“Alone together: addressing urban isolation in Australian cities”

Australian cities are experiencing compounding urbanisation and population growth. Government plans are focused on issues of land use planning, infrastructure delivery, and transport mobility to accommodate growth but the intangible ‘social city’ and public realm are all too often neglected. Despite city dwellers being physically closer than ever, they are feeling increasingly disconnected from their neighbours and communities. Loneliness and urban isolation are on the rise and finding authentic connections in our cities is increasingly difficult.

This research aims to examine the role of the built environment in addressing urban isolation, specifically in Sydney.