Introduction Innovative cities drive economic growth, deliver new jobs, and create thriving communities for residents to live, work, play, invest and visit. Precincts and districts catering for innovation are being created around the world as new examples of communities that have excellent amenity, great access to transport, affordable housing, civic facilities, and provide the types...

This paper describes the approaches that were used in the initial phases of the Visions and Pathways 2040 project and early research results. A selection of the ‘glimpses’ of possible future low-carbon, resilient city forms and their associated lifestyles are presented.

In the Australian landscape the Gold Coast is famous for its development without a plan. This paper examines the causes and the consequences of this unplanned urbanisation process.

The paper uses a land use model developed by Auckland Council to examine how political actors, institutional and public politics influence the use of land models as an ‘evidence base’ for decision making.

This paper focuses on the concern with the present paucity of multidisciplinary discussions of the idea of the “global city” and what is perceived as a need for a more critical consideration of the practical challenges in Australian urban research.