants wish to assimilate into Australian society through their choice of ordinary houses that do not communicate their ethnic identity through their external façades, while also adopting Australian ways of living that are focused on gardens and backyards.

'What is the Meaning of ‘Social Mix’? Shifting perspectives in planning and implementing public housing estate redevelopment

ABSTRACT This paper unravels a variety of perspectives about the concept of social mix, drawing on a case study of the implementation of a redevelopment project in Melbourne. The first part provides a theoretical overview of two internationally predominant academic debates around policy interpretations of this concept, namely social mix as a means for promotion of social inclusion; and as a state-led form of gentrification. These two arguments are usually presented as one, with social inclusion and reductions of concentrations of disadvantage one side of the ‘social mix policy’ coin, and state-led gentrification the other. This paper contributes to the national and international literature on public housing estate regeneration and social mix policies through exploring the question of whether these two ideas about social mix were shared by different stakeholders as the ‘messy’ process of redevelopment unfurled. Interviews were conducted with public tenants, homeowners and homebuyers, private renters and local service providers at the Carlton Housing Estate to explore the diverse perspectives of various stakeholder groups as estate design and implementation shifted. The study identified that as a result of the global financial crisis and the developers exerting pressure on government there was a gradual move away from perceiving social mix as a policy tool for encouraging social inclusion at Carlton, between public housing tenants and private residents, towards a different form of social mix and inclusion. Contrary to intentions, the revised form of social mix at Carlton was perceived as a means to harness market capital and attract higher income residents to the inner city.

“This is for the Children, the Grandchildren …”: Houses of Moroccan Immigrants in Metropolitan Tel Aviv

ABSTRACT The meaning of migrant housing materiality has not been adequately researched, especially when compared to the meaning of the home for immigrants, a matter of extensive discussion in the past two decades. This paper focuses on the meaning of housing materiality for 12 immigrants who migrated from Morocco to Israel some 60 years ago. Drawing on qualitative data gathered in 2007 and 2008, the paper develops a theoretical framework considering “house as community” and “house materiality” as two interrelating explanations for the migrant housing materiality. Through this framework, and with the concepts of performance and performativity, the paper first explores former houses of participants in Morocco and then presents current houses in Tel Aviv, Israel, to establish links between the two housing forms and reveal the meanings of objects in the homes. It is argued that as a reaction to the dominant Israeli society, housing materiality enables participants to educate successive generations and Israeli society at large about the rich cultural life of Moroccan-Jews that existed before their migration to Israel.

Support for tenure mix by residents local to the Carlton Housing Estate, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract In this paper, we report on the level of support for tenure mix policies of residents living proximate to the Carlton Housing Estate mixed tenure redevelopment in Melbourne Australia. In a telephone survey of 200 residents living in the area surrounding the estate, the majority of respondents were supportive of tenure mix. Those who were financially comfortable or only spoke English were significantly more supportive than those reporting more difficult financial circumstances or who spoke a language other than English. The reasons for support for tenure mix included avoiding ghettoization, building community and social role modelling. The reasons for opposing tenure mix reflected a concern for the loss of public housing, a view that public and private tenants would not want to be co-located and that public tenants weren’t as deserving as others of living in a good inner city location. There were also concerns from both groups about how tenure mix might work in practice. Policy implications are discussed.

Public housing renewal and social determinants of health

ABSTRACT This article draws on the concept of residential context of housing and its relationship to health. It considers a bundle of changes through implementation of a housing renewal initiative as part of the Carlton Housing Estate Upgrading Project in Melbourne, Australia. Beyond the quality and appropriateness of the housing, pertinent factors explored include social networks, safety and security, and green open space. Data collection for the research project included in-depth interviews with public housing tenants, private residents, and service providers who live on and service the estate, as well as neighborhood observations and participation in on-site events. A key finding was that the relational processes of how tenants were related to by others–specifically, the way housing was reallocated during the processes of renewal–affected social housing tenants’ self-perceived health and well-being.

The street: a quintessential social public space

This item is under embargo for a period of 18 months from the date of publication, in accordance with the publishers policy.

Planning and place in the city: mapping place identity

Cities’, lend themselves to diverse contexts. Of particular interest here, in Melbourne, is the focus within a number of chapters on the management of fragile ecosystems, especially in peri-urban regions; this challenge is definitive of the current imperative facing urban design and planning in Australia and especially in the state of Victoria. Cook’s chapter on ‘Urban Ecosystems and the Sustainable Metropolis’ cautions us against assumptions about regeneration and emphasises three crucial and practical points: extent, context and content. I found this section particularly helpful in terms of ideas for the redesign of an undergraduate planning unit, as so much of the work of contemporary planners is in retrieval, mitigation or simply to arrest further ecological design. However, equally, Remaking Metropolis offers considerable insight into the means with which to foreground the role of urban greening in placemaking and integrated health and wellbeing. ‘Turning Cities Around’, by Gemzoe and Park, offers a lot of ideas for retrofit, which inspires with scaled examples of urban greening and green space planning. Although the report offered on Melbourne, Australia, is somewhat confused (and factually incorrect, see p. 200), the reflections in this chapter make for a very useful situated consideration of a range of responsive urban design. The forthright discussion of certain real and frustrating impediments to planning is refreshing. The complexity and negotiation encountered in preserve planning in Arizona (‘Managing the Urban/Nature Border’) are fascinating, as the negotiation required real-city politics is acknowledged. This filled me with hope and excitement. I do wonder why so little of the discussion engaged the views or lived experience of Native American residents of Phoenix, but this challenge is just as real and pertinent here in Australia as anywhere else, and it is urgent. Remaking Metropolis is wonderfully presented, both in its layout and chronology of unfolding themes, but also inherently in the ethic offered within. This edited collection is characterised by a spirited commitment to excellence in design, placemaking and sustainable futures across the most varied of contexts. I was pleased with the integration and respectful understanding of the links between cultural needs and environmental constraints, at least in part. There is a deep ethic of care in the reintegration of these factors, which is important in these globally challenging times. The audience for Remaking Metropolis is, importantly, unlimited. This book is very useful to those of us designing curriculums, both in terms of shaping content, themes and examples from around the world, but also in offering situated readings for students at all levels. It is a useful volume for scholars and practitioners of public policy, municipal workers and those involved in city politics. Disaster response and international development workers will also find it useful. I found this an important book, but it was not without some disappointing oversights. I would have liked more discussion of specific social inequities of space and place and the means with which to redress these various injustices. Equally, while the complex or even merely status quo city politics that so complicate planning and design were noted, there was little discussion of the urgent imperative facing the built environment professions; the need to front up to political will. We have, as this book amply evidences, all the capability, vision and skill that we need to create sustainable futures. What we lack is the socially just political commitment at the decisionmaking level. This book has such vigour and passion that it should take us far beyond mere aspirational motherhood statements. Political will is the missing piece of the puzzle and I long for some situated engagement on that challenge. We need the vision and ideas of this book perhaps all the more as we face economic challenges the world over. Historically, such times have been perceived as being characterised by risk aversion and a shrinking of innovation, but, in fact, with the implications of climate change and biodiversity loss ever more real and immediate, we need courageous ideas for innovation all the more. The thinking that is present in Remaking Metropolis offers us leadership in the right direction.

Translocal Geographies: Spaces, Places, Connections

This item is under embargo for a period of 18 months from the date of publication, in accordance with the publishers policy.