Megalania

OK, so each city around the world has querky differences and specialities but seems to me they are all pretty much all the same - especially those in the Western World.

More of your work in one relative to another ...

But what makes any Australian city stand out beyond the norm?

joem

The only Australian city that stands out from the norm, is Sydney, and thats only because it has the best looking harbour in the world.




joem

Megalania

The Hong Kongalese would say their city has a great harbour too.

To be more exact: What makes any Australian city stand out beyond the Western World norm?

Ceri

Brisbane reminds me of Cardiff in a way.. very laid out. and boring ( Don't like Cardiff either). also in some ways it reminds me of Thailand believe it or not - it's the low shack buildings with bill board after bill board (shops) ... Anyone who has ever driven through the Strathpine region - for the life of me that reminds me of some shanty town in Thailand. I'm not being funny, but Strathpine reminds me of parts of Thailand .. the way they build with advertising signs, and ugly buildings

What's so special... you tell me. I see nothing special..
From what I've seen... Brisbane and Sydney.. wake me up please..., actually tell a lie I was admiring some building the other week in fortitude valley.. They looked like the old British architecture ... they probably are

bondipom

Excellent post Megs as most Aussie cities try to ape US or European counterparts.

The harbour is spectacular but not unique. The beaches are amazing but not unique. The Opera House is a unique piece of archictecture but overall Aussie archichtecture is dismal and cheap.

Harrys Cafe de Wheels, the Taxi Club, Barons in the X, G&L Mardi Gras (no longer unique but I believe it was the first gay pride march to become a celebration rather than a protest) are starters.

dotty

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ceri
Brisbane reminds me of Cardiff in a way..

LOL

Ceri

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dotty

You don't want to go there either Dots.. be scared very scared

Banksia

You mean like Shanghai and Beijing?

As to aping European architecture, I doubt if you'll find many like this in in Europe.

glhall

Who cares about architecture? Its the day to day living things that are more important. like living in a nice neighbourhood,having a house that is comfortable and suits your taste, like ease of getting kids to school, ease of getting around without traffic holdups all the time, spending time with other people whose company you enjoy, taking the wife and kids on outings without travelling for hours and hours to get there, getting up in the morning most of the time to sunshine and feeling good about it, having a decent job, and best of all having enough free time to enjoy life with the most important person - your wife(seriously) and heaps more . Architecture, culture, history, its way down at the bottom of the priority list for me
Graham

Megalania

Jolly decent reply in my opinion ... but ...

To be more exact again :

What makes any Australian or New Zealand city stand out beyond the Western World norm - in your opinion ?

bondipom

I care about archictecture because it is part of the urban aesthetic. You just have to look at Milton Keynes to see what happens when it goes wrong. Archictecture is more than famous buildings and is about what we walk around and see every day.

BTW the Mrs is at the top of my list of priorities of life. Archictecture is one of the main elements that can make a city unique.

The style of building you have posted a picture of is good example. There are plenty of examples in the Eastern burbs and Balmain. Are there many elsewhere in Oz?

Federation and Queenlanders are other good examples.

glhall

Ive been to Perth, London, Tel Aviv ,Madrid, Munich, Athens, marrakesh, Paris, banKok,Sydney and of course seen alot of NZ cities. I dont know whether any city anywhere had any real appeal to be quite honest. They all had the same traffic problems etc etc . It was always the smaller places I visited that were most beautiful and had the real lifestyle feel of a country. So to answer your question I dont know of any city in NZ that stands out beyond the western world norm - and any that I thought might qualify is set up to cater for hordes of tourists and that disqualified it again

Graham

WBB

yeah right.

podgypossum

i was amazed at the beautiful archtecture in Adelaide when i arrived. I am not into "buildings" as such, but it really does give a city its "personality" I think Adelaide is quite unique because of it, the Victorian and other eye pleasing buildings, along with lots of shady treelined streets gives it a great appeal i think.

bondipom

Give us some pics of them please PP.