Livable City International Symposium,

23 - 25 July, Osaka & Kobe, Japan

Livable City International Symposium, 23 - 25 July, Osaka & Kobe, Japan

I recently returned from six days in Osaka, Japan for the Livable City International Symposium and related events, very well organised by Mr Takanori Fukuoka, Associate Professor, Sustainable Living Environmental Design (SLED) Kobe University and sponsored by Sekisui Corporation. The overall purpose of the trip was to work with the organisers and delegates to consider: How do you create equitable, livable cities? What role do city liveability rankings play? Does a high liveability rankings benefit the city? Are a city’s liveability and tourism attractiveness complementary or contradictory? Can enhancing liveability for citizens increase tourism and its economic benefits?

I presented at the Livable City International Symposium, Osaka, 23 July 2016, which explored "How creating a liveable city requires citizens and governments to cooperate". My key note presentation was on "Creating Liveable Cities, the Smart Cities of the Future". I shared my bench-marking liveability experience and explained the key principles that I concluded enabled Melbourne to achieve and maintain its status as one of the world's most liveable cities. The other international speaker, Sacha Coles, Director, ASPECT Studios Sydney, also presented at the symposium on “Public Space & Public Life in the Liveable City”, outlining principles for a human-centered approach to the design of public spaces and city-making.

The symposium presentations were followed by a panel and open forum which discussed these key principles and how Osaka and Kobe might benefit from applying them. The discussion focused on criteria for livable city evaluation and how to enhance liveability based on clear criteria, policies and design strategies.

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Speakers and Organizing Team - Livable City International Symposium, Osaka, 23 July 2016

The following day I gave a public presentation and discussion in Higashiyuen Park, Kobe, exploring the cooperation of citizens and government in city planning.

The final day involved two separate presentations and discussions. The first with representatives from Sekisui House Ltd, explored the concept of liveable cities from residents and visitors’ perspectives. The second involved an International Urban City Strategies Research Unit Meeting, which explored "What's missing in Japan (Kobe, Osaka) from a livable city perspective. This final session included representatives from, Obayashi Corporation, Kansai Electric Power Corporation, Takenaka Corporation and NTT West.