Report: The Liveable Metropolis: The Opportunity of Intermediary Cities to Deliver Resilience, Impact and Prosperity
The second inquiry of the Monash Commission brings together a panel of eminent Australian and international thought leaders to examine the potential of Intermediary Cities in reframing post-pandemic liveability and explore what makes a ‘liveable metropolis’. It looks beyond Central Business Districts or primary cities, to encourage fresh perspectives on the liveability, sustainability, resilience and inclusion debate of our cities. This completed inquiry includes two transformative recommendations that provide the pathway for deliberate strategies to grow and enhance Intermediary Cities.
View the final full report of the 2022 Monash Commission
Watch the launch event
On 21 July 2022, the report The Liveable Metropolis and The Opportunity of Intermediary Cities to Deliver Resilience, Impact and Prosperity was launched at an event in Melbourne. Hosted by Monash University's President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Margaret Gardner AC, and Chair of the Monash Commission, Non-Executive Director and former Victorian Cabinet Minister, Dr Mark Birrell AM, the event also features a panel discussion with Commissioners on the topic of Intermediary Cities.
What is an Intermediary City?
Intermediary Cities are often referred to as ‘second cities’ or ‘non-CBD cities’, and they are smaller, but deeply connected in a larger city network. Bringing together Australian and international thought leaders, this report canvassed research from scholars and examined emerging infrastructure requirements of future cities, the changing needs and demands of society and citizens, as well as the economic and structural systems in place to support them to thrive.
The report
The inquiry has highlighted six Intermediary City case studies and identified future-oriented features that leading Intermediary Cities are using to address long-standing community issues and improve outcomes for citizens.
Regions or cities highlighted include:
- The Randstad, Netherlands
- Canberra, Australia
- Aspern, Austria
- Lund, Sweden
- Surrey, Canada
- Bradfield, Australia.
The future-oriented features include:
- Balance of autonomy and integration within the larger metropolitan network
- Citizen and community wellbeing
- Equitable and sustainable design
- Experimentation and innovation
- Diverse economic base, jobs and innovation
- Vision, leadership and sound governance.
Read The Liveable Metropolis: The Opportunity of Intermediary Cities to Deliver Resilience, Impact and Prosperity to discover the Commission’s recommendations.
The Commissioners
The second inquiry of the Monash Commission was led by infrastructure leader, Mark Birrell AM, Chair of the Monash Commission, Non-Executive Director and former Cabinet Minister in Victoria.
He was joined by a new panel of Commissioners:
- Professor Khoo Teng Chye - Professor in Practice, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, and former Executive Director of the Centre for Liveable Cities
- Ms Gabrielle Trainor AO - Chair, Construction Industry Culture Taskforce and Board Member, Western Parkland City Authority, ACT City Renewal Authority, and the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority
- Professor Em. Kees Christiaanse - Urban Designer and Architect, KCAP, Distinguished Affiliated Professor, TU Munich and Professor Emeritus, ETH Zurich
- Ms Julie Wagner - President of The Global Institute on Innovation Districts and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute
- Professor Kris Olds - Professor of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Professor Jinhua Zhao - Director of the MIT Mobility Initiative and Chief Scientist, TRAM.GLOBAL
- Ms Terri Benson - Managing Director of Birdon Group
- Professor Ken Sloan (Coordinating Commissioner) - Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Harper Adams University