Hayden Donnell, journalist and senior writer at The Spinoff, examines the unintended consequences of urban planning in this Ockham Lecture.
Hayden introduces his lecture:
Current planning rules are meant to stop ugly buildings getting built and ensure new construction is easy on existing residents. So why are so many of the suburbs we see as beautiful and worthy of protection the ones we built before those rules were put in place? Why are the places we condemn for their poor urban form so often designed with council directives in mind? For decades we've tried to micromanage our cities. There's a case that in doing so, we've actually sabotaged them.
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Hayden Donnell is a journalist, writer, and senior staffer at The Spinoff. His work often explores the intersection of policy, culture, and the built environment with a sharp eye and humour. He has also contributed to RNZ and other publications.—
The Ockham Lecture series is an annual programme of lectures and panel discussions across different themes that critically engage with craft, design and architecture. This programme is supported by Objectspace's Lead Partner Ockham Residential.
